POWER

The race is on to claim the title of "most efficient coal-fired power plant" on the planet. However, it’s tricky identifying finalists because of the widespread misuse of the term "efficiency" and all those nagging assumptions. Let’s first establish clear definitions and then identify the title contenders.

Scientists from Germany and India say they have developed a new polymer that reduces the amount of radioactive waste produced during routine operation of nuclear reactors. The approach uses small beads of the material to "fish" out radioactivity from water pumped through the reactor’s core.

As equipment ages in fossil-fueled power plants, component wear leading to machinery failure increases as a result. Extending equipment life requires increased attention to maintenance, and one way to improve maintenance planning is to detect faults prior to failure so maintenance can be scheduled at the most cost-effective, opportune time. This type of strategy benefits from the use of additional sensors, and wireless ones can often be installed with the least time and cost.

The new EZ Grout Hog Crusher Job Site Material Recycler from Multiquip is easily attached to a skid steer loader or forklift and can recycle most materials — brick, block, stone, rock, asphalt, non-reinforced concrete, and more — on the job site. The Hog Crusher is able to scoop up and pulverize recyclable material in […]

In 1999, the Engineering Equipment and Materials Users’ Association (EEMUA) released its general guide to the design, management, and procurement of alarm systems for industrial plants. The guidance document (EEMUA 191), however, is vague about applications to specific facilities, such as electric power plants. This article specifies EEMUA 191 standards and practices applicable to the electric power industry and spells out specific variations in alarming practices that are tailored for today’s power plants.

Seiffert Industrial’s new laser pulley alignment tool, Pulley PRO, uses a green laser beam for maximum angular resolution and for reliable and accurate readings. The lightweight and compact units magnetically attach to the inside or outside face of any pulley or sprocket and have no small parts or targets that can get lost. A laser […]

Existing nuclear power plants are increasingly facing the conversion to digital instrumentation and controls technology. Meanwhile, new nuclear designs have digital technology integrated throughout the plant. Digital controls will soon be inevitable, so how do we make the transition as smooth as possible? Without losing focus on the technical solutions, organizations have to pay attention to the nontechnical issues as well.

Sherwin-Williams introduced the Tile-Clad High Solids Mildew Resistant epoxy, an industrial coating that protects against mildew growth on exterior surfaces where dampness and humidity are of concern. The epoxy is well-suited for areas where mildew growth must be guarded against in order to maintain operations, such as water tank exteriors, structural and support steel, power […]

It’s a digital world, and even aging power plants are experiencing the benefits of digital controls technologies. The following cover stories provide insight into the latest options and inspiration for your own plant controls projects.

Acknowledging that ANSI centrifugal pumps often need to be installed in areas where space is at a premium, Griswold Pump Co. has developed the 811CC (Close Coupled) ANSI centrifugal pump. This pump offers the features and flexibility of standard Griswold 811 ANSI pumps but with a smaller electrical motor encased in a compact package. Despite […]

"It’s anti-renewables" is becoming a familiar refrain voiced before public utility commissions, air quality management districts, and other public agencies with jurisdiction over the siting and operation of new fossil-fueled electric generation projects. The survival — and, in some cases, expansion — of legislatively mandated renewable energy requirements, tax incentives, and outright subsidies through the recent economic downturn has further encouraged opponents of new fossil-fueled generation to cloak themselves in the environmental flag, irrespective of their underlying motives and goals.

CHLOR*RID International launched the Chlor*Ion Meter, a handheld digital testing device that electronically measures chloride on surfaces with an internal ion-specific electrode. Most surface chloride testing devices offer an external electrode on a cord, but these could be damaged in the field, CHLOR*RID says. Because it digitally measures chloride on surfaces, the Chlor*Ion Meter’s ion […]

Congress snubbed the biomass power industry in 2004 when open-loop biomass power plants were given only half the production tax credits (PTCs) received by other renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and geothermal. It further dissed open-loop biomass plants by authorizing the credit for only five years (it expired December 31, 2009) rather than the 10 years given to other renewables. Why is the biomass power industry not getting the policy respect and equity with other renewable technologies that it deserves?

Bernard’s new customizable W-series water-cooled MIG guns and water-cooled Centerfire consumables are designed to meet the wide-ranging needs of high-amperage, water-cooled metal inert gas (MIG) applications. The W-Guns (shown here) are durable and may be customized. Users can choose neck styles, cable lengths, handle styles, consumables, and direct plugs. The W-Guns are rated to 600 […]

Building and engineering software designer Autodesk Inc. announced the availability of AutoCAD Plant 3D 2010, a product that it says brings the benefits of model-based design to mainstream plant design projects. The vast majority of plant design and engineering projects support the operation, maintenance, and expansion of existing facilities. These projects are typically executed by […]

LUDECA’s new CENTRALIGN ULTRA was specifically developed for the alignment of steam and gas turbines. The system precisely aligns internal elements with upper halves for distances up to 133 feet. Accurate bore measurements can be acquired and wirelessly transmitted without interrupting other processes, saving time over traditional methods like piano wires, micrometers, and optical instruments. […]

Instead of just forgetting about their trash when they leave it at the curb, people increasingly are recognizing that municipal solid waste is a valuable resource. For more than 25 years, Covanta Energy has viewed waste as an important resource not to be thrown away. Waste materials have a tremendous amount of potential energy. Waste materials in landfills release significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Recycling and Energy-from-Waste (EfW) together, as part of an integrated waste management approach, make the best use of this resource, reducing our greenhouse gas emissions while turning waste into steam to heat our homes and businesses and electricity to power our cities and towns.

With everything from baby food to SUVs (hybrids of course!) competing for “green mindshare,” audiences are inundated with a barrage of green claims. Although environmental awareness is at an all-time high, a growing sense of skepticism has crept into the conversation. Whereas even a couple of years ago audiences eagerly gobbled up green claims, people today are more uncertain and retain a higher degree of doubt when confronted with messages of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Biofuels projects present a variety of risks in today’s business climate that must be mitigated or hedged in order for project financing to proceed. With the contraction in the capital markets, credit quality has become increasingly important.

One day before the Copenhagen climate change summit was scheduled to end, negotiations had deadlocked. Developing nations led by China were demanding that rich countries pledge as much as $200 billion a year to help them cope with drought, rising sea levels and other ravages of global warming already afflicting some of the poorest countries on Earth. For its part, the United States was insisting on international verification of carbon emission reductions, a condition anathema to China but viewed as essential to gain Congress’ approval.

Over the past three decades, the Brazilian sugarcane industry has experienced major and continuous technological improvement. Today, sugarcane is the basic input for an extraordinarily diverse range of value-added products including food, animal feed, chemicals, biofuels and electricity coming from modern, integrated biorefineries that produce sugar, ethanol, bioelectricity and bioplastics in Brazil.

The support of energy savings performance contracts helps customers achieve goals.

The federal government is the largest single user of energy in the United States. Energy efficiency is the cleanest, cheapest and fastest source of energy. Put the two together and you have the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).

Renewable and reliable alternative energy is a critical need as the world’s oil supplies are depleted. Using its globally renowned expertise in engineering and systems integration, Lockheed Martin is successfully pioneering new ways to leverage solar, wind, and wave energy as alternatives to fossil fuels.

District heating in Denmark was developing in the same manner as in other countries before the energy crisis hit the western countries in 1973/74. However, by the beginning of the 21st century, the Danish energy consumption per capita for space heating had dropped more than 50% compared to 1973.

Owing to visionary environmental and energy policies combined with coherent public planning, Denmark has developed the most efficient waste management system in Europe.

Many representatives and advisors of renewable energy businesses believe (or at least hope) that 2010 will witness a significant “uptick” in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity across all renewable energy industries. As renewable energy businesses continue to attract funding and benefit from favorable governmental policies (or, conversely, as funding slows down or governmental policies change), such businesses should be in a position to attract suitors and/or explore growth opportunities. To the extent you are looking for or experience M&A opportunities, below are a few “M&A Truths.”

ACORE is pleased to partner with EarthEra to balance the carbon emissions of this year’s conference. EarthEra is an innovative new program from NextEra Energy Resources, North America’s largest producer of wind and solar power. The EarthEra program provides a powerful new way for everyone, from large organizations to individual consumers to reduce their carbon footprint and help build a clean energy future. 100% of revenue received by EarthEra is directed to the EarthEra Renewable Energy Trust and used to build new renewable energy facilities.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced last week that the DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) will invest up to $12 million in total funding ($10 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) in four companies to support the development of early-stage solar energy technologies and help them advance to full commercial scale. The goal of this effort is to help further expand a clean energy economy and make solar energy more cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity.

Efficient transport plays a crucial role in the development of society and its economy and, in many respects, commercial transport solutions are the lifeblood of the economy. At the same time, transportation has a negative impact on society, not least in the form of emissions and congestion. "The key is to strengthen the positive aspects of the transport system while working to combat the negative ones," says Stefan Lorentzson, President of Volvo Group North America. "The Volvo Group is continually developing new engine technologies which reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency."

The RES Alliance for Jobs is a coalition of businesses and organizations that support Congressional enactment of a strong federal renewable energy standard (RES). The group’s members include companies and associations representing the wind, solar, biomass, waste-to-energy and hydro power business lines. The Alliance seeks to demonstrate that a strong RES would create sustainable growth in the renewable energy industries, enabling manufacturers to invest billions of dollars in the U.S. economy and create hundreds of thousands of high-quality American jobs that cannot be outsourced.