POWER

Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing involves simulation of power plant behavior using the actual site-specific power plant controls before the commissioning stage. HIL testing can benefit all project

Combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) play a critical role in providing power grids with additional electricity, supporting reliability and resilience during periods of high demand. Combined cycle power plants

Several solutions are needed to support deployment of renewable energy and enable continued growth in the use of distributed energy resources. The structure of energy systems everywhere is changing fast

While the effects of extreme summer weather are one thing, even regular summer weather can wreak havoc on steam and water analysis systems (SWAS) without adequate preparation. Summer sunshine and increased temperatures can bring higher heat loads and increased cycling rates that put even more stress on steam and water sampling and related equipment, greatly […]

The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, is known as the “world’s first all-digital hotel.” Built in 1930, the building initially served as the headquarters for The Sinclair Oil Company. However, the hotel (Figure 1) has deviated widely from its rich history in fossil fuels, using power-over-ethernet technology, digital electricity, and energy-conserving diesel replacement technology […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the power sector, offering unprecedented opportunities for efficiency and innovation. But as AI applications proliferate, new challenges are emerging. How will industry navigate the potential and challenges that accompany this digital revolution? Recent efforts to overhaul the long-established energy system in alignment with decarbonization and decentralization have introduced new […]

Technology has become vital to reliable and efficient power plant operations, and few technological tools are more beneficial than digital twins. Some experts even believe we’re on the verge of a digital twin boom, with the market predicted to grow tenfold in the next four years. What exactly is a digital twin? That’s a question […]

Utilities and other companies in the electric power sector are using data to solve the dilemma of decarbonizing the power grid while also diversifying their generation resources. Utilities and power generators know that collecting data is critical to their operations. The process has grown in importance as the power grid diversifies, with more renewable energy […]

The use of remote monitoring is enabling operators in the electric power sector to gain better insight into the real-time performance of equipment and systems. Owners and operators of power generation equipment are working in a challenging environment, as more technologies are used to produce electricity, more generation facilities are sited in rural areas, and […]

The power sector’s relentless pursuit of an increasingly connected power paradigm amid an escalating cyber threat landscape demands an urgent, multifaceted strategy for cybersecurity. Recently, the sector has embarked on innovative methods to tackle inherent challenges in its evolving quest for a robust cybersecurity posture. In 2022, a third party alerted industrial control systems (ICS) […]

The digital age is upon us and the power industry is a key participant in this exciting time. Significant work routines and asset management processes have already been transformed. Power plant operations are among the areas where advanced technology has had a big impact. Power plant lifecycles are complex. Power companies spend significant time and […]

I am fortunate in my position to have the opportunity to attend a handful of conferences and trade shows every year. I’ve been doing this for more than 10 years now, so I’m sure I’ve been to at least 40 events. Most are very worthwhile and I can’t recall ever feeling like an event had […]

Fifty years after the first global oil shock in 1973, the world’s energy sector is again facing high geopolitical tensions and uncertainty—though this time around, “pressures are coming from multiple

Solar, wind, and nuclear power, as well as battery storage systems, are the obvious winners as the world aims to decarbonize energy systems. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has been following trends

A Finland-based energy group has installed a pilot project at an industrial park in the country, touting it as a first-of-its-kind system supported by the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Exaum, founded in

Data analysis is helping operators in the solar power sector develop more efficient systems that optimize operations and deliver cost savings. Utilities and other developers of solar power installations know

The growing urgency to address climate change by policymakers, industry, and investors appears to have reinvigorated carbon capture and storage (CCS) deployment. More than 50 CCS facilities at power plants are

Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) touted its success at the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the group noting it has deployed more than 100

The U.S. power grid is in need of an upgrade and the federal government knows it. Much of the electric grid was built in the 1960s and 1970s, according to a paper published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s

Azerbaijan’s First Utility-Scale Solar Project Online. Officials in Azerbaijan in November announced the country’s first and largest utility-scale solar photovoltaic power plant is now operating. The

Cutting maintenance costs can make you penny-wise and pound-foolish, unless you evolve your maintenance practices with the times. A lone car traveled an empty road through a bleak snow-scattered field. The

Steam turbines are used in many applications on various scales to drive equipment such as pumps, compressors, and generators. Routine maintenance, as laid out by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is

It’s not uncommon for organizations to go through performance cycles from good to bad, and hopefully, back to good before repeating the process. However, a well-conceived and consistently applied

Alabama Power is a subsidiary of Southern Company and the largest electric utility within Alabama, delivering power through 85,586 miles of lines in the southern two-thirds of the state. We operate in one of the most storm-prone areas of the country, facing tornadoes, thunderstorms, and tropical storms year-round. The continual rush of disruptive weather events […]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation demonstrated the largest absolute growth of all renewable technologies in 2022, surpassing wind for the first time in history, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA has said continuous growth in the economic attractiveness of PV, massive development in the supply chain, and increasing policy support, especially in […]

Proper steam and water analysis system (SWAS) maintenance is critical to the operation of any coal, nuclear, or combined cycle power plant, many of which are being forced to ask more of aging equipment. For

The White House’s billion-dollar investment in transitioning to and expanding clean power grids is the latest reminder of the critical window for energy companies to capitalize on the opportunities to make

Federal regulators in 2023 proposed a variety of new air quality rules, and 2024 is likely to see these proposals become final and enforceable. Here’s a look at the past year, and a look ahead at the major

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently and with greater severity across the U.S., from scorching heat in many areas to major hurricanes battering coastal regions. Throughout the U.S., utilities

The U.S. conventional hydropower fleet includes 2,252 hydropower plants with a total generating capacity of 80.58 GW, which produced 6.2% of the country’s electricity in 2022 and nearly 30% of all renewable generation. In addition, it has 43 pumped-storage hydro (PSH) plants, a combined capacity of 22 GW, and an estimated energy storage capacity of 553 […]