Electrification

  • A Tale of Two Vehicles: Exploring BEVs and Hydrogen FCEVs

    As the global community intensifies its efforts to combat climate change, the transportation sector has emerged as a crucial battleground. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport constitute approximately 23% of total global CO2 emissions from energy combustion and industrial processes. The IEA’s latest data from 2022 shows that […]

  • Siemens Collaborating With Kontrolmatik, Pomega on Battery Engineering

    The market for customizable, scalable, turnkey energy storage solutions continues to evolve, as companies look at providing systems that will work from an individual application level all the way to grid and utility-scale deployment. Kontrolmatik, an Istanbul, Turkey-headquartered systems integrator and global engineering, procurement, and construction leader in power generation, transmission, and distribution, and its […]

  • The POWER Interview: The IRA’s Impact on Tax Credits, Tax Equity, and Renewable Energy

    The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents the largest incentive effort for clean energy in U.S. history. Its impact touches multiple sectors, including solar, wind, hydrogen, energy storage, and more. The IRA includes more than 70 investment, production, and excise credits designed to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy production. The legislation promotes advanced manufacturing, and […]

  • From Mine to Line through End of Life, How Technology is Optimizing Battery Production

    The battery industry is experiencing a seismic shift as demand for renewable energy solutions increases. With electric vehicle (EV) sales expected to double from 2023 to 2027, reaching 31.6 million units, and shortages of cobalt and lithium expected through 2027, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights, innovation is necessary. There is a growing demand for […]

  • Schneider Electric Releases All-In-One Battery Energy Storage System for Microgrids

    Schneider Electric today announced a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) designed and engineered to be a part of a flexible, scalable, and highly efficient architecture. BESS is the cornerstone for a fully integrated microgrid solution that is driven by Schneider Electric’s controls, optimization, and world-renowned digital and field services. Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, […]

  • Federal U.S. Power Sector Initiatives Went Full Throttle in April: Here’s the List

    The Biden administration has unveiled several sweeping actions over the past month aimed at boosting clean energy deployment, enhancing manufacturing jobs, and reducing pollutant emissions across the power sector. The measures—many announced as part of a comprehensive Earth Week agenda on April 25—are notable for their strategic push in an election year, highlighting the administration’s […]

  • Groups Collaborate to Electrify Chemical Processing Plants

    Three major chemical processing companies announced the startup of a demonstration plant to show the viability of large-scale electrically heated steam cracking furnaces. BASF, SABIC, and Linde on April 17 said the facility, at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, will begin operating after three years of development, engineering, and construction work. The three groups […]

  • How to Provide Reliable and Resilient Electricity Amid Today’s Changing Climate

    The United Nations has gone on record to spotlight the negative effects of climate change that have affected the world in recent years. The group stated, “destructive storms have become more intense and more frequent in many regions … while the frequency and extent of tropical storms has led to destroyed homes and communities, causing […]

  • DOE Eases Requirements in Final Transformer Efficiency Standards Amid Supply Chain Strain

    The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) final energy efficiency standards for distribution transformers appear to strike a compromise with industry, softening the agency’s stance on steel requirements for essential transformer components and extending compliance deadlines to five years. The DOE’s final standards issued on April 4 seek to reduce losses in three types of distribution […]

  • The POWER Interview: American Battery Factory Ramps Up U.S. Manufacturing

    Support for battery energy storage, and manufacturing of equipment for the electrification of transportation, is spurring construction of battery factories across the U.S. American Battery Factory, a leader in development of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, recently announced a partnership with Lead Intelligent Equipment (LEAD) to secure custom automation equipment and machinery that will […]

  • Balancing Essential Utility Infrastructure Investment with Customer Affordability

    Electric utilities are entering an era of growing investment opportunities following a decade of low load growth. However, there is increasing evidence that regulators are growing more concerned about the

  • Digital Solutions Provide Great Benefits for Cooperative Utilities

    Although cooperatives may not have the financial resources of large investor-owned utilities, valuable digital solutions are still within their grasp. Because they have fewer resources to employ, co-ops may

  • Expanding Access and Growing DER Networks for a Smarter Future Grid

    The framework for a better power grid should include distributed energy resources as a key part of the transition. When you think of the energy system of the future, what do you imagine? Ideally, you’d

  • Leveraging the ‘Electrification of Everything’ to Reduce Carbon Emissions

    This commentary from Siemens USA notes how the push for electrification promotes cleaner energy, sustainability, and efficiency. The “electrification of everything” is underway to not only decarbonize, but

  • Charging Corridors, Stations Will Support Heavy-Duty EV Trucks

    The push for electrification of the transportation sector is being supported by companies making significant investments in charging infrastructure. These groups are taking innovative approaches, including utilizing solar power, to providing the electricity necessary for a network of charging stations. Greenlane on March 27 announced a major project that features a 280-mile charging corridor that […]

  • The Need for Consumer Engagement in the Transition to Clean Energy

    To state it simply, current decarbonization goals cannot happen without deeper engagement between utilities and their customers, and utilities are not yet truly harnessing the potential that their customers bring. In order to begin to realize this wholesale shift from customers as “load” to customers as “resource,” utilities must facilitate customer participation in energy-saving initiatives […]

  • The POWER Interview: District Energy Embraces Innovation

    District energy systems are evolving across the power generation sector. Downtown business districts, college and university campuses, hospitals and healthcare facilities, airports, military bases and more are utilizing these systems to create economies of scale that reduce energy costs, and promote energy efficiency. These systems, used to provide power, hot water, heating, air conditioning and […]

  • The Clean Energy Balancing Act

    Energy is the lifeblood of our economy. It powers our phones, homes, offices, and transportation. As our energy consumption has evolved, so too has our electricity system to adapt to the demands of a changing world. Today, renewable energy from solar and wind dominates new electricity generation. Utilities are grappling with rising demand from electric […]

  • 5 Ways to Ensure Grids Don’t Become Bottlenecks in the Energy Transition

    Meeting ambitious climate targets while transitioning from fossil fuels remains a key priority for businesses, policymakers, and society in general. The good news is that the grid can play a pivotal role in helping us achieve this. With less dependency on more harmful energy sources such as oil and coal, and increased electrification, we are […]

  • Nigeria Group Announces More Mini-Grid Deployments

    Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) touted its success at the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the group noting it has deployed more than 100

  • Transforming Industrial Power by Electrifying Steam

    Steam power drove the Industrial Revolution, freeing manufacturers from the need to set up their factories near water power sources. Industrial steam is still largely used across various verticals, including power generation, chemical processing, and indoor heating. However, amid growing concerns about efficiency and sustainability, electrification of steam-powered systems emerges as a viable alternative capable […]

  • Rooftop Solar Important Piece of Fight Against Climate Change

    The U.S. is facing energy and climate challenges on multiple fronts. Rising energy costs, extreme weather events, and a transition away from fossil fuels have placed increasing pressure on governments and consumers. Residential solar is a compelling, multi-purpose solution that continues to experience rapid adoption among Americans. Six GW of home solar was installed in 2022, and […]

  • The Demand Charge Dilemma at EV Charging Stations

    With the transition to electric vehicles, utilities are becoming the new “gasoline wholesalers” as they provide critical fuel for transportation. Understanding their complex energy rate structures could make or break your EV charging business. Demand charges, in particular, can be toxic to your bottom line. There’s an ongoing industry-wide debate about how utilities should handle […]

  • EV Fast Charging Infrastructure Isn’t Growing Fast Enough—Utilities Must Step Up to Accelerate This Critical Infrastructure Buildout

    Utilities are just beginning their journeys to speed up deployment of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in reaction to increasing EV penetration. In the U.S., EV sales have risen nearly 50% between 2022 and 2023, now accounting for 8% of total industry sales (the Biden administration has a goal of 50% new vehicle sales comprising zero-emission vehicles by […]

  • How Power Companies Can Ride the EV Wave for New Revenue

    Have you noticed more electric vehicles (EVs) driving around your neighborhood? According to Kelley Blue Book’s “Electric Vehicle Sales Report Q3 2023,” EV sales volume in the U.S. set a new record in

  • Virtual Power Plants: The Next Operational Model for Electricity Generation

    There are a few great reasons that utilities and the energy industry, in general, are looking for the next big thing. Whether that’s in distributed energy generation or demand flexibility to free up existing resources, utilities are challenged more than ever to meet evolving customer needs. While this will prove costly in the short term, […]

  • How Electric Utilities Are Enabling Transportation Electrification at Scale

    With states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii beginning to execute their National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program plans, utilities within these states are rapidly coordinating the electrical power requirements needed to support these public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The influence of utilities on power infrastructure, including grid modernization, capacity growth, and energy management, […]

  • Transformative, Next-Gen Grid Control Technologies Get $42M in Federal Funding

    The Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated a new “enabling” pathway to achieve and sustain a dramatic transformation of the nation’s evolving grid—through its power electronics fabric, with the realization of advanced semiconductor materials, devices, and power module technologies. The agency on Nov. 21 unveiled the agency’s first awards—$42 million for 15 projects across 11 […]

  • How to Cut Energy Costs and Create Efficiencies this Winter

    As more businesses consider electrification efforts to reduce their carbon impact, energy decision-makers must not lose sight of the critical role of overall energy efficiency efforts. While electrification upgrades are often more efficient and can reduce overall energy demand for consumers, an increasingly volatile energy market means it’s as important as ever to have an […]

  • Undersea Cable Projects to Transmit Renewable Energy Move Forward

    Government officials in the UK have shown further support for a plan to bring renewable energy from a massive project in Morocco to Britain, one of at least three projects worldwide in which miles-long subsea