POWERnews

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) in a new report said installations of energy storage, along with wind and solar power capacity, were at the third-highest level on record in 2022, with more than 25 GW of new clean power installed cross the U.S. But challenges to clean energy deployment remain. The group’s “Clean Power […]

A Saudi Arabian energy group has signed agreements with officials from Uzbekistan to help the latter country increase its use of renewable energy resources and develop production of green hydrogen. ACWA Power, which develops power generation and other industrial projects, and Uzkimyosanoat (UKS), the national holding company for chemicals in Uzbekistan, announced the deals during […]

Dominion Energy will replace the steam generators at its Surry Nuclear Power Station in Virginia. The project further supports the company’s Subsequent License Renewal (SLR) program to extend the long-term operation of Surry Units 1 and 2 through 2052 and 2053, respectively, when the units’ current licenses expire. Westinghouse Electric Co. will design and manufacture […]

A microgrid project in Maryland could become a model for how integrated off-grid systems generate power for commercial and industrial installations, along with producing hydrogen to fuel transportation vehicles. AlphaStruxure, a joint venture of Schneider Electric and Carlyle, on May 18 announced development of project that will feature bus charging and on-site green hydrogen production. […]

Building a nuclear power plant is a difficult job. It takes years of planning and sometimes more than a decade to complete. The risk of schedule delays is great, especially on first-of-a-kind projects, and the financial implications of such setbacks can ruin a company. Yet, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA’s) president and CEO, Jeff Lyash, […]

With governments and industry engaging more frequently and decisively on how nuclear energy can help meet their climate, electrification, and economic goals, attention is now turning to how we get the needed capacity built. While extending the operating lives of existing nuclear plants, some countries will need to build new nuclear capacity to meet their […]

As the U.S. pushes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, reaching that goal will require effort from all industry sectors. While transportation, electricity production, industrial manufacturing, and heating and cooling generate the majority of U.S. emissions, addressing the 11% contributed by agriculture is also critical to mitigating climate change impacts. COMMENTARY One […]

Despite recent economic slowdowns, the global voluntary carbon credit market has nearly quadrupled since 2020, reaching a value of about $2 billion. COMMENTARY California, leading the way in the U.S. market, is again pushing for more action to combat climate change by implementing a grant program of $200 million for remote and disadvantaged communities to […]

“Everywhere we look, we’re seeing demand surging,” Maria Korsnick, president and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), said. “When we talk about demand for nuclear, we’re talking about the future of our planet, the future that our children will inherit.” Korsnick spoke those lines on May 15 as part of her “State of the […]

An Arkansas city known for its use of renewable energy announced plans to break ground this year on a power plant that would be part of the state’s first so-called “hydrogen hub.” Officials in Clarksville on May 12 signed an agreement with Syntex Industries, part of SyntexNRG, to design and build the Syntex Hydrogen Power […]

Nuclear has re-invented itself as a compelling pathway to achieving net-zero. It is said that everything is cyclical—where there are periods of expansions and contractions. Could this be true of nuclear energy? Can the benefits outweigh the fears and flip the switch from decommissioning to accelerated growth? In the late 1960s, federal nuclear energy programs […]

Solar power is having a moment. While rooftop solar technologies have been around for decades, consumer demand, urgent climate change concerns, and competitive price points have coalesced, creating historical interest in solar power, including 700,000 homeowners installing solar panels in 2022 alone. COMMENTARY The industry is expected to grow by up to 30% this year, […]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has granted Holtec International a license to build and operate a consolidated interim storage facility (CISF) for spent nuclear fuel in southeastern New Mexico, despite the state’s opposition. Granted on May 9 after an eight-year process, the NRC’s license allows Holtec to “receive, possess, transfer, and store” 500 canisters holding […]

X-energy and Dow will site a proposed four-unit 320-MWe Xe-100 advanced nuclear reactor facility at Union Carbide Corp. Seadrift Operations, a sprawling Dow chemical materials manufacturing site in Seadrift, Calhoun County, Texas. The companies on May 11 said the small modular reactor (SMR) project, part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Reactor Demonstration […]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has unveiled new greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for the nation’s power plants, moving to require both existing and new facilities to capture emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) for the first time. The rule announced May 11, if implemented, would mean coal- and natural gas-fired power plants would have to […]

Software giant Microsoft on May 10 announced it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with nuclear fusion startup Helion Energy to buy electricity from Helion as soon as 2028. Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association, said Microsoft’s deal is the first time a fusion company has signed a deal to sell electricity. […]

We are in the preliminary stages of an historic transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The transition will be expensive and difficult in many ways. Innovation should ease this transition. Recently filed patent applications may provide clues about the direction of BEV innovation. COMMENTARY Most U.S. patent applications are […]

New York-based energy investment firm LS Power on May 8 said it has reached an agreement with Brazos Electric Power Cooperative to acquire 2,145 MW of natural gas-fired power generation in the ERCOT North region of Texas. The deal comes six months after a federal bankruptcy court judge approved Brazos’ reorganization plan, which includes a […]

Westinghouse has officially unveiled the AP300, a “downsized” version of the company’s flagship AP1000 Generation III+ pressurized water reactor (PWR) technology. While the small modular reactor (SMR) will enter a nuclear market already rife with development, the AP300’s “nth-of-a-kind” basis positions it as a strong competitor, the company told POWER. The 300-MWe/900-MWth AP300, launched on May 4, […]

A massive wind power project in New Mexico will include a transmission line to deliver the installation’s electricity across the southwestern U.S. Pattern Energy Group, a California company that develops renewable energy projects globally, on May 4 said it has chosen Hitachi Energy and Quanta Services to build the SunZia Transmission and Wind project, which […]

A coalition of companies working in the U.S. clean energy sector has released its latest report on the nation’s offshore wind market, noting projects totaling more than 51 GW of capacity are in a growing pipeline of expected installations. The Washington, D.C.-based American Clean Power Association (ACP) on May 4 said it is tracking projects […]

The world is currently going through a major shift toward clean energy, triggered by concerns over climate change, depleting resources, and energy security. The energy transition is a massive undertaking, requiring significant investment and a long-term vision. However, as with any transition, there are challenges and uncertainties, and this is where hedging and trading come […]

New technology is regularly being developed and enhanced to improve power delivery and incorporate more renewable energy into systems. ABB Energy Industries is among the companies investing in solutions to make future power systems better. Among its current focus areas are deploying subsea power distribution and conversion concepts to support the floating offshore wind industry, […]

Texas officials on May 4 warned that peak demand for electricity could—for the first time—exceed the amount the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) can generate from on-demand dispatchable power, forcing the grid operator to rely on renewables to keep the lights on this summer. During an annual public update ahead of summer 2023, Peter […]

Israel’s governmental energy agency said the country plans to build four major battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the northern Gilboa mountain region. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure on May 2 said the projects are the first step in a “program of great importance for the energy sector.” The program is designed to […]

Energy storage continues on an upward growth trajectory, with new projects seemingly being announced every day. POWER looked at advancements in battery energy storage technology, and trends in the sector, in the March 2023 issue. A number of experts within the energy storage industry provided their views on the issues impacting storage. Among those experts […]

A pioneering 21-MW power project that economically produces geothermal power with co-produced hydrocarbon fluids from an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operation is now commercially operating in Alberta, Canada

As we witness global energy demands becoming progressively complex and decentralized, decarbonization stands as one of the biggest challenges of the current generation. Addressing the issues surrounding the

An analysis from an energy research group shows European Union (EU) countries burned less coal and natural gas for power generation than in prior years, despite an ongoing energy crisis driven by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. A study from Ember, a think-tank based in the UK, said coal-fired generation in the EU dropped 27 TWh […]

Development of the first floating offshore wind farm in the Arctic Circle is moving forward, with three Norwegian companies releasing a project plan for the installation. The GoliatVIND project is envisioned as a 75-MW array installed in deep water northwest of Hammerfest, Norway, in the Barents Sea. The installation would be linked into the Goliat […]