electricity

The past year saw a multitude of factors driving up electricity prices, including rapid growth in electricity demand, supply chain tightness, deployment delays for transmission and production projects, and an uncertain political and permitting climate. We expect all of these trends to continue in 2026. Changing economics have turned the justification for project development in […]

Nations around the world are undergoing a seismic shift, switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy to meet net-zero targets. But one sector is set to dominate new demand—buildings.

The U.S. power sector stands at a juncture, facing a confluence of factors that are poised to trigger an era of unprecedented growth and necessitate a large influx of capital. Driven by the increasing demand from data centers, the reshoring of manufacturing, and electrification across transportation, heating, and industry, the demand for electricity is rising at a pace unseen in recent decades.

One week after a catastrophic fire at the North Hyde electrical substation plunged the UK’s flagship Heathrow Airport into chaos, questions are mounting about what went wrong—and what the incident reveals about the vulnerabilities in Britain’s aging power infrastructure. A massive explosion and fire that erupted around 8:20 p.m., on Thursday, March 20, at the […]

The Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated a new “enabling” pathway to achieve and sustain a dramatic transformation of the nation’s evolving grid—through its power electronics fabric, with the realization of advanced semiconductor materials, devices, and power module technologies. The agency on Nov. 21 unveiled the agency’s first awards—$42 million for 15 projects across 11 […]

Government officials in Germany have approved a plan to bring some shuttered coal-fired power plants back online in an effort to avoid energy shortages this winter. Cabinet members on Oct. 4 said they would support putting on-reserve lignite-fired power plants back online from now until the end of March 2024. It’s another move related to […]

In the common global quest for sustainable and renewable energy sources, traditional oil and gas producers are beginning to focus on alternative sources. Geothermal is emerging as one of the most promising renewable energy sources globally, and over the coming years will become an essential component of the overall power market. Power producers’ embrace of […]

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. […]

The wealth of data available for today’s power generators is supporting more efficient electricity production, and more reliability and resiliency for the grid. There are many reasons utilities and power

An agency associated with the World Bank will finance installation of solar and hydropower systems, and support related transmission and distribution infrastructure, to provide more electricity to areas of West Africa. The World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA) is investing $311 million into the Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE), an initiative designed […]

EY earlier this month released the findings from its Energy Consumer Survey 2022. The report is “focused on how energy impacts the lifestyles and wallets of consumers,” according to the company. EY is the trade name for Ernst & Young, the multinational professional services group headquartered in London, UK. The report is based on a […]

Commercial and industrial (C&I) enterprises rely on their power supply. Many facilities, such as hospitals, federal institutions, and military bases—those considered mission critical—have long been at the forefront of finding solutions to keep their lights on. In today’s world, the need for reliable and resilient power is critical for a wide range of industries. Uninterrupted […]

While 2021 unfolded with some relief from the chaotic global pandemic that jolted the world in 2020, the year may be remembered for its extraordinary series of energy crises. After a cold snap prompted mass

For all the talk about the demise of coal, it may be important to note that coal generated 35% of the world’s electricity in 2020, more than any other fuel. Even in the U.S., coal was expected to generate

Phasing out all coal for electricity generation in the U.S. by 2030 is necessary both for averting the most dangerous consequences of the climate crisis, and for demonstrating international leadership to

Demand for electricity from the residential sector rose during the first several months of the global coronavirus pandemic, as workers stayed home and students studied remotely. Researchers, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), said the second quarter of 2020 saw a 10% rise in residential electricity usage compared to the same months […]

At the urging of the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) and the California Energy Commission (CEC), on July 1, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) announced its intent to procure

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 27, 2021) — In support of the Biden Administration’s commitment to modernize the nation’s power grid and infrastructure and deliver 100% clean energy to businesses and homeowners by 2035, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the availability of up to $8.25 billion in loans from its Loan Programs Office (LPO) […]

COMMENTARY Throughout my career—and also POWER magazine’s long history—thermal power generation has been the greatest source of dispatchable electricity generation. In my view, policymakers have run a very good and smooth evolution of power generation diversity off the rails. The Biden Administration and Democrat Congress policies constitute an anti-American war on carbon. These policies, if […]

The chairwoman of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas has resigned, stepping down after the state’s lieutenant governor earlier on March 1 called for her resignation, along with that of the CEO of the state’s power grid operator. DeAnn Walker, the PUC chair, in her resignation letter Monday to Gov. Greg Abbott, defended her […]

When most people hear the term “dirty electricity,” they probably think of power generated from sources considered more-polluting, such as coal, natural gas, or other fossil fuels. However, Satic Inc., an electronics manufacturer and professional engineering firm based in Missoula, Montana, says electricity in homes and businesses is filled with “electrical pollution” that is not […]

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Feb. 9, 2021) — David Energy, a new kind of electricity supplier, today announced the close of $19 million in new financing. The new capital includes a $4.1M Seed round led by Equal Ventures and a $15 million working capital facility from Hartree Partners, a global merchant commodities firm specializing in energy and […]

For nearly a century, the grid has been one, solid, hulking, inflexible machine. Now, with the rise of technologies like microgrids, distributed renewables, battery storage, and vehicle-to-grid applications, we can reimagine the grids that enclose our communities to be like those fictional spaceships.

As many as 179 million Americans are at risk of losing utility services as the country heads toward winter, and electric and gas utility companies are looking at $24.3 billion in unpaid bills, according to an analysis released Oct. 1 by the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (NEADA). Many utilities at the start of the […]

I think most people know that there are a lot of people around the world who don’t have access to electricity. The International Energy Agency has said the number is about 860 million with the majority of

The transformation of the power landscape involves more than just generation. The distribution of electricity is being changed as well, with technology designed to make electrical systems safer, more reliable, and more efficient. Atom Power, which last year introduced the first digital circuit breaker, is among the companies engineering change in the power sector. Atom, […]

The coronavirus pandemic is altering the power landscape, with utilities and other power generators forced to adjust for load disruptions. Power consumption is changing as commercial and industrial electricity users close their businesses, and load is shifting to the residential sector with workers now settled in home offices, and students practicing remote and distance learning. […]

A study published by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) shows peak demand and energy use decreased as much as 21% in some areas as a result of actions taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The report—COVID-19 Bulk System Impacts: Demand Impacts and Operational and Control Center Practices—was released on March 27. It reviews […]

Two agencies aligned with the power generation industry, including the group representing state public service commissioners who regulate utility services, including energy, telecommunications, and water, are asking state regulators to designate utility company workers as essential to the nation’s critical infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the National Association […]

Power industry analysts who’ve spoken with POWER agree there will be an impact to power load due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the loss of much of the U.S. commercial and industrial demand for power, and certainly an uptick in the amount of demand from the residential sector as more people work from home, away […]