Blown Fuse
Submitted by meacott on Mon, 2015-01-05 11:02The high cost of European Union energy threatens the region’s industrial base, pushing manufacturers to move factories and other energy-intensive facilities from Europe to regions where energy prices are far lower.
Electric and gas utilities don't get a lot of love. They typically rank near the bottom in Bain & Company surveys measuring customer loyalty and advocacy across a range of industries. In these times of rising energy prices across Europe, that's understandable. But blaming utilities deflects attention from the serious problems wrought by the European Union's current energy policy and regulation - the playing field on which utilities must operate.
Digest (January 2015)
FERC approved the proposed merger of Exelon and Pepco Holdings; SunEdison and TerraForm Power agreed to acquire First Wind for $2.4 billion; NorthWestern Energy closed on its $900 million purchase of facilities from PPL Montana; Siemens Energy Management partnered with Microsoft and FuelCell Energy to develop the nation's first zero-carbon, waste-to-energy data center; ABB commissioned a power solution that will control power flow and enhance grid stability in Michigan; AES Southland was awarded a 20-year PPA by Southern California Edison to provide 100 MW of interconnected battery-based energy storage; Renewable Energy Systems Americas developed what will be the largest, fully commercial energy storage projects in North America; Westinghouse Electric, China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corp., and Electricity Generation Co. agreed to develop and construct a four-unit nuclear power plant site in the Republic of Turkey. And others ...
In New York's Distributed Energy Future, Will Co-Generation Still Reign?
Distributed energy has a long history in the state – with co-generation, or combined heat and power, playing the dominant role. How is that portfolio changing today?
Combined heat and power still leads the Empire State in market penetration by distributed resources, but costs are not falling as fast as for storage or solar PV.
Demand Disruption Ahead
Utilities should think hard about business models.
Death spiral? Maybe not. But retail load – as served by utilities – will surely fall.
Gas to the Rescue
Shale revolution catches fire, surpassing coal – in America, and soon around the world.
The shale revolution now fueling the American economy appears poised for expansion overseas.
Duke Energy Acquires Halifax Solar Project in Eastern North Carolina
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2014-12-31 11:59Duke Energy Renewables (Duke) acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project, a 20-MW solar project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., from Geenex and ET Solar Energy Corp. Duke will own and operate the site. The project is located in Dominion North Carolina Power's service territory, and the energy generated from the solar site will be sold through a 15-year agreement with the utility. The system employs 866 AE 3TL string inverters of 23.2KW AC capacity each and has about 100,000 ET Solar and Chint solar modules.
CODA Energy Begins Operation of the Largest Behind-The-Meter Energy Storage System in the Los Angeles Basin
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2014-12-31 11:59CODA Energy announced the full interconnection and operation of the largest behind the meter lithium-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin. The 1,054kWh / 510kW system was developed under a contract with South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and co-funded through California's Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). The project demonstrates the scalability of CODA Energy's peak shaving product architecture by managing demand charges for its facility headquarters.
ALLETTE Acquires Wind Farm from NRG Energy
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2014-12-31 11:58ALLETE Clean Energy (ALLETE) finalized the acquisition of Storm Lake 1, a wind generation facility in Storm Lake, Iowa, adding another 108 MW to its renewable energy portfolio. ALLETE paid $15 million to NRG Energy to acquire the facility, which is adjacent to Storm Lake 2, a 78-MW wind farm purchased by ALLETE earlier this year. Both Storm Lake installations use 750 kW Zond turbines and are adjacent to each other in northwest Iowa.
PSE, RES Americas to Develop Battery Storage Project
Submitted by aburr on Wed, 2014-12-31 11:57Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and Renewable Energy Systems Americas (RES Americas) signed agreements to cooperate on launching an innovative battery storage project in Whatcom County, Washington. Electricity will be stored in battery modules that are as large as 40-foot shipping containers and will be capable of providing up to 18 hours of power during an outage for the core area of Glacier. PSE is working with Washington State’s department of commerce in developing this pilot project.