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China Promotes Climate Goal, and Builds New Coal Plants

September 25, 2020

The post China Promotes Climate Goal, and Builds New Coal Plants appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said he wants his country to “achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.” It will not be an easy task for the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG).

China, though it has canceled some planned thermal power plants over the past several years, has as much as 200 GW of coal-fired facilities in its development pipeline, according to Mary Hutzler, a distinguished Senior Fellow at the Institute for Energy Research. Hutzler, who spent more than 25 years as an analyst and for a time acting administrator with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), has said coal will be critical to China’s economic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic.

Xi, speaking to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 22 as part of Climate Week NYC 2020 in New York City, called for a “green revolution,” saying the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to preserve the Earth’s environment.…

Improve Wind Turbine Safety with a Piston Accumulator Retrofit

September 21, 2020

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The post Improve Wind Turbine Safety with a Piston Accumulator Retrofit appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Wind turbines are designed to maximize power production based on the predicted wind speeds found at the plant site. However, excessive wind speeds are experienced at times, so it is crucial to limit power generation at those times to avoid spontaneous runaway turbine situations that may cause damage to the turbine rotor or other parts of the driveline or generator. Wind turbine brake systems are a vital safety system. A critical component in the hydraulic braking system is an accumulator, which provides a supplemental flow of hydraulic fluid during emergency braking operations. Diaphragm-style accumulators are standard, although catastrophic failures in the rubber diaphragm are not uncommon. An attractive and more reliable alternative is the piston-style accumulator that is not susceptible to this failure mode.

By: Tom Ulery and Jeff Sage of Parker Hannifin

Wind turbines are designed to operate reliably over their typically 20-year design life.…

Cyber Risks Are Top of Mind Throughout the Power Sector

September 19, 2020

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The post Cyber Risks Are Top of Mind Throughout the Power Sector appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The electric power sector in the United States has a long history of facing threats to our infrastructure—whether they are natural or man‐made. While cyberthreats are indeed much more complex, particularly when you consider that some of our cyber adversaries are nation states, the industry has a strong foundation of preparedness, resilience, and response. Though much progress has been made, we recognize that the capability of cyber adversaries continues to evolve at a rapid pace and that requires a more strategic approach to this threat.

The electric power sector established the CEO‐led Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) to tackle strategic, policy, and operational/tactical efforts to prepare for and respond to all threats facing the sector. The ESCC includes representation from utilities of all sizes and accomplishes its objectives of collective defense, collective response, and preparedness and resilience through close coordination at senior levels within the federal government, such as the U.S.…

DOE-Backed Hydrogen Project Underway in Texas

September 17, 2020

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The post DOE-Backed Hydrogen Project Underway in Texas appeared first on POWER Magazine.

A California energy company is collaborating with its parent and the University of Texas on a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project to show that renewable hydrogen can be a cost-effective fuel with several applications, including for both the transportation and power generation sectors.

Frontier Energy, headquartered in San Ramon, California, and a subsidiary of Illinois-based GTI Energy, on Sept. 15 announced the launch of the project, known as H2@Scale in Texas and Beyond. The effort is supported by the DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, along with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). H2@Scale includes two initiatives, one at the University of Texas-Austin (UT-Austin), and the second at the Port of Houston. H2@Scale is the latest of several hydrogen-related activities announced in recent months in support of research and development of the rapidly expanding hydrogen fuel sector.

Energy analysts have said hydrogen will be a $ 130 billion business in the U.S.…

Flexible Small-Scale Generation Empowered by Once-Through Boiler Technology

September 15, 2020

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The post Flexible Small-Scale Generation Empowered by Once-Through Boiler Technology appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Distributed generation integrated with intermittent renewable generation responds to the growing need for highly flexible small-scale (less than 100 MW) power generation resources. The limiting factor facing plant designers is that the conventional heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) does not enable fast-acting power generation demanded by modern grid systems. John Cockerill Energy’s vertical once-through boilers fill this technology gap—combustion turbines are no longer constrained by the slow thermal performance of a HRSG when quick starts/stops, load following, or transient response to grid disruptions are routine. Also, the modular nature of the once-through boiler reduces installed cost compared to conventional field-erected HRSGs.

Cogeneration, combined cycle, and combined heat and power technologies are commonly used in flexible small-scale power installations of less than 100 MW. Developers of these facilities share the common design goal of maximizing plant operating reliability and efficiency while minimizing the lifecycle cost of plant ownership.…

BP Buying $1.1 Billion Stake in U.S. Offshore Wind

September 13, 2020

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The post BP Buying $ 1.1 Billion Stake in U.S. Offshore Wind appeared first on POWER Magazine.

The move by major oil and gas exploration companies into renewable energy has taken another significant step, as BP announced a $ 1.1 billion deal to buy the U.S. offshore wind power assets of Norway’s Equinor.

BP in announcing the deal on Sept. 10 said it is taking a 50% stake in Equinor’s Empire Wind project off New York, and a similar position in Equinor’s Beacon Wind development off Massachusetts (Figure 1). Equinor will continue to hold a half-interest in both projects and will remain the operator. The deal is expected to close in early 2021.

Bernard Looney, CEO of the British energy giant, in August said BP would cut its oil and gas output by 40% over the next 10 years, while spending as much as $ 5 billion annually to build its renewable energy business, as the company pivots from fossil fuel development.…