Breakthrough Energy Ventures Unveils Its 5-Part Investment Strategy Details on the investment focus and talent driving Bill Gates’ big energy tech fund. Two years after it was first unveiled, Breakthrough Energy Ventures — a billion dollar fund to finance breakthroughs in energy technology — is finally pulling back curtain a little bit. Speaking this week … Continue reading #Breakthrough_Energy_Ventures Unveils Its 5-Part Investment Strategy →

We Energies to retire 1,190-MW Wisconsin coal plant We Energies confirmed Wednesday that it plans to retire its 1,190-MW Pleasant Prairie coal-fired plant in Kenosha County in southeastern Wisconsin in the second quarter of 2018, but industry observers differ over the power price impact of the decision. A unit of WEC Energy Group, We Energies … Continue reading We Energies to retire 1,190-MW Wisconsin coal plant →

Purdue develops system to detect cracks in nuclear reactors A system under development at Purdue University uses artificial intelligence to detect cracks captured in videos of nuclear reactors. It is intended to help reduce accidents and maintenance costs, according to a press release from Purdue University. “Regular inspection of nuclear power plant components is important … Continue reading #Purdue develops system to detect cracks in nuclear reactors →

Puerto Rico economy at ‘a near standstill’ as businesses wither, wait for power Economic activity has skidded to a near halt in significant parts of Puerto Rico, leaving the hurricane-smashed island on a knife’s edge between slow recovery and partial collapse. Thousands of small businesses are teetering toward insolvency, unable to operate. Heading into the … Continue reading Puerto Rico economy at ‘a near standstill’ as businesses wither, wait for power →

Project will use AI to prevent or minimize electric grid failures A project led by the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory will combine artificial intelligence with massive amounts of data and industry experience from a dozen U.S. partners to identify places where the electric grid is vulnerable to disruption, reinforce those spots in … Continue reading Project will use AI to prevent or minimize electric grid failures →

Equis Energy secures approval for 1 GW Australian solar farm Equis Energy has secured approval to begin constructing one of the largest solar farms in the world – a 1 GW installation in the Australian state of Queensland. The Western Downs Regional Council has approved the plans submitted by Singapore-based renewable energy developer Equis Energy … Continue reading Equis Energy secures approval for 1 GW Australian solar farm →

Power line project routes revised, more meetings set Transource Energy announced this week it has scheduled another round of informational meetings in early August to discuss its planned Independence Energy Connection project’s “refined” routes across southern York and northwestern Harford counties. The company’s release of the latest potential routes for the high voltage, overhead lines … Continue reading Power line project routes revised, more meetings set →

There’s only one way for the US to reach energy independence Achieving energy independence in the US is one environmental issue Democrats and Republicans can agree on. It’s easy to see why we should produce our own energy — relying on other countries for oil, natural gas, and coal (the biggest sources used today) can … Continue reading There’s only one way for the US to reach energy independence →

Tesla Faces Stiff Competition In Energy Storage War A week after Tesla announced it had won a tender for the installation of the world’s biggest battery storage system in Australia, Siemens and AES launched a joint venture that focuses exclusively on battery storage systems. The first comments from observers suggest that this joint venture, called … Continue reading #Tesla Faces Stiff Competition In Energy Storage War →

Nuclear Fusion Startup Tri Alpha Energy Hits a Big Milestone Tri Alpha Energy, a company with $500 million in backing that has been working on nuclear fusion technology for nearly two decades, reached a major milestone last month. On Monday, the company announced that it started up a new nuclear fusion reactor that can achieve … Continue reading Nuclear Fusion Startup #Tri_Alpha_Energy Hits a Big Milestone →