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Using a pump as a hydraulic turbine; Insulation and lagging fundamentals; A new way to repair concrete pipes

Most people think of fuel cells within a single, "not ready for prime time" context: powering tomorrow's automobiles. But stationary fuel cell power plants are beginning to power some industrial facilities today. The need for heat as well as ultraclean power, and the availability of a renewable fuel, recently came together in a Seattle suburb, site of the world's first commercial megawatt-scale fuel cell power plant—powered entirely by gas produced by anaerobic digestion of municipal wastewater.

Installations of new renewable energy facilities in the U.S. slowed significantly last year. Why? The short answer is a lack of political will. Compared with the EU, the U.S. has much less progressive renewable energy policies. For example, although the Production Tax Credit was renewed last year, legislators in Washington had let it expire, and prospects for a comprehensive national energy policy are fuzzier than ever. Following is a brief roundup of what’s happening worldwide in the fields of wind, photovoltaic, and hydro power. (For a snapshot of today’s global geothermal industry, see p. 40.)

Several advanced battery technologies tailored for utility applications have doffed their white coats and donned hard hats. These new bulk energy storage devices, which can almost instantly shave peaks and shift loads, are the answer to the dreams of T&D system designers and operators. Finally, years of R&D in electrochemistry are beginning to pay dividends in the field.

Balmy days are on the horizon for geothermal energy. The renewal of the Production Tax Credit in the U.S. and improved drilling and electricity production techniques are the two main reasons geothermal energy advocates are bullish about the industry. POWER looks at some interesting installations and explains why the optimism is well-founded.

One of the key projects at the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research is developing an integrated ship power system capable of supplying power both to propulsion systems and to advanced electric weapons, launchers, and high-power sensors. It would be the ultimate naval power T&D system. The "all-electric warship," which some predict will have as much of an impact on navies as the nuclear submarine, is still a decade or two away. But the first generation of electric systems is already being installed on U.S. warships currently under construction.

New rulemaking by the EPA has highlighted the importance of fish protection technologies and/or operational changes to improve fish survival at circulating water intake structures. In this first of three reports from Alden Laboratories, the focus is on step one of the design process: analyzing the intake system to inform development of cost-effective solutions for meeting Section 316(b) performance standards. The other two reports, to be published later this year, will explore fish protection technologies through laboratory and field evaluations, and alternative cooling water intake technologies.

For thousands of U.S. businesses, a lesson learned the hard way over the past few years is the need for an absolutely reliable electricity source. Challenging the standard backup power options, proton exchange membrane fuel cells are making a play for this duty.

Combined heat and power options in most modern steam plants are an opportunity waiting to happen. Energy conservation at our nation’s colleges, mills, and hospitals goes way beyond changing light bulbs and thermostat setpoints. This exclusive report by the CEO of a member of the U.S. Combined Heat & Power Association—one of POWER’s business partners—explains why.