Power
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Hydrogen
A Field Guide to Clean Hydrogen
Hydrogen is a key ingredient in any country’s future energy plans. In the U.S. the hydrogen sector is on the launch pad, ready for liftoff. However, its trajectory hinges on a critical question: what criteria will be used to define “clean hydrogen”? “Clean” is not synonymous with “green” when talking about hydrogen, although the terms […]
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Gas
CPV, GE Vernova Bring 1.2-GW Gas-Fired Plant Online in Illinois
Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) said the company’s new 1.2-GW Three Rivers Energy Center in Illinois has entered commercial operation. The natural gas-fired facility, built in collaboration with GE Vernova’s Gas Power business, features two generating blocks, each with a GE 7HA.02 gas turbine, an STF-A650 steam turbine, a W84 generator, and GE’s integrated Mark* Vle […]
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Commentary
Sustainable Solutions for Residential Homes and Solar’s Increasingly Popular Adoption
As the global push toward sustainable energy gains momentum, solar power stands at the forefront of this transformative movement. There are many sustainable solutions presented by solar energy, the comparative economics against traditional grid power, and the bright future that lies ahead. In just 10 years, renewable energy’s share of U.S. electricity generation has doubled—from […]
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Commentary
Plant Vogtle: Not a Star, but a Tragedy for the People of Georgia
In a recent guest essay entitled “A Star Is Born, as Plant Vogtle Nuclear Expansion Enters Service,” Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols wrote glowingly about Plant Vogtle, the first new reactor to come online in the U.S. in 30 years. He even praised Southern Company for keeping the project going during COVID. But what […]
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Nuclear
Quebec Utility Mulls Restart of Mothballed Nuclear Reactor
A government-run Canadian utility said it is considering restarting a nuclear reactor that was shut down more than a decade ago, in an effort to support the supply of energy in Quebec. Hydro-Québec on August 10 said it could bring Gentilly-2, Quebec’s only nuclear power plant, back online to support electricity production. The reactor was […]
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News and Notes
RNG, Battery, and Innovative Heat Pump Developments in News and Notes (Aug. 10, 2023)
A number of companies with ties to the power industry revealed new projects and other interesting developments this week. The following are some the more noteworthy announcements that POWER has been monitoring. Landfill Gas to Renewable Natural Gas Project Enters Service in Missouri Vision RNG (VRNG) said its Landfill Gas (LFG) to Renewable Natural Gas […]
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Gas
CTOTF Conference: ‘Best One-Stop Shop to Hit It All’
The Combustion Turbine Operations Technical Forum (CTOTF) is the longest continuously active gas turbine industry organization driven by users, for users. CTOTF offers week-long conferences twice annually in the spring and fall. The conferences provide a balance of technical information, user-to-user interaction, and professional development and mentoring for the group’s nationwide user base. CTOTF’s 2023 […]
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Gas
GE Vernova Building New 1.35-GW Gas-Fired Plant in Nigeria
Construction has begun on major natural gas-fired power plant in Nigeria, part of a plan by the country’s government to help improve the supply of electricity amid frequent power shortages. The 1,350-MW Gwagwalada Independent Power Plant, which will burn domestically sourced gas, is expected to provide about 11% of the country’s electricity once the facility […]
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Gas
Could SCR Catalyst Technology Adoption Be a Roadmap for Power Plants Seeking Economical and Efficient CO2 Point-Source Solutions?
As the quest to develop a net-zero carbon emissions electricity grid marches on, global entities like the International Energy Agency (IEA) increasingly point to a big role for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS). The IEA goes so far as to say reaching net-zero will be nearly impossible without CCUS. Proposed governmental greenhouse gas emissions […]
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Wind
How Wind Turbine Pitch-Control and Sealing Systems Work
With over 350,000 wind turbines currently in use globally, wind continues to be one of the fastest growing forms of renewable energy. In 2021, 93.6 GW of new installations brought global cumulative wind power capacity to 837 GW, showing year-over-year growth of 12%. The Global Wind Report 2022 notes that 557 GW of new capacity […]
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Top Plant
Power to the People: Microgrid Gives Community Control of Its Energy
A residential development in Florida provides a model for the future of grid modernization, showcasing reliability and resiliency. Community microgrids provide a new approach to the design and operation of the
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Connected Plant
TECO Achieves Highly Reliable Power Grid Service with Advanced Technology
Tampa Electric Company (TECO) has enhanced its power system operation through the adoption of advanced technology. Its pioneering culture and the benefits obtained with these new innovative tools have led to
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Nuclear
Czech Republic Expanding Nuclear Power Program
The Czech Republic is looking to expand its use of nuclear power, with utility CEZ launching another tender looking for companies to bid on construction of new reactors and generators at the country’s two
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History
How the ‘Great Resignation’ and Disengagement Are Affecting the Power Industry
The “Great Resignation” is a term used to describe a widespread trend that took shape over the past few years of employees voluntarily changing jobs in large numbers. The phenomenon gained traction during
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History
NRG Energy’s Pivot Amid Power Sector Change
Once a giant pure-play independent power producer, NRG Energy has cultivated a legacy of pioneering business models to withstand waves of change in the power sector. Its latest strategic shift pivots from
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O&M
Generator Maintenance: Preparing for the Bubble
If you were paying attention to the power industry during the early 2000s, you may remember a large spike in the U.S. gas turbine fleet at the time. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that
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Hydrogen
POWER Digest [August 2023]
Colombian Dam Site of Major Floating Solar Project. A new solar power system that will float on the reservoir at the Urrá Dam in Colombia is designed to demonstrate that hydroelectric stations dealing with
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Water
A Model for ZLD Treatment of Blowdown from Cooling Towers—Even the Big Ones
Pilot testing under the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Pitch-to-Pilot desalination research funding proved an electro-coagulation, clarification, micro-filtration, reverse osmosis with vacuum-assisted
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Power
Marnie Surfaceblow: A Desert Solar Farm’s Muddy Problem
Sometimes fixing one problem causes another or leads to a chain of failures that can be difficult to diagnose. Consider all of the upstream and downstream impacts when changing equipment and/or operations
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Energy Security
Thermal Power Plants in Cuba Struggle to Meet Demand
Since 2021, Cuba has been going through a complex situation in its national electrical system. Blackouts have been increasing, with higher incidence in recent months. Although projections predicted an
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Commentary
Quantum Computing Can Help Utilities Become More Reliable
Below freezing at breakfast, sweltering by supper, dramatic swings in weather are no longer the purview of small talk. Predicting, accounting for, and reacting to weather are boardroom agenda items that impact
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O&M
Using ASME PTC 6 Testing to Improve Steam Turbine Performance
When a power plant experiences issues with performance, the obvious indicators are usually a loss in load capacity or an increase in fuel consumption. However, other issues exist that can be costly, such as
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Legal & Regulatory
Bonus Tax Credits Supercharging Domestic Clean Energy Manufacturing
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) recognizes the importance of boosting domestic U.S. manufacturing of clean energy equipment and provides a 10% bonus for the production tax credit and investment tax credit
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Waste to Energy
Integrating Flammable Gas Pressurization System with Online Ash Cleaning Device Improves Energy Efficiency
A stationary shockwave ash cleaning device combined with a pneumatic booster system is a solution to the hourly cleaning of accumulated ash in boiler tube bundles. The automated ash cleaning process stably
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Hybrid Power
Propane Is a Sustainable Choice for Growing Microgrid Need
Construction professionals can rely on propane for lower emissions and enhanced resiliency. Commercial buildings are experiencing more and more unplanned power outages and it’s causing incredible strain on
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O&M
Spider Power for Turbomachinery Operators
Slowly, a blue spider crawls across its spider web. When it reaches the center, it stretches, solidifying the self-woven structures. We are in the middle of a video scene. Only when the camera opens up and moves away from the scenery does it become clear. This is not a real spider, but a model from […]
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Solar
Investors Announce Nearly $75 Million in Funding for Community Solar
Investors are continuing to pour money into community solar projects, with groups on July 31 announcing nearly $75 million in funding for multiple installations. Renewable Properties, which develops and invests in small-scale utility and community solar installations, on July 31 said it has closed its Fund 9 portfolio. The company said the $53.5 million portfolio […]
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Energy Security
Automation Imperative in the Utility Industry
Although the utility industry is the backbone of any economy, it lags in adopting the latest technologies. This is evidenced by the fact that utilities are underperforming in customer satisfaction and retention and are struggling with high operating costs. However, the emergence of new competitors and local threats is forcing utilities to align their priorities […]
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Nuclear
Vogtle Unit 3 Enters Commercial Operation: First ‘Newly Constructed’ U.S. Nuclear Power Plant in Decades
Georgia Power declared Plant Vogtle Unit 3 commercially operational on July 31, 2023, making it the first “newly constructed” nuclear power unit to be added to the U.S. fleet in decades. “Today is a historic day for the State of Georgia, Southern Company, and the entire energy sector, as we continue transforming the way we […]
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Hydrogen
Making Green Hydrogen’s Potential Come True
Electric utilities are looking to green hydrogen as a tool to help alleviate over-congested grids and renewable energy curtailment. But what makes hydrogen “green?” The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will soon issue its much-anticipated guidance on what qualifies for the new green hydrogen tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed last year. The […]