The giant Groningen natural gas field in the Netherlands’ northeastern countryside supplies much of Europe’s natural gas, but earthquakes in the region have been occurring more frequently as the field ages. The Dutch government ordered Shell and ExxonMobil to cut back production to 80% of the volume produced in 2013 – which amounts to an… Keep reading →
Solar is increasingly providing clean, sustainable energy for our nation’s homes, businesses and industries. Clocking record-breaking growth and reaching a total of more than 4,700 megawatts of new installed capacity, 2013 was a big year for solar photovoltaic systems. But we’re also excited to watch 2014, which will mark a major milestone for a different… Keep reading →
Yesterday, an almond grove in California’s Central Valley hosted the opening of the world’s largest iron-chromium redox flow battery. Originally pioneered by NASA, these flow batteries are emerging as a promising way to store many hours of energy that can be discharged into the power grid when needed. Traditionally, electric generation follows the demands of the daily load cycle. But as more sources of renewable… Keep reading →
This week in sunny Anaheim, California, more than 800 solar industry leaders gathered for the 2014 SunShot Grand Challenge Summit. The Summit, launched by the Energy Department’s SunShot Initiative, brings together the solar community to network, share ideas and develop strategies to make solar more affordable for American families and businesses. The focus of this year’s event is… Keep reading →
New York state is, after California (and possibly Hawaii), the country’s biggest market for next-generation batteries and grid-scale energy storage. The action includes Long Island Power Authority’s request for up to 150 megawatts of energy storage, a soon-to-be-unveiled storage incentive program from Consolidated Edison, and emerging opportunities in microgrids, behind-the-meter storage, renewable energy integration and other grid edge applications. These opportunities are attracting many players, ranging… Keep reading →
EDF’s Energy Innovation Series highlights innovations across a broad range of energy categories, including smart grid and renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency financing and progressive utilities, to name a few. This Series helps illustrate that cost-effective, clean energy solutions are available now and imperative to lowering our dependence on fossil fuels. Find more information on this featured… Keep reading →
Hawaii has long been plagued by high electricity costs due to the need to import feedstock – predominantly fuel oil and some coal – which is why the prospect of producing more of its own power is attractive. But renewables require energy storage to help balance loads during the ebb and flow of consumption, so… Keep reading →
Deregulation and privatization are driving the separation of generation, transmission and distribution in Europe. Alstom’s Philippe Paelinck examines EU goals on energy security and unification and how these have played out in Germany thus far. Although the European Super Grid he discusses seems like an enormous undertaking, Paelinck says it would be cheaper than the… 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 →
At the recent staging of the Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition 2014 in Düsseldorf, Germany, more than 850 experts from politics, business and research representing 46 countries discussed the most recent worldwide developments in energy storage. At the accompanying exhibition with almost 70 stands, visitors were able to get information about the latest state-of-the-art technology and… Keep reading →
