U.S. nuclear agency plans safety review of reactors

The top U.S. nuclear regulator on Wednesday approved the launch of a safety review of U.S. nuclear reactors sought by President Barack Obama in response to the ongoing crisis at Japan’s Fukushima plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission voted to create an agency task force made up of current and former commission experts that will review the information... 

Frost and Sullivan: South Korean Industrial APCE Market to Earn $221 Million by 2016

As most industries, such as power plants and steel mills, in South Korea have already installed air pollution control equipment (APCE), the growth of the market is expected to be limited between 2 and 3 percent for the next five years until 2016. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.environmental.frost.com), Industrial Air Pollution Controls... 

Beaver Valley Unit 2 Begins Refueling

FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company announced its Beaver Valley Power Station Unit 2 in Shippingport, Pa., shut down earlier today for scheduled refueling and maintenance. While the unit is off line, 64 of the 157 fuel assemblies will be replaced and numerous safety inspections will be conducted. In addition, preventative maintenance to ensure continued... 

Progress Energy CEO Johnson Urges Flexibility and Customer Protection in Implementing EPA Rules

The U.S. electric utility industry faces an “unprecedented convergence of new federal environmental rules – unprecedented in scope of change and compression of deadlines,” Progress Energy Chairman, President and CEO Bill Johnson told utility regulators Monday in Washington. And the “current fragmented approach, coupled with rapid-compliance... 

TuV SuD Certifies Esterel Technologies’ SCADE Display 6.2 KCG Code Generator to SIL 3/4 under EN 50128 and SIL 3 under IEC 61508 Standards

Esterel Technologies, the leading worldwide provider of critical system and software development solutions, today announced that TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH has certified the latest version of its SCADE Display® KCG® Code Generator to safety integrity level (SIL) 3/4 under EN 50128 and SIL 3 under IEC 61508. TÜV SÜD is a leading global testing and inspection... 

Cetrel and Novozymes to Make Biogas and Electricity from Bagasse

Cetrel, the largest provider of environmental solutions for the manufacturing industry in Latin America, and Novozymes, the world’s leading producer of industrial enzymes, today announced a research partnership to turn sugarcane waste into green energy. Using Cetrel’s know-how in waste-stream treatment and Novozymes’ biotech expertise, the partners... 

Hydrogen milestone moves energy independence one step forward

Big things often come in small packages. That’s certainly the case with the potential created by recent successes in hydrogen research at Idaho National Laboratory. Steve Herring, technical director of the High Temperature Electrolysis Nuclear Hydrogen Initiative, holds in his hand a solid-oxide electrolysis cell no larger than a standard CD.... 

Honeywell Refrigerant Helps Homeowners Convert the Sun’s Heat Into Power

Honeywell announced today that its Genetron® R-245fa refrigerant is being used to help homeowners generate electricity from the sun’s heat while offsetting energy costs. Honeywell’s energy-efficient refrigerant is being used in an organic rankine cycle (ORC) called the 35Z Micro Power Plant, manufactured by Germany-based Turbolina GmbH... 

Masdar Set to Capitalise on International Adoption of Renewable Energy

Masdar chief executive Dr. Sultan Al Jaber announced that Masdar, a multi-faceted future energy initiative wholly owned by the Mubadala Development Company, is well-positioned to capitalise on the “undeniable momentum and long term viability” of renewable energy technology in his keynote speech at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Dr.... 

Atlas Copco to Supply Worlds First Floating LNG Plant

Atlas Copco has won a multi-million USD contract to supply six turboexpander compressors for a new type of application related to liquefied natural gas (LNG). The customer, Norway-based KANFA Aragon A.S., part of the Sevan Marine Group, will use the equipment for the world’s first floating natural gas liquefaction plant. Installed aboard a so-called...