The Reselling of Coal
Its future rests with new technologies – not outdated PR.
Its future rests with new technologies – not outdated PR.
With utilities now shifting their attention to the new energy frontier and investments in distributed assets, a central question remains: Can those energy companies embrace such changes and build new revenue streams at the same time?
Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and Daytona International Speedway (DIS) plan to install commercial-scale distributed solar power at the "World Center of Racing," complementing the ongoing $400 million DAYTONA Rising redevelopment project. The electricity generated will help power the Speedway's operations and FPL's 4.7 million customers via the grid. The project's total generating capacity is expected to be approximately 1.7 MW, making it one of the largest distributed solar installations in Florida.
ABB won an order worth around $35 million from Belgian electricity transmission system operator Elia for gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and shunt reactors, helping stabilize and expand the country's power grid to accommodate more wind energy. The shunt reactors increase the energy efficiency of power transmission by improving power quality and reducing transmission costs. The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2014.
GE's Digital Energy business will provide Reykjavik Energy Iceland's largest utility company with its PowerOn Advantage advanced distribution management system (ADMS). The addition of GE's grid software will enable Reykjavik Energy to reduce operational costs while also improving functionality. Reykjavik Energy's electrical distribution network serves more than half of Iceland's population.
One of Starwood Energy Group Global's (Starwood Energy) affiliates completed the purchase of the Quail Run Energy Center natural gas-fired combined cycle electric power generating facility in Odessa, Texas. Starwood Energy assumed ownership and began operating the power plant in January. The electric power generating facility began commercial operations in 2007 and has a nominal capacity of 550 MW. The facility provides electric power to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).
Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power acquired two PV solar projects totaling 99 MW in Georgia - the 80-MW Decatur Parkway Solar Project and the 19-MW Decatur County Solar Project - from Tradewind Energy. The electricity and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by the 80-MW facility will be sold under a 25-year PPA with Georgia Power. Construction of the 80-MW facility is currently scheduled to begin this month. Georgia Power will purchase the energy generated from the 19-MW project under a 20-year PPA.
NRG Renew, a wholly owned subsidiary of NRG Energy, entered into an agreement with Kaiser Permanente, to help Kaiser Permanente achieve its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions three years ahead of its promised date. Utilizing as much as 70 MW of on-site solar from NRG Renew, Kaiser Permanente will achieve the top ranking of on-site installed solar capacity among U.S. healthcare companies. NRG Renew will implement a single-brand, multi-site distributed solar program at as many as 170 sites.
Siemens secured a large wind power contract in South Africa for an order of 157 wind turbines for three projects in the Northern Cape from Mainstream Renewable Power. The 2.3-MW machines of the Siemens G2 platform will be installed at the wind power plants Khobab, Loeriesfontein 2 and Noupoort, with a combined generation capacity of 360 MW. The new contract includes a service and maintenance agreement for a period of 10 years.