Mike Hopkins’ Post

Run-of-river hydroelectric power plant can be more environmentally conscious alternative, not to completely impound the river stream impacting the eco-system.

Weekend Climate Tech Snacks: Wave Energy Converters 1) CorPower Ocean uses floating buoys moored to the seafloor. Each wave slides the buoy up and down relative to the anchor which is used to generate energy. By combining multiple out-of-phase buoys, the generated power is evened out. Cool feature: vertical sliding can be made more rigid to prevent extreme waves from damaging the system. 2) Wavepiston uses the convergence and divergence of passing waves to drive hydraulic pumps to pressurize seawater. Onshore, the pressurized seawater drives a hydropower turbine/generator to generate power (reducing the amount of equipment exposed to the sea). 3) C-Power exploits relative buoyancy between an anchored body and a float. Passing waves have a clamshell-effect that can be used to generate energy. Infrastructure solution like monitoring is implemented as well. 4) CalWave Inc. and Oscilla Power, Inc. in Seattle develop subsurface systems that can move and generate power in more degrees of freedom: heave, pitch, roll, surge, sway, yaw. If you are into WEC or want to discuss similar solutions: Hit me up! #marine_energy, #ocean_energy, #renewable_energy

🔧 What would you do if a coastal or geothermal power plant asked for your help restoring a turbine plagued by salt, corrosion, or scale buildup? 🌊⚙️ And what’s your strategy for preventing rust when turbines are out of service for routine maintenance? In this press release, we share tips and technologies for turbine restoration and reveal our friend James Holden's product of choice for rust prevention during turbine maintenance. 🛠️ 👉 Discover how to keep turbines in tip-top condition and learn actionable insights that could make all the difference in your next project: https://lnkd.in/geAktpB6 Cortec Global Services (CGS) Inc. | USA #TurbineMaintenance #CorrosionPrevention #RustRemoval #MakingThingsLast #IndustrialMaintenance #PowerPlantSolutions #SustainableTech

If there’s one thing we’re learning in late 2023 and 2024 so far, it’s that the climb out of #pollution and #climatechange isn’t an easy slope that always goes up. Sometimes, there are setbacks and things that don’t move as fast as we’d like. Such a setback recently happened in #Utah, as the state cut way back on its goal to get rid of #coal-burning power plants. Originally, two coal-fired plants in Emery County were supposed to be replaced with #nuclearpower plants, and they were supposed to be retired early. This was a response to the federal Ozone Transport Rule, which aimed to prevent states from planning on sooting and fogging up other states. Why They’re Doing This But, a court decision and overly easy interpretations of the plan led Utah to believe that the plants could stay open until 2036 and 2042. On top of this, Rocky Mountain Power’s parent company lost a huge lawsuit, which put a crimp in available funding to improve the power mix. Another big problem that led to keeping coal alive in Utah came from the state legislature. Utility operators were supposed to prove to state regulators that the state was choosing the lowest cost and risk power sources, but now the state wants Rocky Mountain Power to assume that coal is the best, regardless of any data to the contrary. In other words, the state is protecting coal from cheaper alternatives, like #renewables and #methane plants. This will, in turn, lead to higher power bills in Utah, both to cover the higher cost of producing energy and to cover additional risks that come from that form of power generation. Out of Sight, Out of Mind If you’ve ever driven from Moab to #SaltLake, you’ll notice two things. Once you’ve climbed up to Interstate 70 and Green River, you’ll notice that you’re in a big, flat area. As you leave Green River and drive up toward Price, you’ll notice that you’re in a big almost triangular bowl, with mountains on two sides. As you go up that highway, the coal power plants at Huntington are on the other side of that bowl, filling the bowl up with pollutants, ozone, and smog. But, do you know what’s not in the bowl with you and the power plants? Most of Utah’s population. Before you’d get to Spanish Fork, Provo, and Salt Lake City, you have to climb a steep pass after Helper, going on a winding road that leaves the desert behind and takes you into landscapes that look like they belong in #Canada. Then, you drop down another steep canyon into the lands that were formerly #flooded by Lake #Bonneville and share the air with most of the state’s residents. That big chain of mountains, the Wasatch Front, keeps the coal power plants out of sight and out of mind. It’s easy to play dumb politics and vote for coal at all costs when somebody else gets to choke on the nasty air on the other side of the mountains and not see nature as clearly as they could.

ICYMI: Dr. Yaqing Jin studied seal's whiskers to develop a sensor that detects motor turbulence in the ocean. “With wind turbines, you don’t want the blades to bend,” Jin said. “If winds are too strong, the tower could break down. The risks for offshore turbines are even greater.” https://lnkd.in/g7x6yuqu

A carbon fibre tip offering lightning strike protection for wind turbine blades has been developed by researchers at the US DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) https://lnkd.in/d7HgBvzz

Positive developments out of Washington! President Trump’s recent Executive Order on "Unleashing American Energy" signals a major shift towards strengthening domestic energy production and infrastructure. What does this mean for the future of American energy? It means a renewed focus on critical rare earth elements that are essential for US national defense and a secure energy & tech future. At RER, we are particularly encouraged by this development. As a company dedicated to developing the Bear Lodge Project (one of the most promising rare earth deposits in North America) and our proprietary separation technology, we see this Executive Order as a significant step towards: * Streamlining Permitting* The Order aims to accelerate the permitting process for energy infrastructure projects, which could positively impact the development of critical mineral resources like ours. * Reducing Reliance on Foreign Sources* By prioritizing domestic energy resources, the U.S. is taking decisive action to lessen dependence on foreign supply chains. * Boosting American Manufacturing* A strong domestic supply of rare earths is crucial for manufacturing everything advanced electronics to defense systems to energy solutions. This Order helps support the growth of these vital industries. Rare earths are the building blocks of a more secure nation with resilient tech and energy. President Trump's Executive Order recognizes their importance and sets the stage for a new era of American energy leadership. RER is ready to play our part in this exciting future by providing a secure source of these critical elements. #rareearths #criticalminerals #energyindependence #americanmanufacturing #mining #supplychain #BearLodgeProject #RareElementResources https://lnkd.in/e-rnpGVX

Managing fish around hydroelectric dams has long been a headache for #utilities. Now a slew of start-ups and researchers are trying to figure it out: https://bit.ly/41w2bBO Follow Our Industrial Life to learn more.

This is embarrassing Chris Stark HVDC undergrounding is CHEAPER than pylons. And more popular. And less damaging. And doesn’t even require a DCO, so quicker. And doesn’t ruin tourist businesses. Or kill birds. And can be farmed afterwards. Both National Grid and NG ESO have evidence to show that HVDC undergrounding is cheaper than pylons. And we wrote to you with this pack https://lnkd.in/eRMS7ECB https://lnkd.in/euXSjWkA

Wind power is cheap, clean and reliable. It could also prevent Fukushima-like disasters in the future – according to a new study from Surrey scientists. They suggest that turbines can power a reactor’s cooling systems, avoiding meltdown when the main power supply is disrupted. #SurreyResearch #SustainableEnergy #WindPower #CleanEnergyFuture #sdgs #earthquake #Fukushimadisaster https://ow.ly/E8Ep50RZVlJ