Alltricity Network eNews

Industry Information

Floating Solar in Federally Controlled Hydropower Reservoirs Has ‘Surprisingly Large’ Potential

Reservoirs could host enough floating solar panels to generate up to 1,476 terawatt hours, or enough energy to power approximately 100 million homes a year. “That’s a technical potential,” Rosenlieb said, meaning the maximum amount of energy that could be generated if each reservoir held as many floating solar panels as possible.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/hydro-power/dams-civil-structures/floating-solar-in-federally-controlled-hydropower-reservoirs-has-surprisingly-large-potential/ to view the full article online.

New Solar Plants Expected to Support Most U.S. Electric Generation Growth

In the U.S. Energy Information Administration's latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), it expects that U.S. renewable capacity additions—especially solar—will continue to drive the growth of U.S. power generation over the next two years. It expects U.S. utilities and independent power producers will add 26 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity to the U.S. electric power sector in 2025 and 22 GW in 2026.

Visit https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64364 to view the full article online.

California Cities Launch Nation’s First Public Hydrogen Utility

First Public Hydrogen, or FPH2, a public utility created by the California cities of Lancaster and Industry, began the process of selecting hydrogen suppliers at a Jan. 13 board meeting, following the finalization of the 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit guidance.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/california-lancaster-public-hydrogen-utility-45v/738568/ to view the full article online.

China’s DeepSeek AI Reshapes Global Energy

This market shift isn’t due to a qualitatively superior new product, advertisements, consumer pricing, distribution agreements, user interface, or anything else that usually signals a new leader in consumer tech. Energy, more precisely DeepSeek’s ability to use far less of it, is why it is so groundbreaking.

Visit https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesleyhill/2025/02/03/chinas-deepseek-ai-reshapes-global-energy/?ss=energy to view the full article online.

U.S. ‘Needs More Storage’ to Ensure Grid Reliability, Resilience: SEIA

The United States should deploy 10 million distributed energy storage installations and reach 700 GWh in total deployed storage capacity to meet its energy needs by 2030, the Solar Energy Industries Association said.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/energy-storage-ensure-grid-reliability-seia/739194/ to view the full article online.

Four SMR Developers Aim to Build Reactors at Texas A&M University Site

Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp said land has been offered to the four companies to build their small modular reactors (SMRs) at the site, with an application already started for an Early Site Permit with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Visit https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/articles/four-smr-developers-aim-to-build-reactors-at-texas-am-university-site to view the full article online.

Clean Energy Stakeholders Descend on Capitol to Lobby for IRA Tax Credits

As Congress weighs clawing back Inflation Reduction Act funds to pay for other items in its upcoming 2025 budget, the Solar Energy Industries Association and other groups led a lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill, bringing industry representatives there for “over 100 meetings,” the group said.

Visit https://www.utilitydive.com/news/clean-energy-solar-storage-capitol-congress-inflation-reduction-tax-credits/739280/ to view the full article online.

Trump’s Funding Pause Clouds Future of Solar for All Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar For All Program faces an uncertain fate following the rollout of executive orders from President Donald Trump putting a freeze on federal financial assistance.

Visit https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/solar/trumps-funding-pause-clouds-future-of-solar-for-all-program/ to view the full article online.

Member Announcements

NPPD Receives National Commendation from APPA for Mutual Aid Efforts

NPPD was recognized for its efforts in early October, when crews spent approximately two weeks traveling and providing mutual aid to restore power to residents in the area of Augusta, Georgia, and then Orlando, Florida following back-to-back hurricanes.

Visit https://www.nppd.com/press-releases/nppd-receives-national-commendation-from-appa-for-mutual-aid-efforts to view the full article online.

United Power and Silicon Ranch Expand Partnership with New 150 MW Byers Solar Farm

Located in Adams County, 10 miles northeast of Byers, the new solar installation is being developed in partnership with Silicon Ranch, one of the nation’s largest independent power producers and a community-focused renewable energy company.

Visit https://www.unitedpower.com/united-power-and-silicon-ranch-expand-partnership-new-150-mw-byers-solar-farm to view the full article online.

Black Hills Corp. Energizes First Phase of its Ready Wyoming Electric Transmission Expansion Project

Energizing the initial segment of the project marks a significant milestone in connecting the company’s Wyoming and South Dakota electric systems. The strategic project is expected to stabilize long-term transmission costs for customers, expand market access to energy, and support long-term growth in Wyoming.

Visit https://ir.blackhillscorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/black-hills-corp-energizes-first-phase-its-ready-wyoming to view the full article online.

El Paso Electric Joins Southwest Power Pool Markets+ to Enhance Energy Reliability, Efficiency and Sustainability

El Paso Electric (EPE) is proud to announce its decision to join the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Markets+, a new energy market designed to provide enhanced grid reliability, increased customer savings and advancing sustainability efforts across the Western United States.

Visit https://www.epelectric.com/news/el-paso-electric-joins-southwest-power-pool-markets-to-enhance-energy-reliability-efficiency-and-sustainability to view the full article online.

Basin Electric to Build 1,400-Megawatt Generation Facility in Northwest North Dakota

The nearly $4 billion project, called the Bison Generation Station to be constructed near the town of Epping, will produce approximately 1,470 megawatts (MW) of electricity, one of the largest electric generation projects in the cooperative’s history.

Visit https://www.basinelectric.com/News-Center/news-releases/Basin-Electric-to-build-1,400-megawatt-generation-facility-in-northwest-North-Dakota to view the full article online.

Xcel Energy’s Harrington Generating Station Transitions to Natural Gas

At the end of 2024, Xcel Energy converted Harrington Station to utilize locally-produced, clean natural gas. The conversion to a natural gas fuel system was made in partnership with the State of Texas in 2020 and will be fully complete in May 2025.

Visit https://corporate.my.xcelenergy.com/s/about/newsroom/press-release/xcel-energy-s-harrington-generating-station-transitions-to-natural-gas-MCJG24LBDWZJBYTIB7JA3WX55SAQ to view the full article online.

Arizona Electric Utilities Team Up to Explore Adding Nuclear Generation

Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP) announced today they’ll be working together to explore adding nuclear generation in Arizona. The utilities have been monitoring emerging nuclear technologies and have a shared interest in evaluating their potential to support growing energy needs in the state.

Visit https://www.tep.com/news/arizona-electric-utilities-team-up-to-explore-adding-nuclear-generation/ to view the full article online.

White Paper

Floating Solar Panels Could Support U.S. Energy Goals

Federal reservoirs could help meet the country's solar energy needs, according to a new study. Geospatial scientists and senior legal and regulatory analyst quantified exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250114181554.htm to view the full article online.

New Design Makes Aluminum Batteries Last Longer

Large batteries for long-term storage of solar and wind power are key to integrating abundant and renewable energy sources into the U.S. power grid. However, there is a lack of safe and reliable battery technologies to support the push toward sustainable, clean energy. Now, researchers have designed a cost-effective and environment-friendly aluminum-ion (Al-ion) battery that could fit the bill.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250124151027.htm to view the full article online.

Aging Reactors Need a Concrete Solution

It's been known for some time that radiation impacts the structural integrity of concrete. However, until now the details of this were unknown. Researchers can finally demonstrate what properties of concrete affect its structural characteristics under different neutron radiation loads. Their findings raise some concerns whilst reducing others; for example, quartz crystals in concrete can heal themselves, potentially allowing some reactors to run for longer than initially thought possible.

Visit https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250131110450.htm to view the full article online.

Alltricity Network (formerly known as RMEL)