Operated by Grant Public Utility District (PUD), Priest Rapids is the lowermost dam in a cascading hydropower system on the Columbia River in Washington. Photo from Grant PUD.
NLR Modeling Shows Coordinated Operation of Mid-Columbia Hydropower Plants Could Boost Efficiency Systemwide By Karen Petersen, NLR Collaboration is essential to any successful river expedition. Turns out, it is no different in a cascaded hydropower system—especially one where different operators run dams, each with their own goals and needs. But … [continued]
While Europe and Asia redesign their roadside service stations around high-powered charging plugs for passenger cars, the African continent is charting an entirely different course for the retail forecourt. In Nairobi, Kigali, Cotonou, and Johannesburg, the traditional petrol station is transforming not by merely copying Western grid-tied fast chargers, but … [continued]
IN WESTERN markets, the transformation of legacy retail networks relies heavily on open-hardware procurement and large-scale software integration. Energy giant BP Pulse made waves by purchasing 100 million dollars worth of Tesla Supercharger hardware, equipping its retail sites with specialized adapters to support both North American Charging Standard and Combined … [continued]
There may be a lot of denialists around the world, but millions of people are unfortunately bearing the brunt of climate change induced disruptions to their lives. Let’s look at Zambia, a country that made a conscious decision to have an electricity grid powered by renewable energy, mostly hydro. This … [continued]
Members of the University of Southern California team celebrate their win in the 2026 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition. Photo from Sarah Yeoman, Yeoman Photo LLC.
Top Teams Claim Prizes at 2026 Hydropower and Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Final Events, and DOE Welcomes a Record 45 Teams for the 2027 Season Two teams have snagged the top prizes in the 2026 Hydropower and Marine Energy Collegiate Competition finals, and 45 others have risen to the top … [continued]
Puget Sound Energy’s proposal seeks major rate increases and costly new gas infrastructure. SEATTLE — Climate, environmental, and social justice organizations filed testimony today urging the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to reduce the proposed rate hike from Washington’s largest utility and hold it accountable to meet the state’s … [continued]
Washington DC — New data just released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveal growth of more than 10% in electrical generation by renewable energy sources in the first five months of 2026. Moreover, solar, wind, and battery storage are projected to add … [continued]
The race to dominate artificial intelligence is forcing Asia and the Pacific into an infrastructure buildout unlike any in its history, with electricity grids emerging as the next strategic battleground. The Asian Development Bank is betting that the region cannot sustain the coming wave of AI data centers, semiconductor manufacturing, … [continued]
Transporting large power transformers requires specialized vehicles and trailers that can support large and heavy loads and reach isolated areas over rough terrain. Photo from Nippon Express.
New Report Identifies 9 Unique Challenges That Hydropower Facilities Face When Upgrading or Replacing Large Power Transformers The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) just released a report examining the U.S. supply chain for large power transformers, or LPTs. The latest report, titled Large Power Transformer Supply Chain Gap Analysis and … [continued]
The Renewable Energy Statistics 2026 released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today shows that renewable electricity generation grew by 9.8% in 2024 — significantly higher than the growth rate recorded in 2023. Non-renewables continued to fall behind with an increase of 1.4% over the same period. Overall, renewables accounted … [continued]
