It has already changed the utility and manufacturing industries.
Senior executives from Exelon Generation, Alstom, General Electric and Zachry officially broke ground on the construction of a new low-carbon, combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) at Exelon's Colorado Bend Generating Station in Wharton. The new CCGT will provide an additional 1,000 MW to the existing 498-MW natural gas power plant. The new unit at Colorado Bend is one of two new CCGTs the company is developing in Texas.
Europe’s largest battery-storage project was officially opened in England; CODA Energy announced operation of the largest behind the meter lithium-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin; FERC approved construction of Constitution Pipeline’s natural gas pipeline to New York and New England markets; FERC approved a facilities construction agreement for Minnesota Power’s Great Northern Transmission Line; General Electric received an order from the Tennessee Valley Authority for two high-efficiency 7HA.02 gas-fired turbine generators; A Renewable Energy Southern Company subsidiary plans to develop a 131- MW PV solar project in Georgia; GE Global Research and others partnered on a research project to improve reliability and resiliency of electricity delivery in northern New York; Duke Energy Renewables acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project from Geenex and ET Solar Energy; Dominion Resources agreed to purchase Carolina Gas Transmission from SCANA Corp.; and others...
Shale revolution catches fire, surpassing coal – in America, and soon around the world.
Sweden's Electrolux AB paid $3.3 billion in cash for General Electric's appliances business. GE's century-old household appliance business could help the Swedish company expand beyond its core European market, where growth has trailed that in North America. The deal will be financed by a bridge facility, and the company plans a rights issue to raise about 25 percent of the price after the deal's expected closing next year.
EDF Renewable Energy (EDF) and UBS International Infrastructure Fund (UBS) signed a definitive agreement under which UBS will acquire a 50 percent equity interest from EDF in the 161-MW Spinning Spur II wind farm project, subject to completion of construction and customary conditions precedent. Spinning Spur II, located in Oldham County Texas, commenced construction in June 2013 with an expected commercial operation date on or about July 1, 2014. Spinning Spur II will utilize 87 General Electric wind turbines with a rated capacity of 1.85 MW each.
ProEnergy named Charlie Athanasia as its COO and Craig Kingsley as its v.p. of turbine services. Prior to joining ProEnergy, Athanasia served as v.p. of Alstom’s thermal services business in North America. Kingsley has over twenty years of experience in the heavy industrial turbine market, including positions at Dresser-Rand, Turbine Generator Maintenance, Leading Edge Turbine Technologies, Sulzer (Hickham Industries) and General Electric.
Planning ahead in a low-cost gas market.
IIt’s ironic that in today’s market, as the cost of hedging against commodity price increases has declined, support for utility hedging programs has sunk to a historic low. The ideal time to hedge is when prices are low and markets are relatively calm, because that’s when hedging costs and risks are the lowest. Conversely, waiting until prices rise and markets become volatile will expose customers to higher costs. Convincing regulators to approve hedging programs now will require a collaborative approach to educating and enlisting support from stakeholders.
(September 2011) Walgreens to install eVgo charging stations at 800 sites; Siemens and eMeter team up in Maryland; Glasgow muni installs Elster meters; ABB completes Mincom acquisition; JDSU acquires Quanta-Sol PV technology; Survalent installs SCADA system at tidal power project; PECO selects Telvent; plus announcements and contracts involving Trilliant, Sensus, S&C Electric, Navigant, Ernst & Young, PSE&G, Portland General Electric and others.