Bourne Energy successfully field-tested the latest version of its BackPack Power Plant (BPP) portable hydropower system in a shallow remote river in the Pacific Northwest. A zero-fuel power generator of this size (one cubic meter) producing 600 W will help renewable energy move past the low energy density, low capacity factor and high cost barriers that have slowed the growth of renewable energy.
Xcel Energy, the EPA, and the Colorado State Land Board joined community solar developer Clean Energy Collective (CEC) to officially open Denver County's newest community solar facilities — two 500-kW solar arrays in Denver County. Developed on a 5-acre site at the Evie Garrett Dennis School campus in northeast Denver, the two medium-scale solar PV arrays, consisting of more than 4,000 panels, are the eighth and ninth arrays CEC has brought online as part of Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards Communities program.
Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE, and the Minnesota National Guard signed a memorandum of understanding outlining plans to build a 10-MW utility-scale solar energy array at Camp Ripley, located in central Minnesota. The project will be the largest solar energy installation on military property in the state. The solar farm and backup generation will be designed and constructed to allow Camp Ripley to use the energy produced by the project during infrequent periods when the electric grid is down, providing enhanced energy security for the military site.
Exelon agreed to buy fuel-cell power plants with 21 MW of capacity that Bloom Energy plans to install at 75 corporate sites in four states. Commercial customers including AT&T will purchase the electricity for each plant’s ability to provide power locally with less pollution and more reliability than the grid. Fuel cell generators produce electricity where it’s consumed from natural gas through a chemical reaction that produces fewer carbon emissions than plants that burn fuel.
How recent events could prove a harbinger of winters to come.
Regulators and utilities should collaborate more to address cyber threats.
Direct Energy reached an agreement to acquire Bounce Energy, a privately-held retail electricity provider based in Houston, for $46 million in cash plus additional working capital.
Bounce Energy provides full-service electricity to more than 80,000 residential and small business customers in Texas, Pennsylvania and New York.