Renewables

  • CenterPoint, Vectren Merging in $8 Billion Deal

    CenterPoint Energy, a Houston, Texas-based natural gas and electric utility company with sales and services operations in more than 30 states, on April 23 said it would buy Evansville, Indiana-based Vectren in a deal valued at more than $8 billion, including the assumption of more than $2 billion in Vectren debt. Both companies in statements […]

  • Landsvirkjun, Voith Launch Joint Hydro Noise Pilot Project in Iceland

    Budarhals hydropower plant to be fitted with intelligent acoustic monitoring system Voith tests new remote data-analysis service Optimized mode of operation and intelligent scheduling of maintenance work for power plant operators The national Power Company of Iceland Landsvirkjun and Voith have launched a joint pilot project on intelligent noise analysis in hydropower plants. Voith is […]

  • Siemens Gamesa wins 140 MW of wind power orders in India for multiple projects

    Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy has won multiple wind power orders for a total of 140 MW from several industrial customers and a leading independent power producer (IPP) in India. Specifically, the company will handle the entire infrastructure needed to operate these projects (with installed capacity ranging between 2 MW and 58 MW), together with the […]

  • Utility Reaches Settlement in Emissions Lawsuit

    The Colorado Springs City Council, which also serves as the board for community-owned Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU), approved the settlement of a lawsuit brought against the city’s downtown coal-fired Martin Drake Power Plant, an agreement that in part promises CSU will look at options for 100% of its power to come from renewable sources as […]

  • Distributed Energy Systems Are Reliable Solutions [PODCAST]

    More and more people are finding distributed energy solutions are the answer for their power resource challenges. Distributed energy comes in many forms. Renewables such as solar and wind are top-of-mind when most people think of distributed resources, but natural gas-fired generation is often a good fit too, because it adds reliability to the system […]

  • Group Says RGGI Has Generated $4 Billion in Economic Activity

    A study from an economic, financial, and strategy consulting group says the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a multi-state program designed to cap emissions from power plants in the northeastern U.S., has generated $4 billion in net economic activity even as it has increased electricity prices in the region. The report from the Analysis Group, […]

  • Siemens Gamesa to supply 166 MW at four new wind farms to be developed by Gas Natural Fenosa Renovables in Spain

    Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has entered into new agreements with Gas Natural Fenosa Renovables for the supply of 166 MW at four wind farm developments in Spain. These projects fall under the scope of the renewable capacity allocated to the Spanish utility as part of the auction held last May. Specifically, Siemens Gamesa will […]

  • New Jersey Lawmakers to Vote on Nuclear Subsidies, Renewables, Offshore Wind Bills

    New Jersey’s Assembly and Senate are both poised to vote on controversial bills that seek to subsidize the state’s nuclear power plants, modify the renewables portfolio standard, and support a pilot offshore wind farm. Lawmakers on April 12 could pass the package of bills, which includes S-2313, a bill directing the Board of Public Utilities […]

  • [SLIDESHOW] A Decade of POWER’s Plant of the Year Winners

    A showcase of winners of POWER magazine’s highest accolade over the past decade (2017 to 2006). If you think your plant or project compares to these winners, submit a nomination form for the 2017 Plant of the Year or Top Plant awards to POWER‘s editors before the April 13 deadline. POWER magazine, which turned 135 years old this year, […]

  • Caterpillar Installs Solar Solution in Illinois

    PEORIA, ILL. (April 11, 2018) – Caterpillar Inc. today announced that Cat dealer Altorfer has commissioned a 500-kW solar photovoltaic (PV) utility-scale demonstration project in St. Charles, Ill., as part of a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA).  Featuring more than 4,800 Cat solar panels, the 2.3-acre facility is located […]

  • Pattern Development Completes 147-MW Wind Project in Québec, Becoming Canada’s Largest Wind Power Producer

    SAN FRANCISCO, California (April 11, 2018) – Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) today announced the completion of its 147-MW Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind power facility. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Québec City, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. As announced in June 2017, the facility will be acquired by Pattern Energy Group […]

  • GE Delivered 40 Megawatts of Solar Inverters for the Pacifico Energy Furukawa Mega Solar Plant in Japan

    MIYAGI, Japan (April 11, 2018) —GE Power recently successfully delivered and commissioned its Brilliance Solar Inverters to Pacifico Energy Osaki GK for the 40.32-megawatt alternating current (AC) mega-solar project in Furukawa, Japan. GE’s Brilliance Solar Inverters meet the customer’s requirements both for reliability and cost competitiveness. Along with the inverters, GE also supplied ring main units […]

  • Siemens Gamesa Will Build Pioneering 194-MW Wind Farm in Australia

    The company has been awarded an EPC contract for the entire project, which will encompass a wind farm with 56 turbines and a 20 MW / 34 MWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has been commissioned to build a pioneering wind complex in Australia, which will combine the installation of a wind […]

  • Investments in Renewables Dwarf New Coal, Gas Generation

    A report from groups including the United Nations environmental arm and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) shows renewable energy installations were responsible for 61% of the world’s net power capacity additions in 2017, more than double the new-builds from fossil fuel-powered generation. The Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2018 report, compiled by BNEF, the […]

  • Turning Hindsight into Foresight for U.S. Energy Infrastructure

    A transformation is underway in the energy sector where utility grid infrastructure is evolving to produce more energy from renewable sources and incorporate new advanced grid technologies. Technology concepts such as microgrids, and distributed and district energy help to localize our energy supply and allow us to generate, store, and consume energy in the places […]

  • Samsung and Pattern Development Start Operations at North Kent Wind Power Facility in Ontario

    100-MW wind energy facility will power 35,000 homes annually and generate $40 million in economic benefits to Chatham-Kent economy over the life of the facility. Chatham-Kent, ONTARIO (April 9, 2018) – Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. (Samsung) and Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) today announced that North Kent Wind, a 100 megawatt (MW) wind power facility […]

  • Voith modernizes high-performance machine in pumped storage power plant in Vianden, Luxembourg

    More efficient electricity production: New motor-generator from Voith increases potential output of complete generating set by more than seven percent Faster response to changes in load requirements from the grid Special design for energy transfer saves rebuild costs Heidenheim, Germany. Voith has won the order to modernize a motor-generator in the Vianden pumped storage plant […]

  • Power Industry Continues to Face Uncertainty and Change [PODCAST]

    Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) CEO Bill Johnson in an exclusive interview with POWER suggested that the power industry continues to face an uncertain future.  Johnson said that during his 40-year career, he has seen more change in the last five years than in the previous 35 combined. Several indicators imply that will continue going forward. […]

  • Xcel Energy Acquires Foxtail Wind Energy Center

    MINNEAPOLIS (April 5, 2018) – Xcel Energy is continuing to transition its fleet to carbon-free energy in the Upper Midwest  with the addition of the Foxtail Wind Energy Center located in Dickey County in south-central North Dakota. The 150-megawatt wind farm is part of the company’s vision to achieve 85 percent clean energy by 2030 by […]

  • PJM: More Than 3,600 MW Will Retire in 2018

    Data from regional transmission organization (RTO) PJM Interconnection shows about 630 MW of power generation will be taken offline in the grid operator’s territory in April, with more than 3,600 MW scheduled to be retired this year, according to the organization’s website. This month’s deactivations are scheduled to begin April 16. Last week, Ohio power […]

  • Duke Energy Ready to Commission New Florida Gas Plant

    Duke Energy Florida will commission both units of its new 1,640-MW Citrus gas-fired combined cycle power plant (Figure 1) by the end of 2018. The company on April 3 said the 820-MW Unit 1 will come online in September, with a second 820-MW unit entering service in November. Construction of the $1.5 billion plant began […]

  • EPRI: Electrification to Reshape Power Landscape

    Even in the absence of climate policy, customer adoption of electric end-use technologies over the next 30 years is expected to spur steady growth in energy consumption, a new report assessing U.S. electrification from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) suggests. The April 3–released report, “U.S. National Electrification Assessment,” is based on findings by EPRI’s […]

  • Siemens Gamesa Reinforces Presence in Vietnam with new 39-MW Wind Farm

    The Dam Nai wind farm will be equipped with 15 SG 2.6-114 turbines, with total capacity of 39 MW. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) continues to reinforce its presence in Vietnam where it will install and commission the Dam Nai wind farm with 39 MW for the independent operator, The Blue Circle, headquartered in Singapore. […]

  • Siemens Gamesa awarded 120-MW expansion of Taiwan’s pioneering Formosa 1 offshore wind power plant

    Only one year after the successful commissioning of Taiwan’s pioneering Formosa 1 Phase 1 offshore wind power plant, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) has been contracted to supply an additional 120 MW of capacity for Formosa 1 Phase 2. The contracts signed today are subject to the joint venture’s final investment decision and financial close, […]

  • Global Virtual Power Plant Market Will Hit $5.5 Billion Value By 2023

    NEW YORK (April 2, 2018) – According to the new research report published by P&S Market Research, global virtual power plant market is projected to reach $5,510.2 million by 2023, the market growth is mainly driven by the growing penetration of renewable energy sources in the energy mix across different parts of the world. Virtual power plant […]

  • THE BIG PICTURE [INFOGRAPHIC]: Changing Fleets

    The generating fleets owned by some of the largest companies in the U.S. (ranked here by capacity in 2017) have transformed over the past four years, in some cases dramatically, as total revenues fluctuated. Sources: Fidelity Investments (revenue data standardized by S&P Capital IQ); EIA-860 detailed data; SEC 10-K filings, and company websites. —Copy and artwork by Sonal Patel, a […]

  • Geothermal Generation Growing by Leaps and Bounds in Kenya

    The Geothermal Resources Council, a California-based trade association, said Kenya ranks eighth in the world in geothermal energy production. And the country is poised to add substantially more

  • POWER Digest [April 2018]

    China’s Installed Capacity Grows 7.6% in 2017. China’s installed power capacity in 2017 grew 7.6% compared to the end of 2016 and now stands at 1,777 GW—higher than U.S. installed capacity of 1,198 GW as

  • Automated Tools Improve Hydroblasting Productivity and Safety

    Just a decade ago, a hydroblasting contractor was considered cutting-edge if he owned a spinning nozzle for his shotgun and a 2-D tank cleaning tool. Now, the next evolution in hydroblasting technologies is

  • Electric Co-op Shines a Light on Rack Selection

    Clay Electric Cooperative was determined to dramatically improve its logistics, reliability, and productivity, even before the Florida member-owned utility set out to build a new warehouse to consolidate