TerraForm acquired 21 U.S. distributed generation solar power plants from SunEdison; Emera closed the sale of its 49 percent interest in Northeast Wind Partners II to First Wind Holdings; Alterra Power completed its sale of its Fallon, Nevada geothermal facility to an affiliate of Cyrq Energy; Accenture agreed to acquire Structure, a provider of consulting, system integration and customized solutions and services to energy and utility clients; and others.
Exelon Generation named Michael J. Pacilio executive v.p. and COO; FirstEnergy made a series of leadership changes involving David J. Karafa, Steven E. Strah, Linda L. Moss, Richard S. Sweeney and Edward L. Shuttleworth; CenterPoint Energy appointed William D. Rogers, executive v.p. of finance and accounting; leadership changes at Black Hills Corporation, Consumers Energy and Duke Energy; California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) named Timothy Sullivan as interim executive director; and others; and others.
Its future rests with new technologies – not outdated PR.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.