The fortunes of natural gas will increasingly drive electricity pricing as it continues to displace coal, Black & Veatch forecasts in the latest Energy Market Perspective. Black & Veatch’s long-term forecast on electric power assumes a moderate economic rebound driving demand at a projected growth rate of 1.1% from 2013 through 2038. Growth in peak… Keep reading →
Renewable energy businesses – primarily wind and solar power – in the US are moving from adolescence to maturity. The US solar industry experienced a transformative 2013, with the proliferation of physical assets, installed capacity and new finance mechanisms, while the wind industry raced to begin projects by end-2013 in order to receive production tax… Keep reading →
It might the hottest issue in solar, but a leading analyst says not to worry – for now, at least. We’re talking about the debate over net metering – NEM, for net energy metering, by the industry’s nomenclature. Utilities have been pushing back against NEM policies that often reward solar power system owners at the… Keep reading →
“Distributed, point-of-use solar should prove to be the most disruptive renewable technology.” The financial services firm UBS is predicting a “difficult year ahead” for global investor-owned utilities. In a recent research paper, UBS equities analysts outlined a combination of challenges for utilities: rising interest rates that will likely push investors toward higher-risk stocks and away… Keep reading →
No doubt the Energy and Utilities industry has witnessed increasing complexity and significant challenges in recent years, centering around compliance issues, competitive pricing pressures, and business continuity. These issues, amongst others, will remain the focus for Board and Management’s corporate strategy and 2014 planning meetings around the world. Looking back on year 2013, and ahead… Keep reading →
The US power sector is just beginning to understand the extent of the challenge it faces in replacing a retiring workforce, and to take steps to address it. But even if utilities manage to fill vacant positions, it remains to be seen how smoothly they can integrate a new generation of workers, and how long… Keep reading →
The U.S. residential solar segment witnessed record growth in Q3 2013 with 31,000 individual installations. On December 10, 2013, GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) released a report analyzing U.S. solar market performance across 28 states and the District of Columbia during Q3 2013. According to the report, Q3 2013 represents the… Keep reading →
The US power sector is staring down the barrel of a labor shortage of crisis proportions. With workers in all aspects of the industry retiring faster than new recruits are replacing them, the industry has a lot of work to do to position itself as a magnet for new talent. “There are a number of… Keep reading →
The March 2011 Fukushima accident destroyed four and shuttered most (currently all) of Japan’s 54 nuclear plants. Japan replaced nuclear energy with discomfort, sacrifice, and costly fossil fuels, because utility oligopolies suppressed renewable competitors and national energy efficiency languished. Two and a half years later, power reserves, though easing, remain tight, fuel bills exorbitant, and… Keep reading →
Mergers and acquisitions in the North American power and utilities space is continuing to recover from a steep dropoff, with third-quarter 2013 deal activity up from second-quarter and year-ago levels. There were 12 power and utilities deals valued at more than $50 million in the third quarter, up from seven in the previous quarter and… Keep reading →
