Solar

Sempra Energy on April 22 marked its complete exit from the U.S. renewables business as it completed the sale of 724 MW of operating wind generation and battery assets to American Electric Power (AEP) for $1.05 billion.  The San Diego–headquartered utility holding company, which says it has the largest U.S. customer base, said the move […]

Managing the power load of a Las Vegas casino might seem a daunting task. MGM Resorts International, which operates several iconic properties on the city’s famous strip along with other hospitality and entertainment venues worldwide, took matters into its own hands a few years ago as it tried to control its energy costs and also […]

HOUSTON (Apr. 22, 2019) — Pure Safety Group (PSG), the largest company dedicated solely to fall protection, has unveiled a new lineup of three self-retracting lifelines (SRLs). The SRLs are part of the company’s robust schedule of new product launches in 2019, during which it will release more than 20 new products for keeping workers […]

Duke Energy on April 17 announced it will develop six utility-scale solar power projects in North Carolina, among 14 solar projects chosen as part of the state’s Competitive Procurement of Renewable Energy (CPRE) program. The 14 projects—10 in North Carolina and four in South Carolina—could cost as much as $772.5 million to build according to […]

PHOENIX, Arizona (April 15, 2019) — GE Renewable Energy today said is has reached an agreement with Helios Energy to deliver two energy storage systems to be integrated with solar arrays for the Lenox Solar / Energy Storage project in Lenox, NY. The hybrid system will be installed in upstate New York at the end […]

Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House that would expand the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC) to energy storage technologies has gained the backing of major trade groups  representing the solar, hydropower, and wind sectors. The Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act (H.R. 2096), introduced on April 4 by Reps. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), […]

Financing has reportedly been secured for a 1,600-MW coal-fired power plant in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand. Qatar’s Gulf Times newspaper reported April 6 that Power Finance Corp., a state-run lender in India, and its subsidiary REC approved a $1.5 billion loan for the project. The report said the new plant would be funded through loans […]

The Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a slate of measures to help U.S. hydropower thrive as costs for wind and solar plummet. Measures will include a roadmap to identify hydro’s value in a future grid, and a first-of-its-kind prize designed to encourage innovative and faster pumped storage construction techniques. In her opening speech at Waterpower […]

Florida Power & Light Co. (FPL) has been building new solar farms and bringing gigawatts of new natural gas-fired generation capacity online in recent years. Now the utility has announced what it calls the world’s largest solar-powered battery storage system. FPL on March 28 said the Manatee Energy Storage Center, a 409-MW/900-MWh battery storage facility, […]

3 April 2018 – Sharp today launches three new monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels to the NU product family. The renewed line-up of high performing modules offer customers a solution for every application, from residential projects up to large-scale commercial installations and free-field power plants. The following three modules are available to buy now from […]

Consumer interest in rooftop solar is higher than ever. The most recent numbers from Pew Research show 89% of U.S. adults favor the expanded use of solar power, while only 9% oppose. Historically, this interest has only been met by solar salespeople, which can create a consumer protection risk. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken notice: […]

While conventional power plant cycles produce power from turbines using water or steam as the working fluid, supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) cycles use CO2 that is in a supercritical state—at a temperature and pressure above its critical point where liquid and gas phases are not distinguishable.  CO2 has a relatively low critical pressure of 7.4 megapascal […]

Today’s microgrid installations showcase a variety of configurations and control systems. Commercial and industrial sites are finding innovative ways to power their operations, particularly those in remote

An East Coast industrial plant had for months experienced a significant dropoff in energy production from its 36,000-square-foot solar field. The plant’s maintenance team had been unable to find any problems

The ELECTRIC POWER Conference + Exhibition celebrates its 21st birthday this year, with the event scheduled for April 23–26 at the Mirage Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. ELECTRIC POWER for the past two

Chile has its first floating solar farm installed and on a brand-new type of site: a tailings pond, owned by the mining giant AngloAmerican. Located at Los Bronces mines, north of Santiago, the 84 kWp pilot should generate 153 MWh per year for the company’s energy needs. The project, developed by Lenergie and for which […]

Depending on the deployment location and competing energy prices, photovoltaic solar panels are among the most cost-effective power solutions being added to the grid today, often without subsidies and other incentives. The revelation came during a panel discussion—which included several CEOs from the power sector—that took place at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) Summit […]

The United States Energy Association (USEA) is an association of public and private energy-related organizations, corporations, and government agencies that helps increase understanding of the world’s energy issues. Barry Worthington has been the executive director of the USEA for more than 30 years. During that time, he has seen the association grow from a two-person, […]

Siemens to Design and Construct 1.4 MW Renewable Energy Project on Green Roof of Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Largest Rooftop Solar Installation in New York City Advances Governor’s Nation-Leading Clean Energy andJobs Agenda That Puts New York on a Path to Carbon Neutrality Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the selection of a developer to […]

The 160 MWac project in Georgia ushers in a new era of high-efficiency solar. 21 March 2019 – RES (Renewable Energy Systems), a leader in the engineering and construction of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects worldwide, has announced the start of construction on the Southern Oak Solar Project in the state of Georgia. […]

MGM Resorts International took a bold step in 2016 when it ended its energy-buying relationship with NV Energy and instead chose to purchase electricity from private providers. The company’s decision was driven by a desire to slash bills and boost renewables. Henry Shields, executive director of finance and analysis in the Corporate Sustainability division of […]

Renewable generation in the U.S. has doubled over the past 10 years. In 2018, generation from solar, wind, hydro, and other renewables soared to a record 742 TWh—or 17.6% of total U.S. generation. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), since 2008—when renewables provided 382 TWh—wind generation rose from 55 TWh and generated 275 TWh […]

A report from an independent market monitor for PJM Interconnection shows that natural gas-fired power generation topped coal-fired output in PJM in 2018, the first time that gas has topped coal in the history of the largest U.S. grid operator. The “2018 State of the Market” report from Monitoring Analytics LLC, which includes Volume 1 […]

The chief executive of Vistra Energy Corp. last week said coal is not likely to regain market share in the U.S. power market. Curtis Morgan, in a panel discussion March 14 at the CERAWeek event in Houston, Texas, said “coal is on its way out. More and more plants are being retired.” It’s not the […]

Florida Power & Light (FPL) continues to add to its solar power portfolio, with the utility on March 13 announcing plans to build the largest community solar program in the U.S. Eric Silagy, FPL’s president and CEO, in a statement said, “We’ve been aggressively expanding solar with one goal in mind: bringing more solar to […]

Minnesota and Wisconsin recently joined the list of states aiming for a 100% clean-energy future, while some Illinois lawmakers are pushing for not only carbon-free power, but also 100% renewable energy. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) was the latest to announce a set of policy proposals designed to lead his state’s electricity sector to 100% […]

Florida Power & Light (FPL) on March 4 announced plans to build four new solar power plants this year, with each expected to come online in early 2020. The company has rapidly expanded its solar power portfolio in recent years; the four new plants will join 18 others already operating in the state. FPL also […]

Grappling with a historically low planning reserve margin of 7.4%, owing to a mass of coal plant closures, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is forecasting record electric use this summer and warns it could issue energy alerts at “various times.”  ERCOT said its March 5–released final Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for […]

– Installation of more than 1 million solar panels included as part of FPL’s plan to add 30 million more solar panels by 2030 – New solar plants will create about 800 jobs as Florida continues to lead the nation in solar-related employment – With 18 solar power plants in operation and four more on […]