Technology
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News
Wind Industry Prepares for Massive Expansion
Construction activity on wind projects across the U.S. surged to a record level of more than 20 GW in the third quarter of 2018, and about 35.1 GW of new wind capacity was under construction or in advanced development at the end of 2018, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). In 2018, the […]
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Cybersecurity
New Cyberattack by Group Behind TRITON/TRISIS Reported
Cybersecurity firm FireEye has uncovered and is responding to a new intrusion at an unnamed critical infrastructure facility that it suggests in an April 10 blog post was perpetrated by the group behind the TRITON attack, which prompted a process shutdown at a Middle Eastern facility in 2017. But while details of the new attack are sparse, […]
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News
A Real Green New Deal? A Look at the Past for Today’s Energy Policy Solution
Despite years of escalating natural disasters and dozens of reports examining the science and economic cost of climate change, the Green New Deal framework now languishes as a result of political backlash and its outsize ambition to remake the American economy. But dismissing the issue, and this opportunity, is unnecessary and dangerous.
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Press Releases
TrendMiner Introduces New Capabilities and Extended Integration with PI System at OSIsoft PI World 2019
The long-term OSIsoft partner will unveil extended capabilities to support PI Event Frames and preview their latest software enhancement, DashHub, at the flagship event. Houston, TX, USA – April 9, 2019 – TrendMiner NV, a Software AG company and provider of the leading self-service predictive analytics software, announced today that they will be previewing the […]
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Nuclear
Vogtle 2 Installs World’s First Full Accident-Tolerant Fuel Assemblies
The world’s first complete advanced nuclear fuel test assemblies containing accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) have been installed at Southern Co.’s Alvin W. Vogtle Electric Generating Plant’s Unit 2 in Georgia. Nuclear giant Framatome delivered four GAIA lead fuel assemblies containing enhanced ATF (EATF), including both pellets and cladding, to the plant owned by Georgia Power in […]
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Press Releases
CenTrax belt tracker for RWE Eemshaven power plant
RWE Generation’s Eemshaven power plant is the largest coal and biomass power plant in the Netherlands. Covered conveyor belts ensure dust-free transport of the coal from ships to the power plant or the storage yard. This process was always accompanied by jerks and jolts due to frequent belt mistracking. The constant downtime of the conveyor […]
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News
For First Time, IEA Quantifies Coal’s Dominant Role in Global Temperature Increase
Coal combustion was responsible for more than 0.3 degrees C of the 1-degree C surge in global average annual surface temperatures above pre-industrial levels—and that makes coal the single largest source of the global temperature increase, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a new report. The finding, outlined in the IEA’s Global Energy & […]
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News
How the DOE Is Looking to Save Hydropower
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 […]
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News
FPL Will Build World’s Largest Battery Storage System
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, […]
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Press Releases
Siemens Gamesa advances with its onshore portfolio, launching the new Siemens Gamesa 5.X platform, with a 170 meter rotor — the largest in the industry
Introducing two new turbines, SG 5.8-155 and SG 5.8-170, that increase the AEP by over 20% and 32%, respectively, compared with the SG 4.5-145 Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) continues to advance its product strategy by introducing a new onshore platform: the Siemens Gamesa 5.X platform, which encompasses two turbine models: the SG 5.8-155 and […]
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Press Releases
Sharp Introduces New High Efficiency (19.1%) Mono PV Modules
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 […]
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News
New Gas-Fired Plants Come Online in Michigan
Upper Michigan Energy Resources Corp. (UMERC) placed two new natural gas-fired generating stations into commercial operation on March 31, part of the company’s plan to reshape its generation fleet as it seeks to “balance reliability and customer cost with environmental stewardship.” UMERC, a subsidiary of WEC Energy Group, also retired the coal-fired 430-MW Presque Isle […]
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Press Releases
Vestas turbines to feature nacelle Lidar
01 April 2019: Fred. Olsen Renewables places order with ZX Lidars for integrated nacelle wind Lidars on every turbine at the 105 MW Högaliden Wind Farm Fred. Olsen Renewables, a leading global developer, owner and operator of renewable energy assets has confirmed its most recent order of turbines features nacelle Lidar for both wind farm […]
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Press Releases
SeaPlanner Awarded Contract to Support Triton Knoll Construction
SeaPlanner Ltd has been awarded the contract by Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited, to provide its Marine Management System, SeaPlanner, and SeaHub communications solutions to support construction of the 857-MW offshore wind farm, Triton Knoll. The SeaPlanner Marine Management System will be deployed for use by the construction project team to coordinate all personnel […]
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IIOT Power
INNIO to Supply Six Jenbacher Gas Engines for Innovative Microgrid Project in Finland
JENBACH, AUSTRIA—April 1, 2019—INNIO* announced today that it will supply six Jenbacher* gas engines for the LEMENE microgrid project in Finland, helping the Finnish government reach its climate goal of having 100 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2030. The LEMENE flagship project will be the largest energy self-sufficient business district using […]
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News
Inside NET Power: Gas Power Goes Supercritical
A project to demonstrate a novel power cycle that promises to produce low-cost, reliable, and flexible power from natural gas—while generating no atmospheric emissions, and fully capturing carbon dioxide—is inching closer to commissioning. Its developers are now actively assessing siting for the first commercial-scale 300-MW NET Power facility. NET Power’s 50 MWth Demonstration Plant in La […]
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Technology
What Are Supercritical CO2 Power Cycles?
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 […]
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Connected Plant
Autonomous Power Plant Takes Shape in Japan
The world’s first autonomous combined cycle power plant is currently under construction at the Takasago Machinery Works facility in Japan, and it will be operational by 2020, according to Mitsubishi Hitachi
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News
India Installs Its First Grid-Scale Battery Storage System
India’s first grid-scale battery-based energy storage system was launched in February. The 10-MW system is owned by AES Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp., and operated by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd. (Tata
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News
POWER Digest (April 2019): News Briefs from Around the World
The Netherlands Orders Early Closure of Coal Plants. The Dutch government on March 8 told Swedish power producer Vattenfall to stop using coal at the 650-MW Hemweg-8 hard coal-fired unit in Amsterdam by the
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News
Off-Grid Microgrid: Solar + Batteries + Thermal Generation
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
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Gas
Analytical Tool Helps HRSG Operators Compare Equipment Reliability
Ever since deregulation came to the power industry, combined cycle plant managers have been trying to benchmark their production metrics and cycling costs against those of their competitors. There has always
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O&M
Using Infrared Drone Technology to Inspect Solar Panels and Wind Turbines
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
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O&M
Managing Thermal Quench Damage at Power Plants
Attemperation equipment is necessary to control steam temperatures at many power plants. However, when the equipment functions improperly or the design is flawed, thermal quenching/shock can damage piping
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Plant Design
Proper Valve Trim Extends Life of Boiler Feedwater Valves
Boiler feedwater valves operate under severe service conditions and are subject to premature failure from seat leakage, cavitation, particulates, and frequent cycling. However, once the type and root cause of
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News
Improving Safety and Efficiency with Reality Capture
Reality capture uses laser scanning hardware to record the as-built conditions of any environment in a series of scans. These scans, once stitched together, create a holistic picture of structures, equipment
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Hydro
Optimizing Kaplan Turbine Efficiency with Minimal Cost, Effort, and Time
When the blades of individual Kaplan turbines are not continuously adjusted to achieve peak efficiency, the result is non-optimal performance and unnecessarily high mortality of downstream migrating fish
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T&D
Is a Faster-Than-Real-Time Energy Management System Within Reach?
Creating a faster-than-real-time Energy Management System (EMS) is a huge challenge for the power industry. In order to be considered faster-than-real-time, the EMS must be capable of executing within a
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Instrumentation & Controls
Controlling Boiler Level When Operating Conditions Change
The right level instrumentation is key to keeping boilers on an even keel. Guided-wave radar offers a critical combination of capabilities. If asked to make a short list of factors able to improve heat rate