Latest
-
Coal
TOP PLANTS: Manjung Unit 4, Perak, Malaysia
Owner/operator: TNB Janamanjung Sdn. Bhd. Ultrasupercritical technology is the current gold standard for coal-fired plants, but Malaysian national utility Tenaga Nasional Berhad had some unique requirements for its newest, most efficient plant. With a client lacking an indigenous source of coal and needing wide fuel flexibility, Alstom delivered a state-of-the-art plant that can handle an […]
-
Coal
TOP PLANTS: Ottumwa Generating Station, Ottumwa, Iowa
Owner/operator: Interstate Power & Light Co. (a subsidiary of Alliant Energy) and MidAmerican Energy Co. (a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy) / Alliant Energy Alliant Energy recently completed a major renovation of the Ottumwa Generating Station to improve air quality, plant reliability, and efficiency. By doing so it also reduced its carbon footprint by ~5.6%. […]
-
Coal
TOP PLANTS: Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station, Karimnagar, Telangana, India
Owner/operator: NTPC Ltd. One of NTPC’s first coal-fired facilities, the 2.6-GW Ramagundam plant, is aging well, delivering noteworthy performance metrics that distinguish it from other plants in the state-owned generator’s big coal fleet. For nearly four decades, the 2.6-GW Ramagundam Super Thermal Power Station’s vermillion-banded stacks have towered over the green teak forests of what […]
-
Coal
TOP PLANTS: Shanghai Waigaoqiao No. 3, Shanghai, China
Owner/operator: Shenergy Company Ltd. In a nation seeing breakneck growth in its power sector and a drive toward cleaner, more efficient generation, coal remains the backbone. That means hard work is ahead for China in power sector innovation, and a plant in Shanghai is leading the way. There is no country on earth that has […]
-
Coal
TOP PLANTS: Spiritwood Station, Spiritwood, North Dakota
Owner/operator: Great River Energy Recent news has focused on the decline of the coal-fired power industry, but this highly efficient combined heat and power plant offers one template for keeping coal generation viable. Although electricity markets remain challenging, partnering with steam customers can help stabilize revenue. Combined heat and power (CHP), also known as cogeneration, […]
-
Renewables
Outside-the-Box Renewable Energy Microturbines
Rooftops with arrays of tiny wind-powered microturbines and hydro microturbines generating power as water flows through municipal drinking water systems or the outflow of municipal sewage treatment systems? They’re real. For many in the electric power business, the term “microturbine” conjures up images of small, gas-fired machines, a fad a decade ago that never caught […]
-
Coal
The Shifting Fates of Coal Markets, Coal Mining, and Coal Power
Despite media headlines and coal industry hand-wringing, reports of coal’s death have been greatly exaggerated, to adapt Mark Twain’s famous (but misquoted) comment. What’s more, some of the coal sector’s current suffering is the consequence of self-inflicted wounds. Throughout the dog days of summer, the financial pages in dozens of U.S. newspapers have run headlines […]
-
Gas
Gas-Fired DG Showdown: Microturbines, Fuel Cells, or Reciprocating Engines?
If you’re looking to generate distributed power with gas, your options are broader than ever, with a range of efficient, clean-burning technologies to chose from. Knowing which option is the right one depends on a balance of site constraints, fuel supplies, and environmental oversight. When California State University San Marcos (CSUSM), a 14,000-student university north […]
-
Environmental
Diesel Gensets Aim at the Future
Though newer distributed generation options like microturbines, solar, and batteries have grabbed the headlines, diesel remains the go-to option because of its established technology and reliability. But growing competition and new regulations are threatening its traditional role. Here’s what diesel is doing to stay relevant. If you pay attention to nothing but the headlines in […]
-
Renewables
Ludington Pumped Storage Plant Increases Efficiency to Provide Greater Grid Support
Utility-scale energy storage in the form of pumped water storage has a long history. One of the oldest U.S. plants found itself in need of an upgrade after 40 years of service. Having the right equipment for the job is proving to be essential. With the current power market challenges and increasing amounts of variable […]