Articles tagged with "clean-power"
US’ fast fission reactor Aurora to use Siemens’ steam turbines to produce clean power
Oklo, a US-based small modular reactor (SMR) designer, has signed a binding contract with Siemens Energy to supply a power conversion system for its Aurora powerhouse, one of the world’s first commercial-scale fast fission SMR projects. Siemens Energy will begin engineering and early procurement of key steam-cycle components, including the SST-600 steam turbine and SGen-100A generator, which are critical for converting Aurora’s high-temperature nuclear heat into clean electricity. The SST-600 turbine is a compact, flexible unit suitable for power generation and mechanical drive applications, while the SGen-100A generator offers high-efficiency, air-cooled design supporting industrial power needs. Construction of the Aurora reactor began in September 2025 at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), with operations expected to start in 2027. The reactor is designed to produce up to 75 megawatts electrical (MWe) of clean power and create about 80 permanent jobs. Aurora’s design features a fast neutron
energysmall-modular-reactorSiemens-Energysteam-turbineclean-powernuclear-energypower-generationUS approves $1B loan to restart Three Mile Island nuclear reactor
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has approved a $1 billion loan to Constellation Energy to restart the Three Mile Island Unit 1 nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania, aiming for full operation by 2027. The 835-megawatt reactor, capable of powering approximately 800,000 homes, was shut down in 2019 due to financial losses and lack of state support but never dismantled. The restart is part of a long-term power agreement with Microsoft, which plans to use the clean energy to support its expanding data center operations, particularly for artificial intelligence and cloud computing workloads. The project aligns with a broader federal initiative to renew existing energy infrastructure and bolster nuclear power as a stable, low-carbon energy source amid rising electricity demand. Constellation Energy has renamed the facility the Crane Clean Energy Center and is undertaking extensive repairs and upgrades to key equipment, including turbines, generators, cooling systems, and control systems. The estimated total cost of the restart is about $1.6
energynuclear-energyThree-Mile-IslandDepartment-of-Energyclean-powerConstellation-Energyrenewable-energy-infrastructureUS approves advanced nuclear fuel facility for Oklo’s first reactor
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement (NSDA) for Oklo’s Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility (A3F), marking a significant milestone in the company’s plan to develop advanced nuclear technology. Located at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), the A3F will produce fuel for Oklo’s first commercial-scale reactor, Aurora-INL, which is also part of the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program. By co-locating fuel fabrication and reactor operation, Oklo aims to create an integrated system that accelerates the commercial deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies in the US. This approval utilizes a modernized DOE authorization process designed for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects, offering a streamlined and faster pathway for advanced reactor developers to validate their technologies before seeking full commercial licensing from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The NSDA approval, granted in under two weeks, is the first under the DOE’s new Fuel Line Pilot Projects
energynuclear-energyadvanced-nuclear-fuelOkloclean-powerenergy-technologynuclear-reactorCarney’s Nuclear Detour: Darlington’s SMRs Will Raise Prices, Emissions, & Political Risks - CleanTechnica
The article critiques the Canadian federal government's decision to invest heavily in building four small modular reactors (SMRs) at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington site, marking it as a “Major Project” with $3 billion in combined federal and provincial funding. This initiative, championed by Prime Minister Mark Carney, is positioned as a cornerstone of Canada’s clean energy and industrial strategy. However, the article argues that this move represents a strategic misstep, as it shifts Ontario away from its historically successful CANDU nuclear technology—known for reliability, domestic supply chains, and high-skilled jobs—toward an unproven, American-owned GE Hitachi SMR design. This new technology, the BWRX-300, differs significantly from CANDU reactors, requiring enriched uranium and fixed refueling cycles, and depends on U.S. supply chains and regulatory frameworks, introducing technical, economic, and political risks. The article emphasizes that Darlington’s existing nuclear operations already provide stable, well-paying employment for
energynuclear-energysmall-modular-reactorsclean-powerOntario-Power-Generationenergy-policynuclear-engineeringPrototype 'Don' aims to provide hurricane-resistant power in Spain
Spanish engineers have installed a prototype ocean energy platform named Don off the coast of Gran Canaria, designed to withstand hurricane-force storms while generating continuous clean electricity. Developed under the EU-funded Horizon Europe PLOTEC project by Global OTEC, Don utilizes Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology, which exploits the temperature difference between warm surface water and cold deep ocean water to produce renewable power. The platform aims to provide reliable baseload energy to vulnerable island nations exposed to climate extremes, addressing a key limitation of OTEC—its vulnerability to severe storms. Currently undergoing structural testing at the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), Don’s cylindrical hull has been deployed in the Atlantic, with plans to install the cold-water pipe essential for thermal conversion. Equipped with advanced sensors from Fugro, the platform’s performance—including stability and response to wave activity—is being closely monitored and compared with prior simulations to validate computational models. This testing is critical to proving Don’s resilience and de-risking future OTEC
energyocean-thermal-energy-conversionrenewable-energyhurricane-resistant-technologyclean-poweroffshore-energy-platformclimate-resilienceFormer US landfill turned into 7 MW solar farm, cutting costs, emissions
Baltimore County, Maryland, has transformed a 213-acre former landfill site into a 7-megawatt solar farm featuring nearly 15,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels across four arrays. This installation is expected to generate approximately 8.2 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, meeting about 11% of the county government’s power needs. The project operates under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with TotalEnergies, which owns and manages the system, providing the county with a fixed electricity rate of 14 cents per kilowatt-hour. This arrangement offers long-term cost stability, reducing energy expenses for taxpayers while advancing Maryland’s sustainability and climate goals. Environmentally, the solar farm will significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to burning over 621,000 gallons of gasoline each year or offsetting emissions from driving more than 14 million miles in a gasoline-powered vehicle. The project exemplifies innovative land reuse by converting an idle landfill into a productive renewable energy resource, aligning economic efficiency
energysolar-farmrenewable-energyphotovoltaic-panelsclean-powerlandfill-reusesustainabilityEngineers unlock deep-earth heat to power a sustainable future
The article discusses the growing potential of geothermal energy as a sustainable and reliable source of clean power. Geothermal energy harnesses heat from the Earth’s crust, generated by the decay of radioactive elements deep underground, to produce electricity and provide heating and cooling. Recent advances in drilling technology and closed-loop systems have significantly expanded geothermal’s viability, enabling continuous power generation with capacity factors often exceeding 90 percent. Experts estimate geothermal energy could supply up to 15 percent of global electricity demand by 2050, offering a carbon-free alternative to fossil-fuel baseload sources like coal and natural gas. Geothermal energy is abundant and nearly inexhaustible, with heat accessible within 2 to 12 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, containing vastly more energy than all fossil fuel reserves combined. It produces minimal emissions, operates independently of weather or daylight, and requires less land than solar or wind farms, making it suitable for diverse locations. Additionally, geothermal systems can efficiently provide heating and cooling through ground-source heat pumps.
energygeothermal-energysustainable-energyclean-powerrenewable-energydrilling-technologycarbon-free-energyWorld's largest floating offshore wind turbine unveiled in China
China has unveiled the world’s largest floating offshore wind turbine, assembled by CRRC China in Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The 16-megawatt turbine features blades spanning an area equivalent to seven soccer fields, with a rotor diameter of 826 feet (252 meters). Mounted on a semi-submersible platform equipped with China’s first dynamic ballast system, the turbine can adjust to wind and wave conditions by pumping water in or out of tanks, enhancing stability, safety, and operational efficiency in deep offshore waters. The system is designed for deployment in waters over 164 feet (50 meters) deep, where fixed foundations are not feasible, and is expected to generate approximately 44.7 million kilowatt-hours annually—enough to power around 4,000 average U.S. households. This project, led by the state-owned China Three Gorges Corporation, marks a significant step in China’s renewable energy ambitions and its broader strategy to reduce fossil fuel dependence. The turbine
energyoffshore-windrenewable-energyfloating-wind-turbineChina-energy-transitionclean-powerwind-power-technologyNew US nuclear fusion project could use plasma jets to skip lasers
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is advancing a novel approach to nuclear fusion through its Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX), which uses 36 plasma guns to fire high-speed plasma jets that converge into an imploding plasma liner. This liner compresses a magnetized target to achieve the extreme heat and pressure necessary for fusion, mimicking the sun’s energy generation process. Unlike traditional fusion methods that rely on massive superconducting magnets or large lasers, PLX’s modular and scalable design offers a potentially simpler, more affordable, and compact path toward grid-scale fusion energy. LANL is currently seeking commercial partners to collaborate on further developing this technology, with proposals due by October 4, 2025. In the near term, PLX also serves as a unique facility to recreate extreme conditions for testing aerospace and defense materials, such as heat shields for hypersonic vehicles and spacecraft re-entry components—capabilities that are currently scarce. Over the next decade, the goal is to establish PLX
energynuclear-fusionplasma-jetsfusion-energyclean-powerfusion-technologyplasma-liner-experimentGoogle bets big on TAE’s cost-effective nuclear fusion reactor
energynuclear-fusionclean-powerTAE-TechnologiesGoogleAIplasma-technologyThe World Hit Another Clean Power Record Last Year
energyclean-powersolar-energydecarbonizationrenewable-resourcesclimate-goalsIcelandGoogle inks another massive solar power deal to electrify its data centers
energysolar-powerrenewable-energydata-centerscarbon-footprintclean-powersustainabilityCold Ironing Takes Hold: Ports Achieve Cleaner Air by Electrifying Ship Berths - CleanTechnica
energyelectrificationemissions-reductionclean-powersustainable-portsshore-powermaritime-sustainabilityA Perfect Storm For Energy Is Coming To The US
energyclean-powernuclear-poweroil-and-gascoalrenewable-energyenergy-transition$2.5 Billion Says US Just Can’t Quit Renewable Energy
renewable-energyclean-powerwind-energysolar-energyUS-energy-policyenergy-marketclean-technology