A California-based group said it has completed the first-ever hydrogen-boron fusion experiments to produce a sustainable fuel for utility-scale fusion power. TAE Technologies on Feb. 28, in a peer-reviewed paper published by the scientific journal Nature Communications, said its research supports the path to providing electricity from nuclear reactors fueled with hydrogen-boron, also known as p-B11 or p11B. TAE said its program, done in collaboration […]
Madagascar Ready to Ramp Up Hydropower Projects
Madagascar has significant hydropower potential, but to date less than 20% of the country’s energy comes from hydroelectric facilities. The Economic Development Agency of Madagascar (EDBM) estimates the island nation, located in the Indian Ocean off the cost of Southeast Africa, could produce as much as 7.8 GW of power from hydro resources, but at present is only utilizing about 2% of that potential. Madagascar, […]
China Approves 106 GW of New Coal-Fired Capacity
A new report from a two global energy research groups found that China last year approved its most new coal-fired power generation projects since 2015. The report from the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and Global Energy Monitor (GEM) shows the Chinese government approved permits for 106 GW of new coal-fired generation capacity in 2022. The report said the new capacity […]
The POWER Interview: Chemistry Crucial for Global Growth in Energy Storage
The global market for energy storage is driven by several factors, with power producers continually looking for ways to improve their storage systems and enhance performance. Battery technologies for energy storage are becoming more important as project developers look for ways to control costs and optimize battery energy storage systems (BESS). Advancing technology supports lowering the cost of BESS installations, as new systems can store […]
Ammonia Gas Turbine Combustion Has Economic Potential, GE-IHI Study Suggests
Ammonia could be a potentially lower-cost alternative fuel for gas turbines in Japan than liquid hydrogen if the full import value stream is considered, suggests a joint study between GE Gas Power and Japanese heavy industry manufacturer IHI Corp. As part of the year-long study, the companies mapped a value stream for hydrogen and ammonia from their points of production to their point of use […]
Indonesia Begins Carbon Trading Program for Coal-Fired Power Plants
Indonesia’s efforts to decarbonize the country’s power generation sector took a major step on Feb. 22 as the government launched the first phase of mandatory carbon trading for coal-fired power plants. Officials in the capital of Jakarta have said they want to increase electricity production from renewable energy resources and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2060. Coal-fired power generation accounts for more than half of […]
Biden Administration Announces First Offshore Wind Lease Sales for Gulf of Mexico
The Biden administration on Feb. 22 announced the first-ever lease sale for offshore wind power development in the Gulf of Mexico. The Dept. of the Interior, through its Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), said it would open more than 300,000 acres in the Gulf, an area that long has been a major part of U.S. exploration for crude oil and natural gas. Wednesday’s announcement […]
DOE Breaks Ground on Next-Generation Concentrating Solar Power Pilot
The Department of Energy (DOE) has broken ground on the Generation 3 Particle Pilot Plant (G3P3), a novel concentrating solar power (CSP) facility at Sandia National Laboratory that will use sand-like ceramic particles instead of molten salt to produce and store high-temperature energy. When completed in 2024, the “multi-megawatt” solar thermal pilot project will utilize an existing heliostat field at Sandia’s National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) […]
Major Offshore Wind Array Planned off Iberian Peninsula
The joint venture (JV) of an Irish energy developer and two Spanish companies has announced its second large floating offshore wind project. IberBlue Wind, a JV created to develop gigascale arrays in waters near the Iberian Peninsula, on Feb. 17 said it would build a 990-MW project off the coast of Figueira da Foz. IberBlue, which took shape last year and includes Ireland’s Simply Blue […]
The POWER Interview: Challenges, Opportunities for Energy Storage
The market for energy storage projects continues to grow as utilities recognize the benefits of storage for demand response, along with the integration of renewable energy resources to the power grid. Incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) for standalone storage provide even more support for the sector. Storage companies are growing, and more deals are being completed for projects serving utilities and commercial and […]