What the flux? Renewable energy and its advocates and detractors are having a moment, that’s what, a bout of hysteria after the Associated Press revealed that, OMG, renewables aren’t a magical force capable of keeping our air conditioners humming and big-screen TVs aglow without exacting some toll. As with wind, the toll here is in… Keep reading →
During his recent State of the Union address, President Obama reiterated the importance of American energy: “One of the biggest factors in bringing more jobs back is our commitment to American energy. The all-of-the-above energy strategy I announced a few years ago is working, and today, America is closer to energy independence than we’ve been in decades.”… Keep reading →
Egypt was recently forced to divert natural gas from LNG export projects to domestic power generation and industrial sectors, and there is no relief in sight. One of the major challenges facing leadership are the substantial energy subsidies that keep gasoline prices below market levels, which is a common issue throughout the region. Keeping the… Keep reading →
Today, I’m traveling to southern California to participate in the dedication ceremony for theIvanpah Solar Electric Generating System. As the largest concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in the world, Ivanpah harnesses the abundant sunlight of the Southwest United States to provide power on a massive scale. The facility has the capacity to generate 392 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity… Keep reading →
The 377 MW Ivanpah solar plant started up in California today amid controversy over wildlife apparently killed by the intense heat emitted from the solar receivers located on top of the facility’s “power towers.” 3,500 acres of specially-designed mirrors focus the sun’s radiation on the towers, which convert water to steam used to spins power-generating… Keep reading →
Companies and engineers worldwide are pursuing grid-scale energy storage technology that would allow distributed renewable energy sources to easily and efficiently feed electricity into centralized power grids. Once economically commercialized, such technology would find a gargantuan market. And a US-based company will jump ahead of the competition next year with its molten salt storage technique.… Keep reading →
Sakhalin Energy, the consortium that operates the Sakhalin II LNG project in Russia, is seeking higher prices for LNG sales from Korea’s Kogas, the world’s largest LNG buyer, sources have told Bloomberg. The contract is linked to Brent crude prices, which have risen substantially since it was signed eight years ago. The article indicates that Kogas… Keep reading →
This is refreshing: the Ivanpah solar facility in California has been given a delightful media makeover at Gizmodo, where it was dubbed “insane”. The article’s author describes it, as seen from the 15 freeway, as “a rippling, mirage-like, silvery blur that feels like it might sear your retinas if you look at it too long”…a bit more… Keep reading →
The definition has changed considerably over the years. The phrase “utility-scale solar” is heard so frequently in discussions about renewable energy that it comes as a bit of a shock when one realizes that there is no commonly accepted definition as to what size constitutes “utility-scale.” If you don’t believe it, a quick Google search… Keep reading →
In case you missed them, here are some highlights from Breaking Energy this week. Video games and social media have figured prominently in our coverage. Video games could be a recruiting tool to draw new talent to oil and gas. Maersk has developed an exploration and development video game that challenges players to find,… Keep reading →
