Utility Scale

Could More Midwest Wind Really Save Ratepayers Billions?

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Additional wind power in the US Midwest could cut wholesale electricity prices by more than 25%, saving a typical household as much as $200 a year, proponents of new renewable energy capacity in the region said.

The analysis for the advocacy group Americans for a Clean Energy Grid found that if 20 GW was added to the existing 10 GW of wind capacity in the MISO region, consumers’ power costs would decline by $3 billion to $6.9 billion a year after the costs of new transmission is factored in. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 24, 2012 at 8:00 AM

Open Innovation Key to Smart Grid: US Chief Technology Officer

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Open innovation in information technology is key in developing the smart grid, the recently appointed US Chief Technology Officer said yesterday [22 May]. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 23, 2012 at 2:00 PM

Utilities Engaging Customers in Sustainability

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As advanced information technology continues to permeate the power sector and the two-way data flow between utility and customer deepens, countless opportunities to streamline the delivery and consumption of electricity arise. Across the US, utilities are taking innovative approaches to fostering energy efficient behavior by working with customers to build sustainable practices, programs and business models.

The key is to use all available channels – including social networking – to engage customers with a simple message, you need to “keep [customers] informed and show [them] results,” Bill Andrew, President and CEO of the Delaware Electric Cooperative told audience members at last week’s DNV Kema Utility of the Future Leadership Forum in Washington DC. Keep reading →

 /  Published May 23, 2012 at 11:30 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

Solar Shakeout Survival Guide

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There are many ways to survive in the solar business, but relying on protectionist policies and planning to serve only one part of the growing marketplace are not successful strategies for survival.

“A global manufacturer has to be willing to look at its product portfolio and participate in all aspects of the market,” Canadian Solar VP of US Sales and General Manager Alan King told Breaking Energy recently. Canadian Solar, despite its name, has an expanding presence around the world and is a NASDAQ-traded company determined to survive the fallout from falling panel prices. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 13, 2012 at 10:15 AM

Industry Leaders Work to Strengthen Power Grid

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Ontario’s largest power distributor – Hydro One – is looking to transform the province’s aging electrical system into a state of the art power delivery network. The utility recently selected IBM and Telvent to lead the charge toward a more energy efficient and reliable 21st century power grid.

Built in the 1950’s, Ontario’s electric grid took a centralized approach to power delivery, but the changing nature of electricity generation and transmission, with distributed sources becoming more prevalent, requires a more versatile grid design. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 10, 2012 at 9:00 AM

The Future of Energy in New York

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Imagine trying to manufacture and deliver gifts to all 2 million kids in New York City the exact moment they wake up on Christmas morning, without being able produce or store them anywhere ahead of time. You would either have to maintain toy-manufacturing plants on the roof of each home, or construct a supersonic delivery system with unlimited flexibility. The rest of the year, these plants and the high-end delivery system would sit idle until the next Christmas arrived.

If you’re thinking this scenario seems ridiculous and wildly inefficient, you’re right. So it’s surprising to learn that this is how the world thinks about and builds our current electric power infrastructure. This type of planning process was necessary ten years ago based on the state of the world, but today, advances in new technologies such as energy storage and demand response can fundamentally change this scenario. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 6, 2012 at 9:00 AM

Summer Nuclear Unit Already Behind As It Gets Federal Green Light

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Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Gregory Jaczko listens to his introduction before he delivers remarks at the Regulatory Information Conference on March 13, 2012 in Rockville, Maryland.The long-expected federal decision giving SCANA a license to build two new nuclear reactors in South Carolina came along with news that project has already encountered delays and cost overruns.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the license for SCANA’s Summer station near Columbia, SC on Friday, seven weeks after approving a similar license for Southern Company’s Vogtle station near August, Georgia. The vote was again 4-1, with Chairman Gregory Jaczko again dissenting over the commission’s decision not to attach a specific provision requiring compliance with future post-Fukushima requirements. Keep reading →

 /  Published April 3, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Utility-scale Battery Technology Could Be Around the Corner

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A rare earth mining operation in China’s Jiangsu province

A rare earth metal called vanadium could provide an energy storage solution for some of the challenges renewable energy sources face. The intermittent nature of wind and solar power can make these distributed sources difficult for utilities to manage within the electrical grid. Vanadium flow batteries can accommodate renewable energy by storing massive amounts of electricity and releasing it into the grid as needed when demand increases. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 22, 2012 at 11:00 AM

Small Modular Reactors – The iPads of Nuclear Power

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Small modular reactors are not a substitute for the familiar 1,000-plus-megawatt reactors, says Tennessee Valley Authority Chief Operating Officer William McCollum, any more than the iPad is a substitute for a laptop computer or a cell phone. Instead, he said, SMRs, like iPads, are creating a whole new niche for nuclear.

Supporters see them as safer than the big plants, cheaper, requiring less time and up-front investment to build, and, longer term, pioneering in nuclear nonproliferation and spent fuel disposal technology. Some designs have the potential to bring electricity to isolated and water-short communities. Keep reading →

 /  Published March 22, 2012 at 9:00 AM
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