Blog & Resources

Category Archive: Power Plants

  1. Sheffield Forgemasters: Revolutionizing Nuclear Power With SMR

    Mar
    18
    2024

    Image source:  Sheffield Forgemasters. The UK company Sheffield Forgemasters developed an innovative technique to produce components for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Hence, the construction only takes under 24 hours instead of the usual 12 months and can be mass-produced. This could be a complete revolution for the nuclear power sector. While conventional techniques may exceed […]

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  2. Powering the Future: UK’s JET Fusion Reactor Sets New Energy Record

    Feb
    14
    2024

    The Joint European Torus (JET), the UK’s 40-year-old fusion reactor, has been a cornerstone of fusion energy research since its inception in 1983, boasting unparalleled achievements in the field. It briefly became the hottest point in the solar system, reaching temperatures of 150 million°C. Setting New Records: JET’s Remarkable Achievements in Fusion Energy Scientists have […]

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  3. Tube Drawing

    Feb
    14
    2024

    Tubes are an integral part of the modern world and are present in almost every industry. They are used mainly for transferring pressurized or unpressurized fluids (liquid and gas) but also for structural purposes.  As such, tubes find use in various industries, including construction, aircraft, oil, gas, petrochemical, automotive, chemical, water treatment, sanitary systems, medical, […]

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  4. Air Burners, Volvo CE, and Rolls-Royce: Developing Wood-Burning EV Chargers

    Jan
    25
    2024

    Image source by Air Burners. In a collaboration between Volvo CE and Rolls-Royce (the power production company), the company Air Burners developed the BioCharger, an off-grid EV charger. In a closed-loop system, BioCharger burns wood, from which heat is then converted into electric energy and stored in a Battery Storage Module (BSM). Hence, the stored […]

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  5. From Blades to Benches: Canvus Transforms Wind Turbines into Functional Art

    Jan
    16
    2024

    Wind energy is a proven low-carbon solution with a high Energy Return on Investment. Despite its environmental benefits, the disposal of wind turbine blades, primarily made of non-recyclable fiberglass, poses a challenge as thousands retire each year. Beyond Landfills: Breathing New Life into Turbine Blades Canvus, a startup based in Avon, Ohio, is transforming decommissioned […]

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  6. UK: £300m Investment in the HALEU Programme

    Jan
    09
    2024

    Photo by Nicolas HIPPERT on Unsplash The United Kingdom (UK) will invest £300 million in domestic high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) production. This investment is part of the government plan to deliver 24 GW of nuclear power by 2050 and reduce the reliance on Russia for the supply of HALEU for the next generation of nuclear […]

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  7. What is Seamless Tubing?

    Jan
    02
    2024

    Seamless tubing is a type of metal tubing manufactured without welding seams, giving it a much higher strength, better durability, and higher corrosion resistance. Moreover, seamless tubing keeps uniformity throughout its length, which might be preferable in some applications.  The main advantage of seamless tubing is the lack of weak points. For example, a longitudinally […]

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  8. World Wide Wind: New Contra-Rotating Wind Turbines

    Dec
    12
    2023

    The Norwegian company World Wide Wind (WWW) will begin testing its innovative contra-rotating vertical turbine (CRVT). It is expected that such a design will provide a significant decrease in the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for floating offshore wind power plants. The current prototype is 19 meters (62 ft) high with a capacity of 30 […]

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  9. New Compound to Make Hydrogen Transport Cheaper and Cooler”

    Nov
    28
    2023

    Hydrogen is a clean energy source that has the potential to play a major role in the transition to a low-carbon future. However, its high cost and challenges in storage and transportation have limited its widespread adoption. To address these challenges, researchers have formed a new compound that streamlines hydrogen storage and transportation. A team […]

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  10. Revolutionary Solar-Powered Fog Net Helps to Clean Pollution

    Oct
    25
    2023

    Pollution and climate change are threatening the world’s most important resource, drinking water. It is said that over half of the world’s population could be facing water scarcity by 2025.  Fog nets have long been a literal lifesaver in arid regions with regular fog as they are used to gather water in useful quantities and […]

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  11. Build Begins on Wyoming-to-California Power Line

    Sep
    18
    2023

    Following the wind power concerns, construction on the Wyoming-to-California power line has started. This line will enable electricity transmission from a wind farm with 600 turbines, and a total power of 3 GW, with an estimated project cost of the wind farm of $5 billion. Both the wind farm and the transmission lines are expected […]

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  12. Condenser Coating for Power Plants Holds Potential to Reduce CO2 Emissions by 460 Million Tons Annually

    Sep
    13
    2023

    Gradually phasing out global dependence on fossil fuels is an ongoing process. Therefore, it’s essential to explore methods that can enhance the efficiency of energy production. In this endeavor, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have introduced a pioneering coating for steam condenser pipes. With widespread adoption, this advancement could lead to an energy […]

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  13. A Solution for Nuclear Environments: Development of a Prosthetic Robotic Arm

    Jul
    17
    2023

    A prosthetic device from the prosthetic developer COVVI has been adapted to a new robotic system that can be remotely controlled for operations in dangerous nuclear environments. As an example, operations will include handling nuclear materials and waste. As mentioned in the project announcement from May 2023, “The remote control of robotics (teleoperation) will reduce […]

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  14. Carbon Footprint Cut: Swedish Mining Firm Turns to Green Hydrogen

    Jun
    27
    2023

    The efforts to achieve net-zero targets require significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Industries are actively seeking alternative resources to address this challenge. A Swedish mining firm is tapping into green hydrogen as a sustainable energy solution for their industrial processes. Sweden’s state-owned mining and minerals company, LKAB, which operates the largest underground iron-ore mine in […]

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  15. 3D Printed Metal Filters Enhance Circuit Breaker Safety, Eliminating Explosion Risks

    Jun
    02
    2023

    Schneider Electric, a leading energy management and automation company, has introduced a groundbreaking high-voltage circuit breaker featuring 3D-printed metal filters for enhanced protection against overloads. These filters, designed to be integrated into circuit breakers, safeguard people and equipment in industrial environments, including power plants and chemical processing facilities. When a circuit breaker is activated, it […]

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  16. Rescue Robots and Nuclear Emergencies: Avoiding the Risk to Human Life

    May
    18
    2023

    The UK-based engineering company Forth successfully tested robots that are able to withstand hazardous environments caused by nuclear emergency situations. This way, the harm and danger to workers at nuclear sites will be eliminated, and costs will be decreased. The Rescue Robot is remotely operated by a control center from a safe distance (up to […]

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  17. Antarctica is Set to Receive New State-Of-The-Art Wind Turbines

    May
    09
    2023

    Antarctica New Zealand, a government-funded research project, recently announced plans to install new state-of-the-art wind turbines at the future Scott Base. These turbines will be installed on Ross Island in Antarctica and will power New Zealand’s only Antarctic research station with over 90% renewable energy. Wind turbine maker EWT has signed a contract to supply and install three […]

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  18. General Electric: Plans for Over $450M of Investments in the U.S.

    Apr
    27
    2023

    The American multinational conglomerate General Electric Company recently announced investment plans for over $450M in existing manufacturing facilities in the U.S. in 2023. The investment will mainly cover new equipment purchases, as well as other improvements, as the company plans to split into two independent companies – aerospace (GE Aerospace) and energy (GE Vernova), which […]

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  19. Toyota: $49M Solar Project in Alabama Announced

    Apr
    13
    2023

    Toyota Group will begin the construction of a 168-acre, 30 MW solar power plant around the company’s engine manufacturing facility in North Huntsville Industrial Park in Alabama. The project is worth $49M, and after it goes online, it will provide the engine facility with 70% of its power demand by expected electricity production of 62,000 […]

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  20. New Georgia Nuclear Power Plant Starts Operation

    Mar
    09
    2023

    The Vogtle nuclear reactor Unit 3 recently started splitting atoms as a result of a process called nuclear fission, announced Georgia Power. Furthermore, Unit 3 is expected to be fully operational in May or June, according to the company. This is the first new reactor in almost seven years that started operation in the US. […]

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