POWER
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Gas
Low-Cost Long-Duration Energy Storage at a Natural Gas Pipeline
An energy storage project based on Compressed Natural Gas Energy Storage (CNGES) technology is being studied at the Abbott Power Plant in Illinois. This article presents an overview of CNGES technology
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O&M
Monitoring of Power Station Components: Predictive Maintenance in Flexible Plant Operation
An innovative software program, coupled with an experienced team of engineers, allows plant operators to evaluate creep and fatigue stress in components exposed to more frequent cycling, thereby identifying
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Nuclear
District Heating Supply from Nuclear Power Plants: Technical and Economic Aspects
In the February 2022 issue of POWER, an overview of existing district heating systems that utilize nuclear power for their energy source was presented and best practices of successful installations were
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T&D
Composite Insulator Application and Design for a Growing and Evolving Transmission Grid
The need to integrate renewable energy resources, and prepare for increased demand for power as electrification takes hold in transportation and other sectors, creates challenges for an aging grid. Some
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Solar
Renewable Energy Ready to Deliver Despite Continued Uncertainty
Notwithstanding the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, in 2021 the deployment of solar, solar + storage, stand-alone storage, wind, and other renewable energy technologies continued to rapidly expand across the U.S
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O&M
How Electric Utilities’ Risk Management Supports Operational Resilience Efforts and Emergency Response
Severe weather conditions have a tremendous impact on our power grid as well as downstream costs for people, property, and brands that are costly and time-consuming to recover from. For example, Entergy New
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Gas
2022 CTOTF Innovation Excellence Award Winners Announced
The Combustion Turbine Operations Technical Forum (CTOTF), in association with POWER, is excited to announce the recipients of its annual Innovation Excellence Awards. Winners were selected through a judging process performed by an independent panel of recognized utility industry experts. Selections were made in five categories: maintenance, environmental stewardship, safety process, operational, and management and […]
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Energy Storage
Harnessing the Benefits of Energy Storage to Reshape Sustainable Operations
In today’s challenging business environment, it is paramount for organizations of all disciplines to reduce operating expenses while creating processes to meet strict greenhouse gas emissions standards. There is a worldwide focus on utilizing the full power of renewable energy and distributed assets to help organizations become more sustainable and decarbonized. Energy consumers, producers, utilities, […]
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Nuclear
Natural Gas and Nuclear Power Are Not ‘Green’ Investments
It is not an over-reaction to state that we are in the midst of a planetary emergency. We face the combined threats of climate, nature loss, and human health pandemics. Of the nine planetary boundaries that
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Coal
POWER Digest [March 2022]
Oman Adds Major Solar Project. A consortium consisting of Saudi Arabia-based ACWA Power, Kuwait-based Gulf Investment Corp., and Kuwait’s Alternative Energy Projects Co. in January inaugurated Ibri 2, the
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History
New Era for NextEra: A Utility Spotlight
Since its inception as Florida Power & Light Co. in 1925, NextEra Energy has transformed into the world’s largest utility company. The company’s history is symbolic of the growth and uncertainty that has characterized the history of power.
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News
Groups Grapple with Labor Logistics as Energy Evolves
The continuing transition in the power generation sector means workers need new skills. The challenge for utilities and other power producers is finding the top talent at a time the labor pool is shallow
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Coal
Coal Will Remain Prominent for Decades Despite Growing Renewable Power Capacity
There are a lot of changes taking place in the world’s energy supplies. We seem to read announcements almost every day about coal plant retirements, and solar and wind farm installations. Yet, when you look
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News
Italian Group Taps CO2 for Energy Storage
New technologies for energy storage are being developed as the industry continues to mature. Energy Dome, an Italian energy storage technology company founded in 2019, recently announced it will use the
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Nuclear
China Starts Up First Fourth-Generation Nuclear Reactor
The first of two units at China’s much-watched high-temperature gas-cooled modular pebble bed (HTR-PM) demonstration project was successfully connected to the grid on Dec. 20. The achievement marks a major
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Gas
Rolls-Royce Sets Megawatt Milestone for Hybrid-Electric Aircraft System
Bracing for explosive growth in the electrification of mobility, UK-based engineering giant Rolls-Royce is developing various all-electric and hybrid-electric drive systems for aircraft. At one of its most
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Hydro
Blueprint Underway for Commercial Mine Energy Storage Facility in Sweden
A blueprint for what could become the world’s first commercial underground mine storage facility has garnered financial backing from Swedish Mining Innovation.
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Biomass
Biomass Power: Environmental Benefit or Numbers Game?
Many bioenergy industry proponents put forth carbon neutrality as a basis for their support. However, the claim may not hold up under scrutiny. By some accounts, biomass power plant emissions including those
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Point-Counterpoint
We Need Nuclear Energy as Part of the Energy Transition
Many people who believe we need a “Green New Deal” will say that Earth faces an existential catastrophe that could cut short the lives of young people who are living now. But if nuclear energy is mentioned
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Point-Counterpoint
New Nuclear Isn’t Worth Public Investment
Since the inception of the nuclear era more than 70 years ago, federal taxpayers have been bailing out nuclear power plants and keeping the industry afloat with endless, costly subsidies. Yet, the industry is
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Carbon Capture
Net-Zero Without Carbon Sequestration Is ‘Virtually Impossible’; Yet Site Acquisition and Permitting Hurdles Hinder Implementation
In a Flagship Report, the International Energy Agency said reaching net-zero carbon dioxide emissions is “virtually impossible” without carbon capture, utilization, and storage. Significant progress has
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Nuclear
District Heating Supply from Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear energy is competitive for urban district heating applications. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, about 43 nuclear reactors around the world—mostly in Eastern Europe and
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T&D
Improving Power Networks: How Smarter Grids and a New Generation of Electricity Can Prevent Blackouts
Power networks today face two major challenges: aging infrastructure and complex intermittent power flows caused by the worldwide transition from fossil-based fuels to zero-carbon resources. With some of the
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O&M
Four Key Allies for Keeping Powerhouses in Top Condition
Today, power generators often don’t have the same in-house capabilities that they did in years past. Therefore, managing operations and maintenance at many facilities has become more difficult. Here are some
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Commentary
Issues Abound in 2022 for Widespread EV Deployment
Even the most casual observers of the energy and automotive industries are aware that electric vehicle (EV) sales in U.S. markets are on the rise. Over the past 10 years, sales of plug-in EVs have steadily
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Solar
Lagunitas Brewing Co. Taps Big Savings Through Solar Conversion
By the time Lagunitas Brewing Co. began its conversion to solar power in 2017, it had grown to become one of the largest craft beer businesses in the U.S.—a far cry from the one-man, home-kitchen operation
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Instrumentation & Controls
How Measuring Total Gas Pressure Detects Transformer Air Leaks
From generation to transmission and distribution, the power industry is changing. With distributed energy resources (DERs) increasingly participating in wholesale capacity, energy, and ancillary services
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Commentary
The Developed World Must Turn Fossil Fuel Industries into Green Tech Powerhouses for Developing Countries
When environmental advocates implore less-wealthy countries to cease oil or gas investment and production because it is the cause of climate change, they are often branded as naive and ridiculous. Do we really
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Trends
POWER Digest [February 2022]
Once a Coal Generating Behemoth, TransAlta Achieves Full Phaseout of Coal Power in Canada. Canadian generator TransAlta, a company that derived 30% of its cash flow from coal generation just five years ago
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Nuclear
Optimism Is Warranted in the Power Industry in 2022 and Beyond
While some sectors of the power industry are struggling to stay relevant, there are many more segments that are thriving. As new technologies are developed and perfected, there is more reason than ever for