Latest
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Renewables
A 100% Renewable Grid: Pipe Dream or Holy Grail?
The boom in renewable energy, spurred by dramatically falling costs, has led some experts and political figures to begin talking seriously about what was once science fiction: A world powered entirely by renewable generation. But is it truly feasible or economic? One series of studies suggests it is—with some important caveats. In the first half […]
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Commentary
Progress on GHG Emissions Reduction in Canada’s Electricity Sector
Reducing emissions from the electricity sector continues as a primary transformational goal of government policy-makers, and the private and public companies managing electricity generation in Canada. Impressive progress has been made. National Overview Emissions from electricity generation made up just 11% of Canada’s total in 2014. Over 79% of generation is non-emitting: hydropower (63%), nuclear […]
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T&D
Duck Hunting at the California Independent System Operator
California’s excess of solar power challenges the statewide independent system operator’s ability to balance its system without curtailing low-carbon supplies and ramping up natural gas generation. It’s
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Legal & Regulatory
A Comparison of ELG Compliance Options for Flue Scrubber Wastewater
Meeting the requirements of the Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) means careful consideration of the various options. Both biological treatment and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) approaches have their place, but ZLD may offer more flexibility for the future. On September 30, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) rule for […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Pruitt Pitches New Era of EPA at CPAC
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the next four years is going to be a very different beast than the EPA under the presidency of Barack Obama, newly confirmed EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt said on February 25 while addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). “We’re going to restore power back to the people. We’re […]
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Energy Storage
SDG&E Unveils World’s Largest Li-Ion Storage Battery
California utility San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) on February 24 officially put into service what is currently the largest lithium-ion storage battery in the world, wrapping up a fast-track procurement process that began less than a year ago. The 30-MW, 120-MWh system (Figure 1) supplied by AES Energy Storage and located in Escondido about […]
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Nuclear
Taishan EPR Nuclear Reactor Project Delayed
Full operation of CGN Power’s Taishan nuclear power plant, an $8.7 billion effort to construct two EPR reactors in Guangdong province, China, has been pushed back six months, the company said in an announcement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange February 20. Completion of Taishan Unit 1 had been expected in the first half of […]
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Legal & Regulatory
Experts Debate Carbon Pricing, Leasing Federal Lands
The Donald Trump administration can look to the energy sector to increase federal revenue and offset the national debt in numerous ways, but there are pros and cons to everything, according to a panel presenting at the Cato Institute February 22. Carbon pricing has long been the preferred economic means of mitigating carbon emissions. A […]
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Partner Content
Controlling the emissions of a gas-powered generator
Owners and operators of landfill sites can use the landfill gas to power generators and create energy to be sold to the local grid. However, the regulations relating to the emissions generated by these facilities are being tightened and sites with manual fuel adjustment may struggle to comply in the future. Fortunately, a solution has been developed by Sulzer that not only regulates the emissions, it can also improve fuel efficiency and minimize the payback period.
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Coal
Kemper IGCC, Delayed Again, May Not Be Economically Viable
Southern Co.’s Kemper County integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) project, stricken by steep cost increases and an in-service date delayed again to mid-March, isn’t economically viable in the face of projected long-term natural gas prices, the company said. Southern Co. subsidiary Mississippi Power reported that integrated operation of the facility’s two gasifiers and combustion turbines […]