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Energy and Natural Resources

HEADLINES ARCHIVE

  • Fine-tuning Oil Well Completion Technology

    The recent drop in crude oil prices offers a new catalyst for operators to perfect well completion in an effort to remain competitive. The price of Western Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil dropped in response to a mediocre global economy and a surplus of crude oil.

  • Energy Use Declines in China During 2014

    Energy use per unit of GDP is expected to decline by up to 4.7% in China in 2014, according to a senior official at the country's top economic planner, who was quoted in an article from China Daily.

  • India Plans $45 Billion Electric Power Infrastructure Upgrade

    India's government says it plans to invest more than $45 billion to upgrade the country’s electric power transmission and distribution grid in a bid to offset scarcity, the Times of Oman newspaper reported.

  • Offshore Oil Engineering Vessel Enters Service for CNOOC

    China’s first multi-purpose offshore vessel that belongs to Offshore Oil Engineering, an affiliate of China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) has started operation. The vessel is capable of operating in 3,000 meter water depths.

  • U.S. EPA Sets Coal Ash Disposal Rules for Electric Power Plants

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule to deal with the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR) from electric utilities, which stemmed from a 2008 coal ash spill at a coal-fired power plant operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

  • NREL Claims 45.7% Efficiency for Concentrator Solar Cell

    The U.S. Energy Department's National Renewable Energy lLaboratory has improved the design of its solar cell by adding an additional absorber layer. NREL says this increased the conversion efficiency to 45.7% for a four-junction solar cell at 234 suns concentration.

  • Algal Biofuels: Closer to Sustainability?

    To tackle concerns driven by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, chemical majors are using bio-process engineering technologies to convert carbon sources into new energy forms.

  • Lockheed Martin's 100 MW Compact Fusion Nuclear Reactor

    A Lockheed Martin Skunk Works team is working on a compact fusion reactor (CFR) that could be developed and deployed in as little as 10 years.

  • Technology Innovations Turn Wastewater Plants Into Energy Producers

    Their main business may be cleaning up water for drinking and other human purposes. But today, some water and wastewater treatment facilities are also turning themselves into small-scale power plants.

  • Energy Department Tags $12.5bn for Advanced Nuclear Energy Projects

    The Energy Department issued the Advanced Nuclear Energy Projects loan guarantee solicitation, which provides as much as $12.5 billion to support innovative nuclear energy projects.

  • Getting to 80: Engineering Challenges in Achieving Extended Lives for Nuclear Power Plants

    The nuclear power industry is at a crossroads with new and aging plants. As of early 2015, the United States will have 99 active nuclear power plants generating nearly 20% of the country’s electricity.

  • Solar Electric Efficiency Record Claimed

    Solar energy researchers at an Australian university have converted over 40% of the sunlight hitting a solar system into electricity, said to be the highest efficiency reported to date.

  • Solar Technology Innovation Generates Electricity, Heat and Water

    The allure of clean, low-cost and efficient electric power generated by the sun’s rays until recently has been somewhat elusive as costs and conversion inefficiencies retarded its growth.

  • U.S. Energy Frac Market Prepares for Downturn

    The North American market for hydraulic fracturing services is preparing for a downturn in 2015 due to rapidly falling oil prices.

  • Nuclear Power Plant Granted 20-year Extension

    Hungary's National Atomic Energy Office (OAH) has issued a license to extend the operating life of unit 2 of the Paks nuclear plant by 20 years until the end of 2034. Unit 1 was granted a similar license in 2012.

  • Energy Department Approves Freeport LNG Exports

    The U.S. Energy Department issued on November 25 two final authorizations for Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P. and FLNG Liquefaction, LLC to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries that do not have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States.

  • China Plans for Nuclear Power Growth

    China's nuclear generating capacity is set to triple over the next six years, according to an energy development plan published by the State Council.

  • GE Marks 25,000th Wind Turbine Installation

    GE says it installed its 25,000th wind turbine installation in early November. The company says it now has more than 38 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind turbines around the world. GE reached the milestone during the installation of a 2.75-103 wind turbine with wind developer Energiekontor.

  • Post-Fukushima Japan Looks to Water to Solve Energy Issues

    The March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident damaged Japan’s energy infrastructure and caused the country to shut down the majority of its nuclear reactors and accelerate investment in renewable energy to close the resultant power gap.

  • EU Agrees 40% Cut in Domestic Greenhouse Emissions by 2030

    The European Union (EU) agreed on Oct. 23 to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% domestically in a deal that will see all 28 Member States commit to emission reductions.

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