electrification

  • U.S. Railroading: What Sector’s Future Power Suppliers Will Need to Know

    Among the elements of America’s carbon-based industries and infrastructure being impacted by electrification, transportation exhibits, first, widespread economic and environmental impacts (private highway vehicles) driven by emerging technology, public policy, growing climate and health concerns, government stimuli and private collaboratives, and investment or management opportunities. Second it shows the more muted reassessments by freight and […]

  • Importance of Rate Design in Moving Customers Toward Electrification

    Home heating is approaching an impasse—there is great opportunity to decarbonize through heat pumps for both heating and cooling, but rising electricity rates might discourage consumers from getting on

  • Residential Electrification Gets Boost from Eaton, Treehouse Collaboration

    A global power management company known for its technology advancements is collaborating with a software-enabled installation platform for electrification in a joint effort designed to support the U.S. residential market. Eaton on Nov. 14 announced it will work with Chicago, Illinois-based Treehouse to enable residential electrification projects, including electric vehicle (EV) charging. The groups on […]

  • Finding Equilibrium Between Growth and Decarbonization

    With the global population expected to reach approximately nine to 10 billion by 2050,  and one billion people still without energy access, our energy requirements are not only growing but also evolving. Each equinox reminds us of the essential balance we need to strive for in achieving net zero by 2050. COMMENTARY Crucially, the need […]

  • Report: Renewables Generating Nearly One-Third of Global Electricity

    A UK- based global research group said continued growth in wind and solar power increased power generation from renewable energy to nearly a third of worldwide electricity output last year. Ember, a think tank headquartered in London, in its “Global Electricity Review 2024” released May 8 wrote that the numbers show a goal to triple […]

  • The POWER Interview: The IRA’s Impact on Tax Credits, Tax Equity, and Renewable Energy

    The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) represents the largest incentive effort for clean energy in U.S. history. Its impact touches multiple sectors, including solar, wind, hydrogen, energy storage, and more. The IRA includes more than 70 investment, production, and excise credits designed to facilitate the transition to cleaner energy production. The legislation promotes advanced manufacturing, and […]

  • Groups Collaborate to Electrify Chemical Processing Plants

    Three major chemical processing companies announced the startup of a demonstration plant to show the viability of large-scale electrically heated steam cracking furnaces. BASF, SABIC, and Linde on April 17 said the facility, at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, will begin operating after three years of development, engineering, and construction work. The three groups […]

  • OPG Embarks on Major Refurbishment of Niagara Falls Hydropower Stations

    Ontario Power Generation (OPG) will partner with GE Vernova to complete a 15-year project to refurbish the iconic 1.7-GW Sir Adam Beck I and II hydroelectric complex near Niagara Falls. The C$1 billion ($724 million) project unveiled on April 16 will comprise the first phase of OPG’s larger plans to overhaul all five of its […]

  • A Bold Beginning: GE Vernova Charts Course for Electrification and Decarbonization in Market Debut

    Marking the completion of its spin-off from GE, GE Vernova began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 2 as an independent company “singularly focused” on accelerating the energy transition. The measure, approved by GE’s Board on Feb. 29, effectively establishes GE Vernova as a giant purpose-built firm that will leverage its technology […]

  • Balancing Essential Utility Infrastructure Investment with Customer Affordability

    Electric utilities are entering an era of growing investment opportunities following a decade of low load growth. However, there is increasing evidence that regulators are growing more concerned about the

  • Expanding Access and Growing DER Networks for a Smarter Future Grid

    The framework for a better power grid should include distributed energy resources as a key part of the transition. When you think of the energy system of the future, what do you imagine? Ideally, you’d

  • Leveraging the ‘Electrification of Everything’ to Reduce Carbon Emissions

    This commentary from Siemens USA notes how the push for electrification promotes cleaner energy, sustainability, and efficiency. The “electrification of everything” is underway to not only decarbonize, but

  • Charging Corridors, Stations Will Support Heavy-Duty EV Trucks

    The push for electrification of the transportation sector is being supported by companies making significant investments in charging infrastructure. These groups are taking innovative approaches, including utilizing solar power, to providing the electricity necessary for a network of charging stations. Greenlane on March 27 announced a major project that features a 280-mile charging corridor that […]

  • The Need for Consumer Engagement in the Transition to Clean Energy

    To state it simply, current decarbonization goals cannot happen without deeper engagement between utilities and their customers, and utilities are not yet truly harnessing the potential that their customers bring. In order to begin to realize this wholesale shift from customers as “load” to customers as “resource,” utilities must facilitate customer participation in energy-saving initiatives […]

  • Six Key Points About NEVI—the National EV Infrastructure Program

    This article provides an update about the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI), detailing its progress, challenges and potential future direction. It offers valuable commentary and insights into the evolving EV charging infrastructure and important things to note when applying for a state NEVI program. As 2024 ramps up, we’re entering the second year of […]

  • The Clean Energy Balancing Act

    Energy is the lifeblood of our economy. It powers our phones, homes, offices, and transportation. As our energy consumption has evolved, so too has our electricity system to adapt to the demands of a changing world. Today, renewable energy from solar and wind dominates new electricity generation. Utilities are grappling with rising demand from electric […]

  • A Multi-Dimensional Crisis: Six Global Power Sector Trends to Watch

    Fifty years after the first global oil shock in 1973, the world’s energy sector is again facing high geopolitical tensions and uncertainty—though this time around, “pressures are coming from multiple

  • Transforming Industrial Power by Electrifying Steam

    Steam power drove the Industrial Revolution, freeing manufacturers from the need to set up their factories near water power sources. Industrial steam is still largely used across various verticals, including power generation, chemical processing, and indoor heating. However, amid growing concerns about efficiency and sustainability, electrification of steam-powered systems emerges as a viable alternative capable […]

  • Rooftop Solar Important Piece of Fight Against Climate Change

    The U.S. is facing energy and climate challenges on multiple fronts. Rising energy costs, extreme weather events, and a transition away from fossil fuels have placed increasing pressure on governments and consumers. Residential solar is a compelling, multi-purpose solution that continues to experience rapid adoption among Americans. Six GW of home solar was installed in 2022, and […]

  • How Electric Utilities Are Enabling Transportation Electrification at Scale

    With states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii beginning to execute their National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula program plans, utilities within these states are rapidly coordinating the electrical power requirements needed to support these public electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The influence of utilities on power infrastructure, including grid modernization, capacity growth, and energy management, […]

  • The Electrification of Vehicles in America Is Occurring Rapidly in Bus Fleets

    The effort to electrify vehicles is a growing trend sweeping through America. The task is expensive enough to keep it from ever being quick. Still, funding is available from numerous sources and the commitment to accomplish what would once have seemed impossible is obvious. One of the largest vehicle fleets in the country is the […]

  • Undersea Cable Projects to Transmit Renewable Energy Move Forward

    Government officials in the UK have shown further support for a plan to bring renewable energy from a massive project in Morocco to Britain, one of at least three projects worldwide in which miles-long subsea

  • How ePTOs Are Reducing Bucket Truck Costs, Noise, and Emissions

    Without a doubt, the future for bucket trucks is bright, with significant growth projected for the category partially as a result of the extensive infrastructure upgrade programs that have been approved in the U.S. and abroad. One possible barrier to this growth is the fact that these trucks are expensive. They cost a lot to […]

  • Energy in Transition—Where Are Investors Looking Next?

    Renewables are far from the primary power source in the U.S. No longer is the cost of renewable energy, particularly onshore wind and solar, the most substantial hurdle to the energy transition. New obstacles loom large. Predominant among these is connecting the infrastructure dots between new alternative sources and the current grid, all while maintaining […]

  • Five Key Transformations Required to Achieve Net-Zero in the U.S.

    During President Biden’s first year in office, his administration published a document titled “The Long-Term Strategy of the United States: Pathways to Net-Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050.” The document says all viable routes to net-zero involve five key transformations. They are: Decarbonize electricity. Electrify end uses and switch to other clean fuels. Cut energy […]

  • Is America’s Electric Grid Equipped for the Electrification of Everything?

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a proposal in July to increase the adoption of more efficient water heaters. Water heaters are major energy-consuming appliances, second only to heating

  • Nuclear Power, Electrification, and Carbon-Free Fuel Are Key to INL Achieving Net-Zero by 2031

    In 2021, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Director John Wagner set a lofty goal for the lab to achieve net-zero carbon emissions within 10 years. An uninformed observer might think that would be an easy task for an organization as focused on energy as INL, but it’s important to recognize that the lab is spread over […]

  • The POWER Interview: Addressing the Challenge of Electrification

    The International Energy Agency says electrification “means replacing technologies or processes that use fossil fuels, like internal combustion engines and gas boilers, with electrically-powered equivalents, such as electric vehicles or heat pumps. These replacements are typically more efficient, reducing energy demand, and have a growing impact on emissions as electricity generation is decarbonized.” The transition, […]

  • Not Your Mother’s Microgrid

    Utilities around the world will embark over the next decade on grid modernization at a monumental scale. With grid resilience and reliability top of mind combined with ambitious decarbonization goals, smart

  • Streamlining Decarbonized Transportation: Why Utilities and Fleets Should Adopt a Platform Approach

    The push for vehicle electrification and renewable energy as catalysts for decarbonization holds immense global potential. Recent studies indicate that the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is projected to skyrocket in the coming years. COMMENTARY According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric vehicles are expected to make up 60% of total global car sales […]