Distribution

Is There a Smart Grid in Africa’s Future? The Answer May Surprise You

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On a continent with many of the world’s poorest countries, it seems perfectly normal that a smart grid would not be on the plate for those nations’ governments. But Africa, a collection of 48 mainland countries and six island nations, is a far different place from the smart grid hotbeds of the U.S., China and Europe.

A number of those countries are working to adopt several aspects of smart grid to bring their economies out of the muck of troubled histories and into an era of development and smart, sustainable energy futures, even though the odds appear terrible. Several countries on the African continent are taking a chance. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 10, 2012 at 3:30 PM

International Geothermal Energy Sector Prepares For DC Gathering

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Geothermal energy has struggled to grow in recent years but remains an area of distinct potential in a world where much of the growth in baseload power demand remains distant from the fuel that could generate that needed energy.

To reflect the interest of power industry officials and investors from around the world in geothermal energy and its potential for diversification, the US Geothermal Energy Association is hosting an International Showcase on May 23 in Washington, DC. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 10, 2012 at 11:00 AM

Power Companies Hope for El Nino Break from Record Summer Heat

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Is the US headed for a cooler summer and a lower demand for energy-intensive air conditioning following the surging temperatures of recent years?

Two forecasters think so, based on El Nino, or the cyclical warming of Pacific Ocean waters, which is expected to bring lower temperatures than were experienced in recent summers to many areas of the U.S. this year. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 9, 2012 at 8:00 AM

Gas Fired Power Plants Grow in Both Size and Mobility

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The recent growth in US natural gas production, growing power needs in emerging markets and strong momentum behind sustainability measures represent strong tailwinds for Pratt & Whitney’s Power Systems Division, but challenges remain.

The power systems division accounted for a relatively small share – roughly 5% – of Pratt & Whitney’s total $12.7 billion in 2011 sales. But at a recent press briefing in the company’s headquarters of Hartford, Connecticut, President Dave Hess told reporters the power system division has experienced five years of steady growth. The company expects revenue generated by the Power systems division to increase by about 23% year-on-year in 2012. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 8, 2012 at 11:30 AM

Big Data Doesn’t Sleep: Demand Response Trends

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Power companies are training their customers to see electricity supply in a new way, with two-way flows of information and energy that can increase reliability and prevent the need for costly transmission building.

“Demand response is creating business intelligence” in which companies can understand their exposure to time of use as well as overall volume of use when it comes to electricity, Constellation Energy Senior Vice President for Demand Response Gary Fromer told Breaking Energy recently. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 7, 2012 at 11:30 AM

Wall Street Bank Backs Residential Solar Fund

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The burgeoning US market for leased residential solar systems got some extra help on Thursday with the launch of a new fund to increase financing options for solar installers and their customers.

The fund, named MySolar, was created by Clean Power Finance, an online marketplace for solar financing; MS Solar Solutions Corp, a unit of the investment bank Morgan Stanley, and Main Street Power Company, a developer of solar systems and provider of power-purchase agreements. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 4, 2012 at 8:00 AM

Hot Summer Could Put Market Operators On The Hot Seat

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March 2012 shattered US temperature records. What about the summer?

Electricity market operators are not generally fond of hot summers, when consumers turn up their air conditioners to stay cool, while straining the network, sometimes to the brink of disaster. This summer is no exception, especially in a few places where supplies are likely to be tight. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 1, 2012 at 4:30 PM

What Have More Than Half Of Midwest Energy Customers Never Heard Of?

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In the brave new world of the smart grid, it won’t be enough for utilities to just provide their customers with the technology and hope they take advantage of it.

To reap the full benefits of a system that matches supply and demand, utilities will have to work a lot harder to deliver real-time information about pricing, energy use, and the status of smart appliances to desktop computers or mobile devices. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 30, 2012 at 4:20 PM

Smart Systems Protect Power Grids and Handle Extreme Weather

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When the power goes out, electric utility customers want it back, and fast. Now it’s possible for a “smart” or “self-healing” electronic grid to reduce customers’ hours without power to just a few minutes. But adopting this technology is more complicated than flipping a switch. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 25, 2012 at 2:30 PM

Despite Economic Downturn and Flat Demand, Electricity Shopping Sees Substantial Growth

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As consumers we have an abundance of choices. We can choose among competing stores selling competing products. If we don’t want to drive to the store, we can go online and purchase what we need and have it delivered to our door.

We have choices among phone and Internet service providers, and choices among devices competing to provide phone and Internet services. We’ve come to take for granted choices among competing providers for just about every product and service we consume. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 20, 2012 at 9:00 AM
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