The suggestion that ISIS-related militants could team up with Mexican drug cartels to disable the US power grid for an extended period of time seems a bit alarmist, but worth noting, particularly in light of 2 recent substation attacks in California. US power grid vulnerability, be it from cyber attack or direct assault, has been… Keep reading →
In response to Superstorm Sandy, DOE has announced the first federal regional gasoline reserve to create one million barrels of gasoline storage in the Northeast. On May 2, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced establishment of the first regional refined petroleum product reserve creating one million barrels of gasoline storage in the Northeast. The action,… Keep reading →
As Americans brace for warmer weather – and the tornadoes, droughts and hurricanes that come with it – the question remains: are utilities prepared to handle the stress of ever increasing inclement weather? Like weather patterns, every utility requires unique ingredients to successfully navigate storm-related outage prevention and restoration strategy. However, at the foundation of… Keep reading →
Towards Understanding How Corruption Impacts the Quality of Electricity Supply to End-Users in Emerging and Developing Economies This article provides a synopsis of a paper submitted to the IAEE/USAEE Best Student Paper Award Competition. On average, a fourth of all electricity produced in low-income countries was lost during transmission and distribution in the year 2000,… Keep reading →
New York City’s government found out just how complex the challenges to its resilience can become when Superstorm Sandy hit in late 2012, as lives, homes and power supply were lost and the scale of not just recovering but preparing for future challenges in the largest US city became evident. While the work to fix… Keep reading →
Without power, the wheels of a city’s economy would quickly grind to a halt. Reliable energy underpins every aspect of modern business, and yet we see its full importance only when things go wrong. When Hurricane Sandy’s flood waters reached New York City in 2012, first responders, citizens and businesses alike faced the challenges of… Keep reading →
Only six years ago humanity crossed a remarkable threshold: more than half of us live in cities for the first time in history. According to United Nations statistic, fifty years ago it was 30% and a century ago it was 10%. Urbanization as the central framework for human experience and work has been driven by… Keep reading →
As the sociopolitical situation in Egypt deteriorates, the country’s energy infrastructure is also suffering. Although winter blackouts currently frustrating the population are being blamed on seasonal maintenance, a tight natural gas supply situation could exacerbate matters this summer when air conditioning-demand peaks. In late January, BG Group was ordered to direct gas away from LNG… Keep reading →
Domestic military installations require reliable energy sources that can power their operations 24-hours per day under all circumstances. Mission assurance, cost savings and mandated energy saving initiatives are driving the Department of Defense to deploy new energy technology with the help of innovative financing mechanisms. The three main military branches each have a goal of… Keep reading →
As we begin a new year, the outlook for 2014 looks bright. But as the Polar Vortex has descended upon the U.S. over the last few days, we have been reminded of the past, specifically the winter of 2011 when Texas’ electricity grid stuttered under the extreme cold. Monday, as a record-breaking cold snap whisked… Keep reading →
