Assessing Alternatives to the Proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC)

On behalf of the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Researcher Chirag T. Lala, Assistant Researcher Elisabeth Seliga, Senior Researcher Joshua R. Castigliego, and Executive Director and Principal Economist Liz Stanton, PhD prepared a report that critiques the Virginia Electric and Power Company’s (d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia) proposed Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC)—a 1,000-megawatt gas-fired combustion turbine facility—in Chesterfield, Virginia. AEC presents an assessment of an Alternative Portfolio—composed of solar, wind, and storage resources—that would provide the same energy and capacity needs as CERC, but at a lower cost. AEC finds that the midpoint of the range of likely levelized costs …

Best Practices Guide for Energy-Efficient Data Center Design

This guide provides an overview of best practices for energy-efficient data center design which spans the categories of information technology (IT) systems and their environmental conditions, data center air management, cooling and electrical systems, and heat recovery. IT system energy efficiency and environmental conditions are presented first because measures taken in these areas have a cascading effect of secondary energy savings for the mechanical and electrical systems. This guide concludes with a section on metrics and benchmarking values by which a data center and its systems energy efficiency can be evaluated. No design guide can offer “the most energy efficient” …

Developing a Three Stage Coordinated Approach to Enhance Efficiency and Reliability of Virtual Power Plants

A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is a centralized energy system that manages, and coordinates distributed energy resources, integrating them into a unified entity. While the physical assets may be dispersed across various locations, the VPP integrates them into a virtual unified entity capable of responding to grid demands and market signals. This paper presents a tri-level hierarchical coordinated operational framework of VPP. Firstly, an Improved Pelican Optimization Algorithm (IPOA) is introduced to optimally schedule Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) within the VPP, resulting in a significant reduction in generation costs. Comparative analysis against conventional algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA) and …

MVR Heat Pumps & Thermal Efficiency at Chivas Brothers Distillery

Explore how Chivas Brothers implemented innovative heat pump technology from RTC Solutions Provider Piller Blowers & Compressors at its distillery in Scotland to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. The project uses mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) technology to recover thermal energy from the whisky distillation process, reducing the site’s total energy consumption by 48% and carbon emissions by 53%. The case study explains the heat pump system’s customized design and highlights its successes, which prompted Chivas Brothers to invest £60 million to deploy MVR technology across the rest of its eligible distilleries.…

100 Innovators Leading the Global Energy Transition

Innovation is the bedrock on which the global energy transition is built. Over the last decade, innovations in renewable technology, carbon management, supply chain efficiency, energy software, and policymaking have forged a rapidly-growing energy transition market, set to unlock trillions in revenue.

In this third edition of the Energy Transition Innovators Report, Reuters Events gives recognition to some of those organizations around the globe who form the tip of the transition spear as they innovate across the value chain.

To assemble our list of innovators for the energy transition, we asked our community for recommendations throughout October 2023. We received …

Powering Intelligence: Analyzing Artificial Intelligence and Data Center Energy Consumption

Data center operation is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. The International Energy Agency recently projected that global data center electricity demand will more than double by 2026. In the United States, the national outlook could resemble the global outlook, but is highly uncertain.

One key uncertainty that could change the trajectory of data center load growth is the use of generative AI models. Both public and corporate imaginations were triggered by the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT on November 30, 2022. Evidence about how widely these tools will be used and how much they will change computational needs is …

2023 Project Peer Review Report: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office

The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy supports the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of technologies aimed at mobilizing domestic renewable carbon resources for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S. economy. BETO systematically prioritizes RD&D into technology opportunities across a range of emerging scientific breakthroughs and technology readiness levels in the subprogram areas illustrated in Figure 1. This approach supports a diverse portfolio while developing the most promising and widely applicable technologies, testing technologies as integrated processes, and demonstrating integrated processes to support scale-up. These technologies …

The Energy Transition in Africa: Opportunities for International Collaboration with a Focus on the G7

Africa stands at a crucial crossroads in its developmental trajectory, and energy plays a pivotal role in shaping its future. Despite having abundant renewable resources, the continent faces a significant energy access deficit, with three-quarters of the population lacking access. Insufficient investment compounds this issue, with the continent receiving less than 2% of global investments in renewable energy over the last two decades.

The G7 has the opportunity to lead international collaboration in support of African-led initiatives to address these issues. G7 countries can meet the call to action from African leaders in the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change, which …

Power of Flexibility: Facilitating the Energy Transition with Hybrid Hydropower Solutions

The objective for a hydropower hybrid is to take maximum advantage of the integrated technologies by maximizing their utilization, the benefits they bring, and their efficiency. It is widely known that stand-alone hydropower plants and other technologies can help manage the variability of VRE in the power system. However, with increasing shares of VRE, there is also a growing importance of understanding the advantages to manage this variability before power is injected into the power system.…

Solar Pathways in Federal Energy Assistance Programs: Expanding the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) are federal programs that help low-income households reduce their energy costs. LIHEAP provides direct assistance to help households cover energy costs and stay connected to utility services, as well as weatherization and minor energy-related repairs. WAP provides no-cost energy efficiency measures to reduce energy use and energy bills while ensuring health and safety for income-qualified households. Across the United States, program administrators are implementing or considering solar energy as an eligible measure for …