May 20, 2009

Russia, the biggest country in the World by area and the fourth-biggest by installed electricity generating capacity, is nearing a significant milestone. By next year -- unless the global recession continues to dampen demand -- it should again reach the level of electricity consumption it had in 1990, all of 20 years ago.

The collapse of the Soviet Union and the transition from Communism hit the entire Russian economy. In a sense, the subsequent decline in demand was a good thing, because years of inadequate investment had left the Russian power industry with aging and inefficient plants. But as the economy has grown in recent years, and particularly as it surged on the back of skyrocketing prices for oil and gas, the lack of investment in power has become a hindrance. Russia has the world's largest reserves of natural gas and eighth-largest oil reserves.

May 06, 2009

If green energy is to launch the nation into a new economic realm, then modern technologies and skilled engineers must be the catalyst. But a flood of retirements may thwart that promise, prompting industry, academia and government to collaborate and offer tangible ways to ensure progress.

President Obama's rise has also energized the utility sector and given it an opportunity to help pivot the nation into economic recovery. Indeed, the emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and the greening of corporate America is leading to the research and development of alternative generation and the intelligent utility that offers two-way communications between providers and their customers. And while that may spark interests in power engineering, the fear is that the overall effort may be insufficient.

Source: The Great Lakes IT Report
Posted: Wednesday, 5 May 2009
by Matt Roush

The Engineering Society of Detroit and DTE Energy drew around 800 people to the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi Tuesday for their annual Energy Conference and Exhibition.

With the theme "Advancing Energy Efficiency and Productivity," the event featured a morning of specialized, highly technical energy presentations on everything from LED lighting to green roofs to solar power to more efficient uses in compressed air systems.

A luncheon keynote from Monica Martinez, one of the commissioners on the Michigan Public Service Commission, was a cheerleading session on the state's possibilities in renewable and alternative energy technologies.

Martinez said Michigan a century ago, even a couple of generations ago, was a hotbed of opportunity and innovation. "Do you see that today?" she asked the crowd, then responded to their silence: "That's my challenge to each and every one of you here today. You came here because energy is important to you and so central to our future. At the turn of the 20th Century, Michigan was changing everything and creating the middle class. We need to get that spark back."

May 04, 2009

Times are tough. But utilities are buckling down. It's about maximizing performance for the betterment of shareholders, customers and employees.

With rising energy prices, utilities are encouraging conservation while also holding down price increases. And with credit rating agencies more vigilant than ever, they are working to streamline operations. The dynamics are requiring utilities to try new ideas and technological innovations. Driving efficiency is therefore paramount. What gets measured gets managed.

April 22, 2009

With all the recent discussion of a national or "super" grid by the federal politicians, it's easy to forget that the idea is not new. In fact, the concept of a wide-area transmission network enabling the trading of high volumes of electricity across vast distances dates back to the 1960s when Europe began unifying its system.

The concept behind the super grid, or mega grid, is simple: the build-out and management of inter-system and cross-national linkages between electric transmission systems, using either conventional or superconducting cables that have both been suggested in various proposals and smaller pilot projects. The benefits include connecting renewable energy generators to distant electricity markets, removing various congestion problems, and improving the ability to handle intermittent energy sources, such as wind and solar, by balancing them across vast regions.