International
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News
Fund Manager to Banks: Stop Financing Coal Plants
A UK-based hedge fund billionaire is urging large central banks to end their funding of coal-fired power plant projects. Chris Hohn, founder of TCI Fund Management and a champion of causes to combat climate change, expressed his concerns in letters published March 1 to the Bank of England, the European Central Bank, Barclays, HSBC, and […]
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Plant Design
Gravity Base Ballast Provides Tidal Turbines with a Sturdy Grip
Offshore wind turbines deliver a strong promise in today’s tough times of climate changes’ debate. The rapid development of the sector favors the need for new gravity concepts. Besides design, ballast is a critical element responsible for the turbine’s stabilization and therefore its success. Its quality, density, and weight, defined by the material choice and […]
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News
Economics Hamper Power Improvements in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has been battered by natural disasters in recent years, with hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and a series of earthquakes in late December 2019 and early January 2020, causing widespread damage
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Solar
Novel Stellio Heliostat Solar Project Goes Online in China
One of the world’s first molten salt tower concentrated solar power (CSP) projects that uses a “Stellio” heliostat was grid-connected at the end of December in China’s Xinjiang province near the
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Nuclear
A New Frontier for Nuclear Fuels
Though much attention has been focused on the exciting realm of nuclear reactor technology innovation, major efforts to improve nuclear fuels—and boost power generation safety and economics—are underway
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O&M
Novel System Uses Condenser Water for District Heating
Conventional district heating systems are generally designed around the load. However, an alternate approach would be to design around potential heat sources, including the waste heat from power plants. Many
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O&M
New Technology Improves Refractory Maintenance and Shutdown Planning
Power plants require regular maintenance outages to stay in top condition, but shutdown periods can be stressful. New tools are available that can save time, reduce labor costs, and improve safety. The
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Gas
How to Clean Natural Gas Piping with Gas Blows
Prior to placing newly installed natural gas piping and valves in service, systems must be properly cleaned to remove potentially damaging foreign material that is inherently left behind during construction
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T&D
Are Traditional Power Companies Being Disintermediated?
How will the electric grid change as the world transitions to a power system with more renewable energy resources? Some experts foresee a shift from today’s grid-type architecture to a system of systems—from the current centralized design to a distributed energy scheme. While it’s hard to know exactly what the future holds, it’s commonly believed […]
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Hydrogen
How Much Will Hydrogen-Based Power Cost?
Costs associated with 40 hydrogen technologies used in 35 applications, including for heat and power, could tumble dramatically over the next decade as the scale-up of hydrogen production, distribution, and equipment and component manufacturing continues. For some applications, hydrogen could become competitive with other low-carbon alternatives, and even conventional options. Those are key findings from […]