Midwestern utility DTE Energy announced its 225-MW Meridian Wind Park project has entered commercial operation. The group on April 18 said the wind farm, located in Merrill and spanning parts of Midland and Saginaw counties in central Michigan, features 77 turbines and operates on land leased from farmers in the region. A DTE spokesperson said the utility oversaw construction of the wind farm and will […]
Why the U.S. Needs New Battery Technologies and Supply Chains
The future of transportation and energy storage will be powered by a range of carbon-neutral technologies, and batteries will play a major role. As part of the effort to reduce manmade carbon emissions and mitigate climate change, governments worldwide have passed measures in recent years to spur the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as well as renewable generation sources backed up by large-scale grid storage. […]
Olkiluoto 3 Finally Online in Finland; Germany Closes Last Three Nuclear Plants
A long-delayed nuclear power plant in Finland has begun producing electricity, ready to provide energy to a region in need of the facility’s output in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 1.6-GW Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, which is now the largest reactor in Europe, began a regular production schedule on April 16, according to Teollisuuden Voima (TVO), a nuclear power company owned by […]
The POWER Interview: A More Sustainable Future Through Electrification
Several energy industry experts recently spoke with POWER for a feature article on electrification that appeared in the April 2023 issue. There are many aspects to electrification, and its adoption is having a variety of impacts on different sectors across power generation and the overall energy landscape. From energy efficiency to sustainability practices, electrification is a key driver of change, from transportation to manufacturing, and for residential […]
How Low-E Valves Can Reduce Costly Fugitive Emissions
Though discussions of fugitive emissions are not new in power and processing facilities, they remain a focal point of most plants’ operational plans because they can harm profitability if they are not addressed. As governmental agencies like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aim to curb fugitive emissions, it becomes ever more important to make sure plants comply with the latest regulations. Regardless of a […]
A Tipping Point for America’s Grid
COMMENTARY The American grid is reaching a tipping point. With electric vehicles (EVs) making up 5% of all new vehicle sales last year, there is an urgent need to prepare for the unprecedented strain that will be placed on the U.S. power grid as adoption continues to ramp up—and this is to say nothing of our efforts to electrify other aspects of society at an […]
More Than Statistics: Maximizing Value From FERC OE’s Annual Report on Enforcement
Each year, pursuant to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC or Commission) Revised Policy Statement on Enforcement, FERC’s Office of Enforcement (OE) publishes “annual statistical reports” summarizing its enforcement activities during the preceding fiscal year (FY). Consistent with that directive, OE’s Annual Report on Enforcement (Annual Report) contains a range of statistical information about the activities of each of its components, the Division of Investigations […]
Developer Plans Two Offshore Wind Projects Using 18-MW Turbines
A joint venture (JV) created to develop large-scale offshore wind projects said it plans to use what at present would be the world’s largest wind turbines at two projects located between Spain and Portugal. IberBlue Wind, a JV that includes Ireland’s Simply Blue Group along with Spanish companies Proes Consultores and FF New Energy Ventures, on April 11 announced that as many as 109 turbines—each […]
Financing the Energy Transition: Forging Ahead in the Wake of Silicon Valley Bank
Considering the unfathomable costs of unabated climate change, it stands to reason that even the most elementary investment thesis for the energy transition merits sincere consideration. And with the enormous sums of public and private capital committed these last few years toward the companies, technologies, and projects that promise to drive climate change mitigation and adaptation, it would appear that capital providers don’t need much convincing. COMMENTARY But the […]
Montana Judge Cancels Air Permit for Gas-Fired Power Plant
A judge in Montana has canceled the air quality permit for a natural gas-fired power plant under construction in the state, citing concerns about emissions of greenhouse gases from the facility. State District Judge Michael Moses on April 6 said government officials needed to more adequately consider the plant’s emissions during its lifecycle. The judge said the Yellowstone County Generating Station, being built by South […]