There are several obstacles to overcome when building a clean-energy project, but perhaps the biggest is getting through the generator interconnection queue (GIQ). Every regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) in the U.S. has a significant backlog in its GIQ and processing interconnection requests can take years to complete. This has created a significant barrier to deploying renewable energy, as companies often face long wait times, and high costs for...

Today, molten salt reactors (MSRs) are experiencing a resurgence of interest worldwide, with numerous companies and research institutions actively developing various designs. MSRs offer several potential advantages, including enhanced safety, reduced waste generation, and the ability to utilize thorium as a fuel source, as previously mentioned. “There are several molten salt reactor companies that are in the process of cutting deals and getting MOIs [memorandums of intent] with foreign...

In mid-January, scientists who maintain the world’s temperature records announced that 2023 was the hottest year on record. NASA researchers say extreme weather across the planet, including heat extremes, wildfires, droughts, tropical cyclones, heavy precipitation, floods, high-tide flooding, and marine heat waves, will become more common and severe as the planet warms. That’s a big problem for power grids, because extreme weather often causes outages and damage to grid assets. Michael Levy,...

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explains that community solar, also known as shared solar or solar gardens, is a distributed solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger, off-site shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system. It says community solar arrangements allow customers to enjoy advantages of solar energy without having to install their own solar energy system. The U.S. Department of Energy says community solar customers typically...

If you have paid any attention to nuclear power plant construction projects over the years, you know that there is a long history of cost overruns and schedule delays on many of them. In fact, many nuclear power plants that were planned in the 1960s and 1970s were never completed, even after millions (or billions) of dollars were spent on development. As POWER previously reported, by 1983, several factors including project management deficiencies prompted the delay or cancellation of more...

It seems everywhere you go, both inside and outside of the power industry, people are talking about hydrogen. Last October, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced an investment of $7 billion to launch seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) across the nation and accelerate the commercial-scale deployment of “low-cost, clean hydrogen.” Hydrogen is undoubtedly a valuable energy product that can be produced with zero or near-zero carbon emissions using renewable energy and...

Climate change has led many states and countries to set targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from power systems. Oregon, for example, has set targets for all power sold to retail customers in the state to have GHG emissions cut by 80% by 2030, 90% by 2035, and 100% by 2040. It’s a challenging task, but Portland General Electric (PGE), a fully integrated energy company that generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to roughly half of Oregon’s population, and for about...

Boilers obviously play an important role in the power generation industry, providing the mechanism to convert heat produced by burning fuel into steam that can be used to drive a turbine to generate electricity. But many other industries also use boilers to produce steam for a variety of purposes. Boilers are commonly used for space heating in industrial facilities, including in factories, warehouses, and office buildings, as well as on university campuses and in large medical complexes....

According to a guidebook issued by Sandia National Laboratories, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) multi-mission laboratory, microgrids are defined as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources (DERs) that act as a single controllable entity. A microgrid can operate in either grid-connected or island mode, which includes some entirely off-grid applications. A microgrid can span multiple properties, generating and storing power at a dedicated/shared location, or it can be...

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. One of the key ingredients in concrete is Portland cement. The American Concrete Institute explains that Portland cement is a product obtained by pulverizing material consisting of hydraulic calcium silicates to which some calcium sulfate has usually been provided as an interground addition. When first made and used in the early 19th century in England, it was termed Portland cement because its hydration product resembled a...

There is growing demand for cybersecurity professionals all around the world. According to the “2023 Official Cybersecurity Jobs Report,” sponsored by eSentire and released by Cybersecurity Ventures, there will be 3.5 million unfilled jobs in the cybersecurity industry through 2025. Furthermore, having these positions open can be costly. The researchers said damages resulting from cybercrime are expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025. In response to the escalating demand for adept...

Southern Nuclear, Southern Company’s nuclear power plant operations business, announced in late September that it had received “first-of-a-kind approval” from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to use advanced fuel—accident tolerant fuel (ATF)—exceeding 5% enrichment of uranium-235 (U-235) in Plant Vogtle Unit 2. The fuel is expected to be loaded in 2025 and will have enrichments up to 6 weight % U-235. The company said this milestone “underscores the industry’s effort to optimize fuel,...

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 waste. • Reduce methane and other non-CO2 emissions. • Scale up CO2 removal. Which of the key transformations will...

Most propane used in the U.S. today is produced as a byproduct of natural gas processing and crude oil refining, which are not considered “green” technologies. However, renewable propane availability is growing. Renewable propane, like its conventional brother, is commonly made as a byproduct of other fuel production, in its case, often renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Renewable diesel and SAF are primarily produced from plant and vegetable oils, animal fats, and used...

It’s pretty easy to understand how the weather affects certain forms of power generation and infrastructure. Sunlight is obviously needed to generate solar power, wind is required to produce wind energy, and extreme storms of all kinds can wreak havoc on transmission and distribution lines, and other energy-related assets. Therefore, having accurate and constantly updated weather information is vital to power companies. “First and foremost, utilities need to understand as best as possible the...

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines environmental justice as: “The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies.” It says “fair treatment” means that no population bears a disproportionate share of negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, municipal, and commercial operations or from...

While power outages are not uncommon in the U.S., widespread blackouts that last more than a couple of hours are pretty rare. However, this summer marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most significant blackouts in North American history. The incident didn’t just affect the U.S., but also major parts of Canada. The blackout occurred on Aug. 14, 2003. The History Channel reports it began at 4:10 p.m. EDT, when 21 power plants shut down in just three minutes. Fifty million people were...

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 nearly 900 square miles—about three-quarters the size of the state of Rhode Island. To shuttle the lab’s nearly 5,400 employees everywhere they need to go across that vast...

The Combustion Turbine Operations Technical Forum (CTOTF) is the longest continuously active gas turbine industry organization driven by users, for users. CTOTF offers week-long conferences twice annually in the spring and fall. The conferences provide a balance of technical information, user-to-user interaction, and professional development and mentoring for the group’s nationwide user base. CTOTF’s 2023 Fall Conference will be held September 24–28 at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior...

Hydrogen demand throughout the world reached 94 million metric tons in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Global Hydrogen Review 2022, an annual report issued by the IEA in late September last year. Demand for new applications grew to about 40,000 metric tons (up 60% from 2020, albeit from a low base). Notably, the IEA said some key new applications for hydrogen are showing signs of progress. Announcements for new steel projects are growing fast, according to the...

There are many reasons to be excited about the U.S. nuclear power industry and its potential for growth. For activists focused on climate change, its carbon-free attribute makes it a viable long-term power resource. Additionally, its around-the-clock generating capability makes it a vital option in a world increasingly filled with intermittent renewables. Furthermore, new technology that incorporates passive safety features lessen the dangers associated with reactors, making units appealing...

One fuel source that may not immediately come to mind when thinking about charging EVs is propane. However, there are innovative vehicle-charging options available using propane, and it is a relatively low-carbon fuel source, especially when “renewable propane” is available. Jim Bunsey, director of commercial business development with the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), shared details on a portable propane-fueled EV charging unit that is available today. “It takes up about a...

For more than four decades, POWER magazine has honored the top performers in the electricity-generating industry with annual power plant awards. Award winners are selected by the editors of POWER based on nominations submitted by industry insiders, including suppliers, designers, constructors, and operators of power plants. Winning POWER’s highest honor—the Plant of the Year—in 2023 is Estrella del Mar III, a first-of-its-kind floating combined cycle gas turbine power barge that Sonal Patel,...

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issues licenses for commercial power reactors to operate for up to 40 years. These licenses can be renewed for an additional 20 years at a time. As of June 15, 2023, 87 of the 92 commercially operating nuclear reactors in the U.S. have had their licenses extended to 60 years. Furthermore, owners can apply for subsequent license renewal (SLR), which would authorize units to operate for another 20 years. Among owners interested in this option is the...