AI
-
Data Centers
Is a Modular Data Center the Answer to Tech Industry’s Land and Energy Crisis?
The digital age is fundamentally dependent on data centers, which serve as the backbone of our technological infrastructure. Without them, the digital world as we know it would not exist. However, the rapid expansion of data centers has put unprecedented stress on the electric grid, leading to increased energy consumption and heightened demand for power. […]
-
Commentary
Navigating Rising Power Demand and Avoiding Vendor Limitations
Utility companies are going headfirst into a whirlwind of challenges from increasing electricity demands and new sustainability initiatives, to meeting evolving customer expectations. Power demand in the U.S. is on a sharp upward trajectory, with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) having forecast a new peak of 4.099 trillion kWh in 2024, climbing further to […]
-
Nuclear
Artificial Intelligence Has Entered the Nuclear Industry and Its Early Benefits Are Just the Tip of the Iceberg
A collaboration between startup Atomic Canyon and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory allowed construction of a sentence-embedding model using 53 million pages of Nuclear Regulatory Commission documents
-
Sustainability
Why Data Center Developers Should Think ‘Power First’
You don’t need me to tell you how artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting the power grid; you can just ask AI. Claude, an AI assistant created by Anthropic, told POWER, “AI training and inference are driving unprecedented demand for data center capacity, particularly due to large language models and other compute-intensive AI workloads.” It also […]
-
Research and Development
Digital Transformation: Fueling Solutions for Today’s Energy and Utilities’ Challenges
Energy and utilities companies are grappling with unprecedented challenges. With the cost of electricity surging by 28.5% in just five years, the average American now spends nearly $300 a month on utilities, leading to a rise in customer defaults and mounting bad debt. Global energy demand is only set to grow in the coming years […]
-
Commentary
From Rust to AI: How America’s Industrial Heartland Is Powering the Digital Revolution
The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is transforming our world, but it comes with an insatiable surge in data centers that are powered by an ever-growing appetite for energy. As AI and high-performance computing (HPC) applications proliferate, the tech industry faces a growing challenge: building the next generation of data centers and finding suitable locations with […]
-
Technology
New AI Partnership to Invest in Data Centers and Supporting Power Infrastructure
$100 billion investment potential will enhance American competitiveness in artificial intelligence (AI) while meeting the growing need for energy infrastructure to power economic growth The drive to develop more powerful AI capabilities will require significant infrastructure investment to support it. BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Microsoft, and MGX announced on Sept. 17 the Global AI […]
-
Connected Plant
Data Mobility Will Define the Future of Power Operations
As the power industry becomes more complex, the ability to move contextualized data will be a catalyst for more successful, efficient operations. Power producers and distributors face a unique set of
-
T&D
AI and Storm Resilience: How Utilities Can Optimize Storm Solutions and Mitigate Risks
As climate change accelerates, rising humidity is causing an increase in the number and severity of storms occurring in the northern hemisphere. An academic study found that the frequency of unstable atmospheric conditions increased by 8% to 32% over most land areas from 1979 to 2020. “Storm intensity is increasing much faster than the average […]
-
O&M
Next-Gen Geospatial, AI, and Other Tech Is Critical for Utilities to Mitigate Wildfires
The danger of wildfires has risen dramatically over the past two decades as more extreme temperatures and more volatile weather patterns have increased the frequency and intensity of fires. The most prominent examples of this have been in the western U.S. and Canada, but wildfire risks are rising in every geographic area of North America. […]
-
T&D
Building a Better Grid—Infrastructure Upgrades Require Ingenuity, Innovation, and Investment
The need for more reliability and resilience of power delivery, both in the U.S. and worldwide, has utilities and grid operators looking for solutions to the challenge of bolstering the electricity supply. Electric grid infrastructure, both in the U.S. and other parts of the world, needs an upgrade. Increased power demand from energy-intensive industries such […]
-
T&D
NVIDIA CEO: AI Will Impact the Future of Energy
The future of energy may depend on technology with roots in the video game industry, by a company founded more than 30 years ago that wanted to use accelerated computing to improve the look and feel of the gaming experience. Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s CEO and president since co-founding the Santa Clara, California-based company in 1993, […]
-
Commentary
Navigating the Future of Energy: How Utilities Can Modernize Their Grid Operations to Meet Increasing Energy Demands
In an era defined by rapid electrification, the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources, and sweeping digital transformation, the energy sector stands on the brink of profound change. As we cast our sights on 2050, utilities grapple with the colossal task of scaling up to meet burgeoning energy demands and reshaping their operations to be […]
-
IIOT Power
The Big Picture (Infographic): Power Sector Digitalization Use Cases
In a recent article in the journal Energy, experts from universities in Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Romania identify digitalization as a pivotal phenomenon affecting the electricity sector, alongside other “megatrends” such as decarbonization, decentralization, and deregulation. Despite the increasing focus on the effects of digitalization on power systems, the authors highlight a notable gap: […]
-
Power
AI Is Not Only a Thing of the Future, It’s Also a Thing of the Present
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based platforms have taken the world by storm. Perhaps the best known of these is ChatGPT. OpenAI, the company that developed the innovative chatbot, released the tool widely to
-
Connected Plant
AI-Powered Computer Vision Is Transforming Utility Inspection and Maintenance
Employing artificial intelligence (AI) in the power industry may seem like a futuristic concept, but the truth is that it’s available in several innovative applications today. Power companies that tap into
-
O&M
AI Spare Parts Search for Maximized Maintenance Efficiency
Maintenance plays a critical role in the energy/utility sector, ensuring the continuous and reliable operation of infrastructure such as power plants, transmission lines, and distribution networks. Regular maintenance activities help prevent equipment failures, minimize downtime, and ensure the safety of workers and the public. In an industry where uninterrupted service is essential for economic and […]
-
Full Coverage
AI’s Paradox in the Power Sector—Unleashing Potential but Confronting Uncertainty
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 […]
-
Connected Plant
From a Distance, Power Sector Gets Up Close with Assets
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 […]
-
Commentary
Artificial Intelligence Will Help Power America’s Clean Electricity Grids
Most countries will not meet zero-goals by 2050 based on current trajectories. It’s an unfortunate situation that needs to be taken seriously. While there are many factors delaying decarbonization efforts, the lack of clean energy-powered electric grids is perhaps the most significant barrier for nations. The United States is not exempt—despite the recent influx of […]
-
T&D
AI-Optimized Grid Balancing Pilot Launched in Finland
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
-
IIOT Power
A Coal Refuse Power Plant Is Pioneering an AI-Driven Overhaul
An iconic coal refuse power plant in West Virginia that burns gob—basically dirt—and pond fines as part of a complex environmental solution to address coal waste is stepping up efforts to improve its efficiency, reliability, and cost reductions by embracing cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI). American Bituminous Power’s (AMBIT’s) 80-MW Grant Town Power Project—West Virginia’s only […]
-
Cybersecurity
Energy’s Biggest Challenge? Modernizing Lines of Defense
The riskiest position for a company to take when it comes to its cyber governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) practices is the attitude that “it could never happen to us.” The truth is, risk is everywhere
-
Technology
5 Ways Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Help Solve the Power Load Challenge
The nation’s energy infrastructure is in dire need of change. Electricity demands are rising, but aging infrastructure, understaffed energy organizations, and shifting trends make it challenging to fulfill those needs. Power load balancing will be crucial in changing these circumstances, but conventional approaches aren’t sufficient. The answer lies in artificial intelligence (AI). AI and its […]
-
Commentary
AI Revolution Could Drive Clean Energy Future
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a ubiquitous part of our lives, impacting much of what we do at work and home. AI’s growth trajectory is expected to skyrocket, with new potentials identified to help address and solve today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. AI advances have been remarkable, but so far relatively little attention has been […]
-
T&D
Should You Make the Switch to Digital Integrated Power Transformers?
Are the benefits of digital integrated power transformers worth it? Smart transformers with exciting new technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) are among the next generation of energy equipment hitting the market today. Many organizations are considering switching to these cutting-edge transformers, but are unsure about the pros and cons. What […]
-
Connected Plant
Self-Tuning AI Strengthens Plant and Grid Reliability on Islands
Energy transition is progressively being adopted globally, pushing combined cycle gas turbines (CCGTs) to embrace flexible operation also on islands. CCGTs are, or will be, ramping loads up and down to accommodate intermittent renewable power inputs into the grid. These maneuvers compromise operational stability and jeopardize plant availability. Plant trips on small to mid-size islands […]
-
Energy Security
Automation Imperative in the Utility Industry
Although the utility industry is the backbone of any economy, it lags in adopting the latest technologies. This is evidenced by the fact that utilities are underperforming in customer satisfaction and retention and are struggling with high operating costs. However, the emergence of new competitors and local threats is forcing utilities to align their priorities […]
-
Commentary
The Future of Substation Security: Embracing AI-Powered Solutions for Utility Companies
A modern town without power—shuttered stores, empty parking lots and useless traffic lights—can resemble an eerie, dystopian future where residents struggle to get what they need. This is the short-term reality for localities that have been victims of targeted substation attacks, which have been rising steadily for the past decade. COMMENTARY At best, these widespread […]
-
Trends
Digitalization Is Now a Power Sector Imperative: Takeaways from Connected Plant Conference 2023
Digitalization is now so firmly embedded in the power sector that if participants haven’t yet begun their digital journey, they’ve inherently fallen behind. That was a message repeated at the three-day 7th annual Connected Plant Conference (CPC), which took place this week in New Orleans, Louisiana. POWER magazine and Chemical Engineering magazine’s conference this year […]