A few years ago, when the Rio Tinto decided to expand its iron ore production in Pilbara region of Western Australia, they faced a problem. While the remote region accounts for more than 40 percent of the world’s iron ore production, it is also one of the driest parts of the world. Ironically, however, the… Keep reading →
Utilities, private investors and other organizations can spend billions building new critical infrastructure assets, such as power generation, water treatment or desalination facilities. The focus during development is often placed on meeting schedule and budget with little attention given to long-term asset operations and maintenance (O&M) until after commercial operation is achieved. Lack of meaningful… Keep reading →
The importance of alternative water supplies, such as water reuse, brackish groundwater and desalination, continues to grow as organizations look to build diversified, resilient water supplies. In most cases, the adoption of alternative water supplies is regionally specific. For instance, in the Southwest U.S., Texas and Florida, the emphasis is on developing potable reuse. Non-potable… Keep reading →
Utilities, private investors and other organizations can spend billions building new critical infrastructure assets, such as power generation, water treatment or desalination facilities. The focus during development is often placed on meeting schedule and budget with little attention given to long-term asset operations and maintenance (O&M) until after commercial operation is achieved. Lack of meaningful… Keep reading →
This year the National Park Service (NPS) celebrates its centennial, having been established by the passage of the “Organic Act” in 1916. According to the Organic Act, a main purpose of the NPS is to conserve “parks, monuments, and reservations” in such a manner that “will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”… Keep reading →
Over the last few years there has been an increasing uptake of asset management by U.S. utilities, largely as a response to the challenges posed by the need to replace or rehabilitate aging infrastructure, coupled with the ever more stringent demands of customers for improved levels of service. All this has to be seen in… Keep reading →
It’s the classic chicken-or-the-egg question. If attempting to revolutionize the auto industry, do you introduce the car or the supporting infrastructure first? For Joel Ewanick, the answer was obvious – get the infrastructure in place. Ewanick, CEO of FirstElement Fuel Inc., is bringing hydrogen fueling stations to California under the consumer-facing brand True Zero to… Keep reading →
On separate fronts, two U.S. government agencies have proposed new regulations over the expanding natural gas industry, and industry participants are now focusing their efforts on coping with the costs the proposals will potentially bring, which could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized federal regulations… Keep reading →
Harnessing tidal power for clean energy has recently taken a huge step forward in the UK, the world’s leading region for development of this important new renewable resource. The MeyGen Tidal Array Project is fast moving toward the final construction of its demonstration phase, which will be the first time that underwater turbines sited together… Keep reading →
Modernizing power delivery – particularly in a time of rapidly expanding populations and rising costs of a reliable power supply – encompasses more than replacing old components with new. The investments will need to address integration of larger shares of renewable energy while delivering on higher levels of reliability and resilience that are demanded by… Keep reading →
