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How Microreactors Could Change the Nuclear Power Industry (and the World)

December 21, 2021

What is a microreactor and why would you want one? The definition could be debated, but nuclear reactors in the 1 MW to 20 MW range generally fit the bill, and there are countless possible applications for the technology.

“This could be used for disaster relief. This could be used for mines, remote communities—on a 24/7 basis. It can be used for data centers, industrial plants—anyone that wants to be off the grid, even though maybe they’re on the grid now, but they want to be off the grid—so, military bases. The opportunities here are just endless,” David Durham, president of Energy Systems with Westinghouse Electric Co., said as a guest on The POWER Podcast.

Westinghouse is developing a microreactor called eVinci. It’s a next-generation, small nuclear energy generator intended for decentralized generation markets. The eVinci design is very different from commercial light water reactor plants currently in service around the world. “The differences are substantial. There’s no water.…

Honeywell, UT-Austin Join on New Carbon Capture Technology

December 15, 2021

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A leading company in the design of technology for a variety of industries is part of an effort to advance carbon capture from power plants, along with providing a solution to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from industrial facilities.

Honeywell, the Charlotte, N.C.-based conglomerate known for products from residential thermostats to advanced aerospace applications, on Dec. 15 announced a licensing agreement with the Texas Carbon Management Program Group (TxCMP) at the University of Texas-Austin. The groups are working on an advanced solvent technology that will capture CO₂ generated from combustion flue gases at coal-, natural gas-, and oil-fired power plants, as well as from steel and cement manufacturing sites and other industrial facilities.

“As the world proactively seeks technology solutions that limit greenhouse gas emissions, we recognize that carbon capture technology is an important lever available today to reduce emissions in carbon-intensive industries that have few alternative options, such as steel plants and fossil fuel power plants,” said Ben Owens, vice president and general manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions.…

Homeowners Learned a Lot in 2021; Here’s What They’re Looking For in 2022

December 13, 2021

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The events of the past year and a half have irrevocably changed the way we live, especially at home. Pandemic-related restrictions and lifestyle changes have greatly increased the amount of time Americans spend at home—at one point, more than 50% of the population spent more than 18 hours in their homes. Rising energy costs and worsening weather patterns caused by climate change have also sprung a new set of challenges on homeowners, and their impacts will only continue to increase in the coming year.

COMMENTARY

These changes are likely here to stay, and the next year will see American homeowners continue to adapt and adjust their lifestyles to meet these new challenges. As we look toward the new year, there are a few changes we predict homeowners will likely make to save energy, reduce energy costs, and increase their safety while at home.

Energy Resiliency is Now a ‘Must’

There has been a fundamental shift in the meaning of home. Weather continues to become more extreme and unpredictable and, as a result, power outages will increase.…

The Billion-Dollar Bet on Electric Vehicles

December 11, 2021

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President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Nov. 15, which allocates $ 550 billion in new spending over the next five years to improve U.S. infrastructure, including critical investments in the energy sector. These investments will cover power grid infrastructure, electric vehicles (EVs) and charging stations, renewable energy, nuclear power, hydropower, and cybersecurity with the goal to strengthen the energy industry, support emission-free power generation, and bolster emerging technologies.

COMMENTARY

The Act earmarks $ 7.5 billion to build a national network for EV charging to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

Along with the funds, the Act establishes a 25-member EV working group, which will be led by the secretaries of Transportation and Energy, to provide federal guidance and strategy for the development, adoption, and integration of electric vehicles into the U.S. transportation and energy systems. As part of this group, the Secretary of Energy will conduct a study on the cradle-to-grave environmental impact of EVs and on the impact of forced labor in China on the EV supply chain.…

EIA: U.S. Coal Stockpiles Lowest Since 1978

December 9, 2021

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently said it expected coal-fired power generation in 2021 to be 22% higher than in 2020, producing the first year-over-year increase in U.S. electricity generation from coal since 2014. That higher generation, though, has reduced inventories of coal at the nation’s power plants, with EIA on Dec. 7 reporting its most recent accounting of coal stockpiles showed inventories at their lowest level in more than 40 years.

The agency on Tuesday said coal-fired generation this year has been buoyed by mostly stable prices for coal, while the price of natural gas moved higher. The EIA reported coal stockpiles at U.S. plants totaled about 80 million tons at the end of September (Figure 1), the lowest level since March 1978. The agency said that while the increased use of coal this year is a factor, it also said stockpiles have fallen over the past several years as more U.S. coal-fired plants have been retired, and remaining coal plants are operated less often, reducing the need for larger inventories.…

Rooftop Solar and Energy Storage Are Not Republican or Democrat, They’re American

December 7, 2021

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There is a common misperception that “green energy” appeals mostly to liberals. However, at least some of the facts don’t support that view. A case in point can be found in the rooftop solar sector.

“It’s not Republican or Democratic. It’s really American. It’s free enterprise,” Jayson Waller, founder and CEO of POWERHOME SOLAR, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast.

POWERHOME SOLAR does business in 15 states—some red and some blue—so Waller has fairly good insight on the types of people who are installing solar systems. “Both sides of the aisle are liking solar,” he said. In fact, POWERHOME SOLAR surveyed customers and found more than 60% were Republicans.

Waller suggested that part of the misunderstanding is a result of the climate change debate. Yet, he doesn’t necessarily see rooftop solar as part of an environmental agenda; he implied that economics were driving growth. “What we see is more Republicans come across and understand what solar is—it’s the largest job growth the last two years in a row.…