Full Coverage
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Solar
Virtual Power Plant Network Supports the Grid and Compensates Customers
Sunnova Energy International Inc., an adaptive energy services company, announced continued investments and expansion to its virtual power plant (VPP) network, providing increased reliability, reduced emissions, and lower costs. With its VPP investments, Sunnova is boosting accessibility in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas to enable customers to rapidly access […]
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Trends
A Bold Beginning: GE Vernova Charts Course for Electrification and Decarbonization in Market Debut
Marking the completion of its spin-off from GE, GE Vernova began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 2 as an independent company “singularly focused” on accelerating the energy transition. The measure, approved by GE’s Board on Feb. 29, effectively establishes GE Vernova as a giant purpose-built firm that will leverage its technology […]
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Energy Storage
Improving Lithium-Ion Batteries with Silicon Anode Technology
From the beginning of the electrification evolution, the U.S. has struggled to keep up with the Chinese battery giants, and has also fallen behind Europe in some battery production and adoption areas. Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are not only important for electric vehicles (EVs), but also for energy storage to accommodate intermittent renewables, such as wind […]
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Hydrogen
Gas Turbine and Hydrogen Technologies Grow Together
The future of gas turbines and hydrogen are intricately intertwined. Gas turbine manufacturers know that they need their equipment to be ready to operate on higher levels of hydrogen as electrolysis technology
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Geothermal
Delving Deeper: New Optimism for Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) have long held promise. New developments suggest dramatic progress may be on the horizon. Can innovation feasibly overcome technical and economic hurdles that have
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Power
AI Is Not Only a Thing of the Future, It’s Also a Thing of the Present
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms have taken the world by storm. Perhaps the best known of these is ChatGPT. OpenAI, the company that developed the innovative chatbot, released the tool widely to
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Nuclear
Long-Awaited Milestone: Fuel Loading Begins at India’s Prototype Fast Nuclear Reactor
India in March began fuel loading at a 500-MWe/1,250-MWth prototype fast-breeder reactor (PFBR) located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, marking a crucial phase for the second stage of the country’s ambitious
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Infographics
The Big Picture: Coal Controls [Infographic]
U.S. coal power plant emissions in 2023 showed dramatic reductions in air pollutants, owing mainly to coal plant closures. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), compared to 2022, sulfur dioxide emissions fell by 24%, nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 15%, carbon dioxide by 7%, and mercury by 17%. Over the years, coal plants have […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Distributed Power, EAAS—New Ways to Join the Clean Energy Transition
The first image that likely comes to mind when the average energy consumer thinks about renewable energy is some kind of vast (utility-scale) solar or wind farm, or a massive battery project, usually pictured
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Engineering
How to Get the Most Out of EPC Contracts
Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts are agreements in which a contractor is given major project responsibilities under a single contract established with an owner or developer. A
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Commentary
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
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Connected Plant
AI-Powered Computer Vision Is Transforming Utility Inspection and Maintenance
Employing artificial intelligence (AI) in the power industry may seem like a futuristic concept, but the truth is that it’s available in several innovative applications today. Power companies that tap into
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Energy Storage
Battery Energy Storage Systems: Solutions for Shorter and Longer Durations
As renewable energy capacity increases on power grids, battery energy storage systems become more and more important. While lead battery technology is not new, it is evolving. Advanced lead batteries offer a
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O&M
Coastal Utilities Warned of ‘Potentially Explosive’ 2024 Hurricane Season
AccuWeather’s team of expert meteorologists is warning people and businesses to start preparing for a frenzy of tropical activity that could have major impacts on the U.S. this hurricane season. “The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to feature well above the historical average number of tropical storms, hurricanes, major hurricanes, and direct U.S. impacts,” […]
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Nuclear
Palisades Nuclear Plant on Path to Recommissioning by 2025
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a conditional commitment of up to $1.52 billion for a loan guarantee to Holtec Palisades LLC to finance the restoration and resumption of service of the Palisades Power Plant, an 800-MW nuclear generating station in Covert Township, Michigan (Figure 1). The project aims to bring […]
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Gas
UK Commercial Gas Power Project Equipped With Carbon Capture Unveils Contractors
Eight engineering, procurement, and construction contract packages have been unveiled for the UK’s Teesside-based Net Zero Teesside Power (NZT Power), a landmark integrated project that could become one of the world’s first commercial-scale gas-fired power stations equipped with carbon capture when it begins operation in 2027. NZT Power, a joint venture between bp and Equinor, […]
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Nuclear
UK Companies See Major Opportunity in Nuclear Supply Chain
The UK government has ambitions for 24 GW of nuclear energy by 2050 to help in providing energy security for the UK and for meeting its net-zero goals. Among groups helping to revive and expand the UK’s nuclear industry is the University of Sheffield Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), part of the High […]
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Energy Storage
Advancing Lithium-Ion Battery Technology: The Role of Silane in Silicon-Based Anode Materials
In the midst of the energy transformation taking place around the world, lithium-ion batteries stand as pivotal components for both electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems, demanding momentum in technology advancements to encourage greater adoption. As the race for affordable next-generation batteries intensifies, a seemingly unassuming yet significant component takes center stage: silane. POWER […]
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O&M
Combining the Digital and the Personal in CCPP Maintenance
In the era of cloud computing, the immense potential of planned predictive maintenance (PPM) cannot be denied. Access to a broad range of application programming interfaces could revolutionise critical component servicing, if not transform it entirely. Yet, while the possibility of entirely automating this process is clearly appealing, the use of machine learning and analytics […]
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Safety
Key Considerations for a Successful PPE Program
Electricity is an indispensable commodity in our modern society. It powers industries, businesses, and homes. With a flick of a switch, customers expect electricity to come through. To achieve this, numerous workers put themselves on the line and are exposed to hazards every day. In a study conducted by the Electrical Safety Foundation from 2011–2022, […]
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O&M
AI Spare Parts Search for Maximized Maintenance Efficiency
Maintenance plays a critical role in the energy/utility sector, ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of infrastructure such as power plants, transmission lines, and distribution networks. Regular maintenance activities help prevent equipment failures, minimize downtime, and ensure the safety of workers and the public. In an industry where uninterrupted service is essential for economic and […]
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Trends
U.S. Natural Gas Supplies High, Prices at Record Low
The winter heating season, which is often defined as November through March in the U.S., is coming to an end with natural gas inventories 37% above the five-year average, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Reduced consumption in the residential and commercial sectors this winter has been blamed for the high natural gas […]
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T&D
How Utilities Are Planning for Extreme Weather Events and Mitigating Risks
Scientists who maintain the world’s temperature records, which date back to 1880, calculate a global temperature anomaly each year to determine how much temperatures have changed compared to temperatures from 1951 to 1980. In mid-January, they announced that 2023 was the hottest year on record. Furthermore, they said every month from June through December 2023 […]
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Technology
Fluor to Design Commercial Laser Fusion Power Plant
Longview Fusion Energy, a firm leveraging the recent fusion breakthrough at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), has secured a contract with engineering, procurement, and construction specialist Fluor to design what could become the world’s first commercial laser fusion power plant. Longview announced the contract on March 8, noting its historic relevance for laser fusion energy. […]
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Legal & Regulatory
EPA Drops Existing Gas-Fired Plants from Contentious Power Plant GHG Rule
(Updated March 7 with responses from EPA): The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will drop requirements covering existing natural gas-fired power plants in its final Section 111 rule regulating power sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which is expected in April. EPA Administrator Michael Regan on Feb. 29 said in a written statement the agency’s rule—which the […]
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Solar
Community Solar Projects Bring Renewable Energy to the Masses
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explains that community solar, also known as shared solar or solar gardens, is a distributed solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger, off-site shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system. It says community solar arrangements allow customers to enjoy advantages of solar energy […]
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Legal & Regulatory
NRC Sets Stage for Advanced Nuclear with New Part 53 Rule
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has directed its staff to publish a proposed rule and draft guidance to create Part 53, a much-awaited risk-informed and technology-inclusive licensing framework geared toward advanced technologies, including non-light-water-reactors (non-LWRs). In a staff requirements memorandum (SRM) made public on March 4, the commission directed staff to incorporate several changes to […]
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Trends
Shifting Gears: How Diesel and Gas Engines Are Thriving in the New Power Paradigm
As the global power industry pivots toward decarbonization and decentralization, major manufacturers of diesel and gas engines are strategically adapting to change. While large power plants frequently garner
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Sustainability
UK’s Drax Eyes U.S. for Bioenergy CCS Expansion Drive
The 2.6-GW Drax Power Station in northeastern England—once Western Europe’s largest coal-fired power plant—is poised to pioneer bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), a negative emissions
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Workforce
Energy Industry Job Market Is Growing Fast, but Finding Workers Is Challenging
The energy workforce added nearly 300,000 jobs in 2022, increasing to more than 8.1 million total jobs at the end of the year, according to the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) 2023 U.S. Energy and