Highlights from the World of Linemen News
Here are some industry news and information articles from around the web, just for you.
United States Can Cut Energy Use In Half Through Efficiency
recent years, efficiency has become one of the primary drivers toward a sustainable energy economy and reduced carbon emissions. A recent analysis by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) confirms the potential for remarkable gains to be had in the United States by embracing energy efficiency over the next several decades.
Recently, the ACEEE conducted a follow-up analysis of an original report published in 2012. That report projected energy-use reductions of between 40–60 percent by 2050 by taking advantage of energy-efficiency opportunities… Read More
FPL Plans to Add Eight Solar Power Plants by Early 2018
Florida Power & Light Co. has announced the expansion of its near-term plans for new universal solar generation. FPL now plans to build new universal solar power plants at eight locations by early 2018 – comprising more than 2.5 million solar panels.
FPL consistently ranks as one of the cleanest, most reliable energy providers in the nation, and the price that FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer pays for electricity continues to be less than it was more than 10 years ago and well below the latest national average. Furthering this trend, the new solar energy centers FPL plans to build are projected to be cost-effective over their operational lifetime, producing millions … Read More
How booming US natural gas exports could affect power utilities and consumers
Volumes of liquefied natural gas exported from the Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana have been setting new records in recent months — not just a sign of abundant supply and international demand, but also a reminder how quickly market conditions can shift.
It was only about a decade ago that Sabine Pass, owned by Cheniere Energy, was designed to import natural gas. Commodity prices had been high for years, and developers were looking to incoming cargo ships to meet demand. But then shale gas — enabled by advances in fracking and horizontal drilling — became a reality, supply flooded the market and the value of import capacity fell to nothing… Read More
PJM Board Authorizes $1.5 Billion To Strengthen Electric Infrastructure
The PJM Interconnection Board authorized more than $1.5 billion in electric transmission projects to maintain reliable power supplies for the 65 million consumers in its 13-state and Washington, D.C. region.
The authorizations include several large and mid-size projects that address reliability issues in multiple areas. The largest project addresses aging infrastructure in Burlington, Mercer and Middlesex counties in New Jersey, requiring a rebuilding of portions of existing transmission lines… Read More
Biomass Not Yet Ready For Prime Time
In the age of sustainability, every conceivable energy source gets equal consideration. Just as wind and solar power have had their growing pains, other viable sources will, too.
According to a recent analysis, biomass faces significant economic hurdles. Economists at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry announced in December that they had conducted an analysis of the costs of collecting, transporting and processing biomass through potential regional processing facilities in western Oregon. All of the sites were adjacent to an existing or recently closed wood product operation, such as a sawmill or plywood manufacturing plant.
The study, published in Forest Policy and Economics, calculated that the cost of harvesting, chipping and loading biomass at timber-harvesting sites comes to about $37.50 per dry ton… Read More
