Cornell is one step closer to determining the feasibility of using deep geothermal energy to heat the Ithaca campus. Drilling for the Cornell University Borehole Observatory (CUBO) began in June and is expected to last about two months. The borehole, located on a Cornell-owned gravel parking lot near Palm Road, will be subjected to a…
Research groups join consortium to propose hydrogen energy hub
Cornell and two Cornell research-startups have joined a consortium that aims to propose a Northeast research hub to make hydrogen a viable, clean-energy alternative to carbon-based fuels. The New York-led multistate collaboration is guided by Gov. Kathy Hochul and organized by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). With approximately $9.6 billion…
Reducing freshwater use by power plants
Water is the essence of life. And electricity. Power plants across the country utilize more than four times as much water as all U.S. homes and account for 41% of total water withdrawals, according to federal data. Now, with the aid of a $400,000-Department of Energy (DoE) grant, West Virginia University researchers are seeking ways to…
Energy roundtable on the industry’s future
As the energy industry — renewables, transmission and distribution, and oil and gas — continues to evolve, we spoke with four of our leaders in the energy market segment to discuss what they’re seeing in terms of trends, technology, challenges, and the future of the energy industry. Question 1: What trends are you seeing in…
Renewables undercut cheapest fossil fuels on cost
The share of renewable energy that achieved lower costs than the most competitive fossil fuel option doubled in 2020, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows. 162 gigawatts (GW), or 62% of total renewable power generation added last year, had lower costs than the cheapest new fossil fuel option. Renewable Power…
China to lead global chlorine capacity additions by 2025
Asia is expected to lead the global capacity additions among the regions and its chlorine capacity is expected to increase from 54.59 million tons per annum (mtpa) in 2020 to 58.03 mtpa in 2025 at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 1.2 %. Within Asia, China will account for more than half of the…
Renewable energy will increase security and lower geopolitical risk
The transition to renewable energy will make the U.S. energy supply significantly more secure not only by decreasing the mining and materials required to build fossil fuel systems, but also by avoiding the political risks that threaten fossil fuel supply chains, according to new research from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. The report,…
An O&G services provider’s approach to digital transformation
It’s been said that the midstream oil & gas industry is all about rotating equipment. That involves, most especially, the compressors that increase natural gas pressure by reducing its volume for pipeline transportation to points of use. Houston-based Archrock is a supplier of natural gas contract compression services and an energy infrastructure company with a…
Troubleshooting techniques for AC induction motors
Three-phase alternating current (AC) induction motors do not last forever. Over their operating lives, the majority of AC induction motors will exhibit common problems. Therefore, being familiar with general troubleshooting techniques is important. To start, it’s vital to understand the operating parameters and forces acting against a motor; to perform tests and make observations based…
Asset lifecycle management: Interoperability standards help digital transformation
Learning Objectives Digitalization, smart manufacturing, and predictive maintenance benefit from interoperability, modular design and standardization, and pilot projects are underway. The Open Industrial Interoperability Ecosystem (OIIE) is the first specification for a supplier/vendor neutral industrial digital ecosystem that enables standards-based interoperability for applications and systems across the full asset lifecycle. The OIIE and the…