electricity

Unsung Role of Fossil Fuels in the Miracle of U.S. Growth

Past, Present, and Future, Part I

Robert Gordon’s seminal book, The Rise and Fall of American Growth, has a pessimistic message with profound economic, social, and political implications. But nowhere in Gordon’s 762-page book does he give credit to fossil fuels for the economic miracle of the past two centuries. In this article, I focus on the critical historical role that fossil fuels played in creating the technological and economic miracles that Gordon articulates so well.

Future Shocked

New uses for electricity doubtless on the horizon albeit unpredictable

One vision of future power: By 2040, most households had at least one Powered Immersion room, some two or three.

We Made Light Free

As inexpensive as lighting was, twenty years ago, we’ve since made it close to free. Too cheap to meter?

Will lighting drop to a tenth of residential consumption, then below? Every use of a machine, appliance, device shrunk in its significance to the household budget.

Southern Company Subsidiary's First Wind Project in Operation

Southern Power’s first wind project, the 299-MW Kay Wind facility in Kay County, Oklahoma, is fully operational. The electricity and associated renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by the facility will be sold under 20-year PPAs with Westar Energy and Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA). Westar Energy has contracted for approximately 199 MW, and GRDA has contracted for approximately 100 MW. Both companies will have the option to either keep or sell the RECs.

LG Chem Batteries to Power World’s Largest ESS Project for STEAG

LG Chem will integrate six large-scale batteries in STEAG power plants. As part of the world's largest ESS (energy storage systems) project, STEAG GBS (Großbatterie-Systeme) plants belonging to the German power supplier in North-Rhine Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate will be modernized. With 140-MW hours of power, the storage systems will deliver enough energy to supply 10,000 households per day with electricity.

EDF Renewable Energy Enters into Partnership with Procter & Gamble to Supply Electricity

Via its subsidiary EDF Renewable Energy (EDF RE), the EDF Group entered into a partnership with Procter & Gamble (P&G) to supply electricity to all North American manufacturing sites for P&G laundry and household products using wind energy. The electricity sold to P&G, within the context of a long-term PPA, will be generated by a wind power farm due to go into operation at the end of 2016 in Cooke County, Texas.

Wisconsin Energy Completes Acquisition of Integrys to Form WEC Energy Group

Wisconsin Energy completed the acquisition of Integrys Energy - forming the WEC Energy Group. The new company will provide electricity and natural gas to 4.4 million customers across four states through its customer facing brands - We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, Peoples Gas, North Shore Gas, Michigan Gas Utilities, and Minnesota Energy Resources.

Cargill, Tesla, PG&E Collaborate at Fresno Beef Plant

Cargill collaborated with Tesla and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), to install Tesla's Energy Storage product at the company's Fresno beef processing facility. In total, the Tesla batteries have a 1-MW capacity that will be charged daily from the existing PG&E electricity grid system during off-peak hours, when electricity rates are lowest. The electricity stored in the batteries will then be used when rates are the highest each day during peak use times.

Statnett Selects Accenture to Centralise Norway’s Electricity Market Data

Accenture was selected by Statnett, Norway's transmission system operator, to develop, maintain and operate a central data hub designed to simplify the country's electricity market. Accenture will implement Siemens EnergyIP grid application platform to enable seamless meter data management and market transaction management, Oracle Service Oriented Architecture Suite to manage the orchestration of business and market processes, Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation Suite (BIFS) to enable mor

Exelon Generation to Develop 195 MW of New Electric Capacity in Medway, MA

Exelon Generation will add 195 MW of electric generation capacity to help meet future energy needs in New England. Two new generation units will be built as an expansion to Exelon's existing generating facility in Medway, MA. The units will operate primarily during times of peak energy demand. Both units will run mainly on natural gas, but will have the ability to run on ultra-low-sulfur distillate fuel oil as a backup, ensuring fuel diversity and reliability.