GAS POWER Direct

Shale gas production continues to surge as demand for cheap gas grows. But will state and federal regulation and a wave of local bans choke off the boom?

The shale gas boom is expected to add considerably to the world’s energy mix in coming decades. But this energy-intensive industry is also going to need its own power. How much? Try at least 100 GW worldwide.

The fourth quarter of 2012 saw continued growth in gas power development, with at least 8 GW of new projects announced for the U.S. alone.

Sooner or later, every plant owner will face a natural disaster. Careful planning, preparation, and teamwork are key to getting through in one piece.

Despite the promise of renewable energy for the future, natural gas is certain to remain the cheapest, most efficient generation resource for the next few decades.

With gas supplies looking strong and a variety of factors exerting negative pressure on other generation resources, 2013 looks to be a solid year for gas-fired power.

Long the redheaded stepchild of North American power generation, combined heat and power (CHP) may finally be poised for a big leap forward.

Already in the midst of a drive to cut its greenhouse gas emissions, the University of British Columbia didn’t just look to clean energy for its new combined heat and power system. Instead, it decided to combine research with cutting-edge green power.

Though subsidies and incentives for wind and other renewables have grabbed the headlines, federal and state initiatives are quietly building some momentum behind combined heat and power.

Following up on its series of conferences on gas-electric coordination this past summer, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission appears ready to find some real solutions in 2013.

Despite controversies over macro energy policies, it looks to be a sure bet that the need for job creation will foster continued state and federal support for shale gas development.

The power-hungry ERCOT region is getting an upgrade, as Siemens and Bechtel are building two advanced combined cycle plants in central Texas.

When the Albany area needed a new power plant, pulling water from the Hudson River would have been the easy choice. But the plant owners chose to get creative, drawing on a convenient but unconventional source for their cooling water.

When you’re building a natural gas pipeline, running pipe from Point A to Point B is only the final, most obvious step. You’ve got to jump through a lot of hoops to get there, in a process that can take years and that involves a lot of foresight.

Bigger isn’t always better, but when you’ve got big power needs in a remote location, your options are often limited. A new mobile gas-fired generator aims to change that, offering both big capacity and a small footprint.

The shale boom has run well ahead of the infrastructure needed to handle all the production. When there’s nowhere to put associated gas, much of it is being flared. But this common industry practice is starting to draw some uncommon attention.

This year’s healthy growth in global gas-fired power generation continued in the third quarter, with significant projects being planned in Turkey and Japan.

Surging supplies of natural gas have led to serious discussions of exporting this resource. The head of APGA explains how this threatens the U.S.’s long-term interests and energy security.

The influx of cheap Chinese-manufactured solar panels has upended the solar industry in more ways than one. The saga offers some lessons on what to do about LNG exports.

There’s plenty of uncertainty in gas-fired power these days, with low prices and impending coal plant retirements. Even so, many generators are forging ahead with some ambitious projects and plans for the future.

Natural gas is poised to revolutionize how the United States uses energy, but only if government and industry leaders seize the opportunities it offers.

Many environmental groups are calling for a ban on hydraulic fracturing and are even lobbying to end natural gas development altogether. The Environmental Defense Fund is not. The EDF energy program chief counsel explains why.

Current low gas prices offer a unique opportunity to lock in savings for years to come—but only if utilities, gas suppliers, and regulators have the vision to commit to a new way of doing business.