POWER

A Midwestern power plant faced a logistical challenge when it came time to replace its coal ash conveyor. The new conveyor was 110 feet long and weighed a hefty 138 tons—and it needed to be lifted 10 feet

Electronic devices, including those in telecommunications and high-power systems, generate heat during normal operation. That heat must be dissipated to avoid junction temperatures exceeding tolerable limits

Concrete is an integral part of any construction project, whether you are building roads, a a ground floor in your private home, or a power plant. This is because concrete is very durable, but it can be susceptible to fractures as subsoil frosts and thaws, if it shifts, or if tree roots press upward on […]

The natural gas sector is well aware of the challenges facing the fossil fuel industry, but analysts say gas has attributes that will keep it a big part of the U.S. and global energy mix. Natural gas has moved

Although you’d be hard-pressed to find an expert who believes oil and gas companies will abandon exploration and production operations anytime soon, several oil and gas majors are expanding their businesses

Siemens Energy and Canadian pipeline company TC Energy in February agreed to commission a novel waste-heat-to-power facility in Alberta by 2022 that captures waste heat from a gas-fired turbine operating a

The nuclear power industry is brimming with technological innovation, particularly when it comes to small reactors that can provide power for several different applications. This is especially true in Canada

The mid-February blackouts in Texas have raised a lot of questions about power grid reliability. While investigations into the underlying causes of the outages could take a while to complete, and I don’t

Tidal and wave energy installations in 2020 brought global cumulative installations for ocean energy to almost 60 MW. Another 6 MW of wave and tidal energy is slated for deployment this year, suggesting marked

Future propulsion and energy systems must be designed to meet the social challenges of climate change, increased energy requirements, and the mobility and energy demands of a growing world population. Fuel

Significant engineering goes into every hydropower facility. Among the items that require detailed design work are draft tubes, which are basically conical diffusers installed at the outlet of turbine runners

Power plants across the globe are looking for an alternative to traditional chemistry to manage the water used throughout the cooling process. An innovative non-chemical water treatment technology may offer

President Joe Biden on his first day in office sent a clear signal that he would not follow his predecessor’s policies with respect to energy and climate issues. On Jan. 20, 2021, Biden signed Executive

An oscillating control valve may appear to be the source of control instability and repair efforts are usually focused only there. When this fails to solve the issue, further investigation often proves the

There are many challenges to overcome before electric trucks fill the road, and the timing for full adoption is many years away. However, now is the time to prepare for the inevitable shift toward

On a recent visit to my local hardware store, I was struck by all the products on display to help manage my energy needs. The store had LED light bulbs, weather stripping, and fiberglass insulation to help

Owners must manage capital projects well to keep costs under control and ensure a high-quality product is delivered on time. Good communication, sound procedures and processes, and high-tech tools can help

A predictive approach to finding potential issues with steam or gas turbine valve actuators can help power plant operators realize cost savings and avoid unit downtime. Having a way to analyze actuator

When distributed generation causes net reverse power flow on a distribution feeder, several voltage-related issues can occur. According to studies published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

European Commission Probing Germany Lignite Power Compensation. The European Commission on March 2 opened an “in-depth investigation” to assess whether Germany’s plans to compensate its lignite-fired

Advancements in batteries, along with an improved regulatory environment and more investment, could make this decade the Roaring ’20s for energy storage. Many areas have been considered a focus for the

Global technology heavyweights Shell and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Swedish state-owned energy firm Vattenfall, and German municipal heat generator Wärme Hamburg are teaming on a massive project to repurpose a 2015-commissioned 1.6-GW coal plant in northern Germany as a massive green hydrogen hub.  The four companies in January said they signed a letter of intent to […]

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in January that the number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions decreased to 14.3 million in 2020, down 321,000 (2.2%) from 2019. That was the bad news

Upgrades to the power grid are needed worldwide, and energy companies are working on the best solutions for providing reliable and resilient power in a cost-efficient and timely fashion. Areas hit hard by

Tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle fuel has long been used in high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors, but it is seeing a resurgence as a result of other applications. Modern TRISO fuel designs are

Hydropower makes up the majority of the world’s renewable energy capacity, but it’s not necessarily an environmentally friendly form of power. However, groups are working to improve hydropower technology

Mexico reformed its energy market in 2013, opening the country’s energy sector to private investment. It created opportunities for foreign companies to bring their expertise to Mexico, particularly in the

Koji Okamoto, director general of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency’s (JAEA’s) Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), can pinpoint the specific moment that cemented his

Maintaining and operating a coal-fired generating station requires the utmost attention to detail to stay competitive. Focusing on the fundamentals of combustion allows engineers to improve reliability

There is a trend churning in the wind power industry; it involves upgrading wind turbines with newer, more powerful generation systems. Thanks to higher-capacity turbines and more efficient components