Solar
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News
Japan Will Explore New Avenues for Energy Self-Sufficiency
Japan’s government this June adopted a new energy white paper that suggests the country must rely on a larger share of nuclear and renewables to slash its carbon emissions and meet its target of a 26%
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News
Maximizing the Solar ITC Phaseout: Lessons from Wind
Every company invested in our nation’s clean energy transition is aware that 2019 is the last year that solar energy can take advantage of the 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under Internal Revenue Code
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Distributed Energy
Distributed Energy Award Goes to Unique Hog Farm Microgrid
Power from pig manure is not a public relations stunt, but rather, it’s an innovative solution to several farm challenges. Installing lagoon covers not only reduces odors and eliminates rainwater ingress
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Fuel
As Renewables Surge Ahead of Coal, Lawmakers Introduce National Renewable Standard
A bill introduced by Senate Democrats on June 26 establishes a national electricity standard that would require large retail suppliers to source at least 1.5% of their power from renewables by 2020 and gradually grow that share through 2035. The measure comes a day after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) revealed monthly generation from renewable […]
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Distributed Energy
California Wildfires Will Only Get Worse—Clean Energy Microgrids Can Help
Six of the 10 most-destructive wildfires in California’s history have occurred over the past two years, and the state’s aging electrical infrastructure is a big part of the problem. According to a report from Gov. Newsom’s Strike Force, equipment owned by California’s three largest investor-owned utilities has ignited more than 2,000 fires (about 1.5 fires […]
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Solar
New Record for Solar PV Installations
More than 2 million new solar PV installations were installed in the U.S. in the first three months of 2019—a new record for the first quarter of the year—according to the Wood Mackenzie/Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) U.S. Solar Market Insight report, which was released this week. Utilities led the way, installing 1.6 GWdc of […]
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News
Power Plant Emissions Down Substantially in U.S. Since 1990
Power plant SO2 and NOx emissions have decreased 92% and 84%, respectively, since Congress passed major amendments to the Clean Air Act in 1990. Meanwhile, mercury air emissions from power plants have decreased 90% since 2000, as federal limits on mercury and other hazardous air pollutants from coal-fired power plants went into effect in 2015. […]
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News
BNEF Report: As Prices Fall, Renewables Rise Worldwide
A new report from BloombergNEF (BNEF) predicts about half of the world’s power will come from renewable resources, including solar and wind, by 2050. The group’s New Energy Outlook 2019, released June 18, noted the trend will be driven by falling prices for solar, wind, and battery storage, along with trillions of dollars of investments […]
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Connected Plant
The POWER Interview: Navigant Navigates Changing Energy Landscape
The rapid evolution of the world’s power generation landscape is creating challenges for utilities and others in the energy space, as power plant owners and operators adapt to new technologies and changing business models. Jan Vrins, managing director and segment leader for Navigant’s global Energy practice, is immersed in this change. Vrins, who joined Navigant […]
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News
The POWER Interview: State of the Wind, Solar, Storage, and Hydro Markets
Increased power generation from renewable resources such as wind and solar also has created a growing market for energy storage. Generators want to harness that power and have it available when it’s needed, whether or not the wind is blowing or the sun is shining. Rob Allerman, senior director of Power Analytics for Drillinginfo, which […]
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Press Releases
Sharp Builds Mega Solar Power Plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam
Large 49 MW-dc output enough to power 38,762 households(1) TOKYO, June 5, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation (SESJ)(2) announces the completion of a mega solar power plant in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. The project was a collaboration with multiple partners, including Sermsang Power Corporation (SSP)(3) of Thailand, and SSP affiliate Truong […]
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News
POWER Notebook: GE Plant in France, Targeted for Job Cuts, Will Not Close
The head of GE’s operations in France told a Paris newspaper that a French factory targeted for more than 1,000 job cuts will not close. GE last week said it wanted to make its operations in France more efficient and said changes would come at the Belfort plant in eastern France, which handles technology for […]
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Energy Storage
How Residential Energy Storage Could Help Support the Power Grid
Household batteries could contribute to making the grid more cost effective, reliable, resilient, and safe—if retail battery providers, utilities, and regulators can resolve delicate commercial, operational, and policy issues. The growth of battery storage in the power sector has attracted a great deal of attention in the industry and media. Much of that attention focuses […]
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News
POWER Digest [June 2019]
Ansaldo Leads Research Initiative for Low-NOx High-Hydrogen Retrofit Solution. The Dutch government has awarded six partners—Ansaldo Thomassen, Delft University of Technology, OPRA Turbines, Vattenfall
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News
Blockchain Pilot Shows Promise for Grid Balancing
A blockchain pilot wrapped up by European transmission operator TenneT and storage solutions provider sonnen Group this May showed “tremendous potential” when used to network decentralized home storage
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News
Vietnam Supports Solar and More Coal Generation
The first solar power plant licensed to operate in Vietnam came online in late April, another signal of the country’s increasing reliance on renewable energy. But analysts forecast that coal-fired power
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Smart Grid
Where Is the Microgrid Market Headed?
Increasingly, today’s electric power grids are interacting with microgrids and in more complex ways. Yet, much work needs to be done to integrate microgrids and flexible demand into the wide-area synchronous
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Press Releases
Lendlease Energy Development and Sacramento Municipal Utility District Announce 30-Year Power Purchase Agreement
NEW YORK, May 30, 2019 — Lendlease, a leading international property and infrastructure group, and Sacramento County Municipal Utility District (SMUD) today jointly announced the execution of a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for Rancho Seco Solar II, their new 160-megawatt (MW) solar facility. The plant will be located on the premises of the decommissioned […]
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Press Releases
Duke Energy Renewables acquires Palmer Solar project in Colorado
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 30, 2019 — Duke Energy Renewables, a commercial business unit of Duke Energy, has acquired the development assets associated with the 60-MW Palmer Solar project in El Paso County, Colorado, from juwi Americas, a renewable energy company based in Boulder. The project, which contains more than 200,000 solar panels, is being built […]
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News
Power Company Business Models Are Evolving [PODCAST]
The power industry is changing and power companies must evolve to stay competitive. Many businesses are transitioning from vertically integrated, centralized utility structures to more-distributed models. JEA offers a good case in point. JEA is a not-for-profit, community-owned utility located in Jacksonville, Florida. It serves an estimated 466,000 electric, 348,000 water, 271,000 sewer, and 11,000 […]
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News
Power Marketer to Tri-State: We’ll Buy and Close Your Coal Plants
A wholesale power provider in Colorado wants to supply the state’s largest electric cooperative with power from mostly renewable sources, saying it will pay Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association to retire its coal-fired plants in Colorado and New Mexico. Tri-State, at least for now, said it will not consider the offer. Denver-based Guzman Energy on May […]
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Press Releases
C2 Energy Capital Completes Largest Solar Project Installed on a Landfill in Tennessee
NEW YORK, May 28, 2019 — C2 Energy Capital, LLC, a rapidly growing investor in renewable energy and storage assets, announced today the completion of the largest solar project installed on a landfill in Tennessee. C2 Energy Capital provided financing and support services for the development and construction of the 2.7 MW solar power generation […]
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Press Releases
Texas Cooperatives Agree to Purchase 7 MW of Distribution-Scale Solar Energy
Innovative arrangement will help customers capture clean energy at competitive prices while strengthening resilience of local electric grid RMI announces e–Lab Forge: Texas 2019 event Sept. 16–18 to support local procurement of new clean energy technologies Also unveils new Solar Procurement Framework portal, offering an easy-to-use, step-by-step guide for prospective buyers of distribution-scale solar projects AUSTIN, Texas, May 21—Five electric distribution cooperatives […]
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News
GE Is Banking on Africa’s Burgeoning Power Market
Sub-Saharan Africa’s power generation capacity is projected to surge 4% annually through 2040, and its current energy mix—which is today dominated by hydro and coal—will likely be more diversified as interest rises in renewables such as solar and wind, General Electric (GE) said in a white paper surveying market opportunities in the region that it […]
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Press Releases
Siemens selected by DOE for $6.4 million project to strengthen resilience of U.S. power system and critical infrastructure
Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) US, Siemens central research and development (R&D) unit in the U.S., announced it was selected for a $6.4 million research award from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) to advance solar energy’s role in strengthening the resilience of the U.S. electricity grid. This project will create an […]
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Press Releases
Arctech Solar Inks Supply Deal for Landmark 125-MW Solar Power Plant in Oman
SHANGHAI, May 13, 2019 — Arctech Solar, a leading solar tracking and racking system provider, announced that it will supply 125 megawatt (MW) solar trackers to a solar power plant in Oman, Middle East. Located in the southern city of Amin, the plant will be commissioned by the end of 2019 and will power Petroleum Development Oman’s interior operations […]
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News
EIA: Gas, Renewables Outpacing Coal for Power Generation
The percentage of coal-fired generation in the U.S. electricity mix will continue to decline, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said May 9, with gas-fired generation accounting for at least 40% of the nation’s power this summer and output from renewables continuing to rise. EIA’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) said coal-fired units will produce only […]
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News
ERCOT Warns of Summer Emergency Conditions as Demand Continues to Soar
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has issued a fresh warning that continued “above-normal” growth in electric demand could require it to enter Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) status to maintain system reliability this summer. As it released its final Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for the upcoming summer season (June to September), a preliminary […]
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News
UK Milestone: One Week Without Coal-Fired Generation
The UK has gone a week without using electricity from coal-fired generation, according to the National Grid Electricity System Operator (NGESO), which oversees the power network in England, Wales, and Scotland. Government officials said it’s the first time the UK has gone without coal in a week-long period since 1882, when a coal-fired plant opened […]
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Energy Storage
Energy Storage Changes the Power Profile
The power grid is a pretty complex system. Electricity is generally produced on an as-needed basis. Generators ramp up and down based on demand. However, energy storage systems are beginning to change how