Mission critical facilities like hospitals and university campuses depend on reliable (and typically redundant) energy sources to operate. In the event of a utility failure, natural disaster, or other catastrophe, these facilities need to know that they will be able to keep the power on and serve their communities continuously. Today, many organizations are turning… Keep reading →
With a Senate vote on two nominees for commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) pending, there is unprecedented attention on this obscure regulator of interstate pipelines and electricity transmission. In 2005, Congress granted FERC additional authority to regulate electric grid reliability and security, but too often FERC has accommodated industry rather than enforce… Keep reading →
On the heels of New York Energy Week, former EPA Administrator Carol Browner highlights in this editorial the import role nuclear power plays when states seek to comply with newly enacted regulations limiting carbon emissions from existing power plants. “As the health and economic impact of dangerous greenhouse gases and carbon pollution becomes ever clearer,… Keep reading →
As states like Colorado decriminalize marijuana use for personal consumption and several states move forward with medical use legislation, the subsequent explosion of indoor grow operations has gotten utilities’ attention. There is a concern the energy-intensive “indoor agriculture” could put sustained stress on power grids. “This is just a staggering amount of electricity,” says Bruce Bugbee,… Keep reading →
All eyes have been on risks to Iraq’s continued ability to supply world markets with oil, but power generation is critical to keeping regional populations calm and facilitating oil industry operations. The violently-contested Baiji refinery supplies refined products to the domestic market, but there is also a 1,320 MW power plant nearby that supplies 10%… Keep reading →
Many in developed economies often think and speak about Africa in a one size fits all context, and of course nothing could be further from the truth. The vast continent is a diverse tapestry of sovereign nations with varied geography, demographics, religions and energy-related challenges. One challenge many countries share with regard to energy, however,… Keep reading →
The US military consumed 90 million barrels of oil last year which cost $15 billion, and military fuel consumption is expected to increase with the adoption of the F-35 combat aircraft, the Littoral Combat Ship, and the KC-46A tanker aircraft, that “will all consume more fuel than the platforms they will replace.” As a result,… Keep reading →
That may be an understatement There has been a flurry of reports coming from all directions leading to similar conclusions, namely the demise of the traditional utility business model. The latest is a March 2014 report from an unlikely source, Morgan Stanley, concluding that “improvements in batteries and distributed generation could partly or completely eliminate… Keep reading →
A little over two years ago we reported that utility-scale energy storage could be “around the corner” thanks to flow-battery technology that relies on a rare earth mineral called vanadium. That vision leapt closer to reality last week. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced it will partner with energy storage… Keep reading →
A timely new report published by the World Economic Forum in April 2014 titled “Strategic Infrastructure Steps to Operate and Maintain Infrastructure Efficiently and Effectively” addresses an important area for necessary investment globally: infrastructure. The current focus in the US is on energy infrastructure – whether this concerns the need to build out the petroleum… Keep reading →
