Electrical Industry News for March 2024

Axpo and Jabil, a major global electronics manufacturer headquartered in the United States of America (USA), have announced that they have renewed their long-term partnership in Hungary with a renewable energy corporate power purchase agreement (cPPA). The seven-year deal covers Jabil’s entire energy consumption in Hungary at two locations, marking an important advance towards the company’s environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) goals. Axpo and Jabil extend energy par...

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that it ranked fourth globally and first among Japanese companies in terms of international patent applications filed in 2023, according to the Switzerland-based World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).  A high level of both ranking and the number of patent applications reflect Mitsubishi Electric's strategy to actively promote international patent applicants, along with the globalization of its business. In 2023, the company has ranked wi...

With its exclusive technology and know-how applied to the sugar-energy industry, WEG was chosen to supply a complete 50 MW turbogenerator set to Usina Uberaba, located in Minas Gerais. This set includes the reaction technology condensing CT line steam turbine with extraction and sub-axial exhaust, turbo gearbox, 62.5 MVA ST 40 generator, hydraulic system, control and automation panels, MCC, cubicles, as well as installation, commissioning, and assisted operation services. Safety and operationa...

Verizon has announced that Verizon Innovative Learning, the company’s award-winning education initiative focused on supporting digital equity and inclusion for students nationwide, has reached seven million students with digital skills training. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), there are still nearly 17 million school children in the U.S. that lack internet access at home. That’s why, over a decade ago, Verizon Innovative Learning was launched to address bar...

ABB and CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, have identified significant energy-saving potential through a strategic research partnership focused on the cooling and ventilation system at one of the world’s leading laboratories for particle physics institutes, located in Geneva, Switzerland. The study included energy efficiency audits which have helped to identify a savings potential of 17.4 percent across a fleet of 800 motors. energy consumption roadmap The research, con...

Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. was selected by the National Institute of Information and Communication Technology (NICT) through open bidding for Research Project: R&D of bandwidth expanding optical node technologies for realizing ultra-fast, large capacity networks under the 2024 Function Realization and International Joint R&D Program ‘Innovative ICT Fund Projects for Beyond 5G/6G.’ As data volumes increase due to the shift to B5G (6G) and the promotion of cloud computing, it...

Intelligent power management company Eaton announced its Green Motion electric vehicle (EV) chargers available in North America are certified to meet the California Type Evaluation Program (CTEP) requirements for transparent billing practices. CTEP requirements CTEP is a certification program from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards (DMS) created to ensure that weighing and measuring devices operate correctly. The...

Intelligent power management company - Eaton has again been recognized by Ethisphere, a global major in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2024 World’s Most Ethical Companies. Grounded in Ethisphere’s proprietary Ethics Quotient®, the World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment process includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance, diversity and init...

RES, the world's largest independent renewable energy company, has completed the acquisition of Ingeteam's renewable O&M services division. The agreement expands RES' operations to 24 markets and makes it the world's largest independent provider of renewable energy services. Adolfo Rebollo, CEO of Ingeteam, stated: “Our decision to divest our O&M Renewable Services division enables Ingeteam to further focus and invest on our core business area of developing Power Conversion Techno...

Ingeteam has supplied its technology for the largest renewable hydrogen production plant in operation in North America. Namely the SoHyCal project, promoted by H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies in Fresno County, California, to serve public hydrogen refueling stations in the San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. PEM electrolysis technology In particular, this 100% renewable hydrogen production plant employs PEM electrolysis technology. The electrolyzer will receive direct current fro...

Schneider Electric, the pioneer in digital transformation of energy management and automation, announces the release of Back-UPS BE Series – 900 & 1050 VA. These feature-rich uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) come with an increased power capacity from 850 to 900VA and a new 1050VA offering. Ensuring uninterrupted connectivity to a home network has become an indispensable necessity in today's world, particularly with the demands of remote work requiring constant access to hardware...

The meeting of Switzerland’s largest energy producers and grid operators took place on the subject of why the country needs an electricity agreement with the EU. Numerous key figures from politics, the electricity sector, and the authorities discussed the importance of an electricity agreement for Switzerland. The tenor was clear: an electricity agreement with the EU would ensure greater security of supply, grid stability, legal certainty, and opportunities for Switzerland to help shape t...

In the recent vote, the electorate of the municipality of Oberiberg in the canton of Schwyz expressed their opposition to the planned alpine solar project - Alpin Solar Ybrig. Axpo and the local energy provider - EWS AG are disappointed about their decision. Due to the negative result of the vote, the project will not be pursued further. However, both companies remain firmly committed to developing further projects in the field of renewable energy. Alpin Solar Ybrig solar project opposed Axpo...

The Nautical SUNRISE project is set to support the world's largest Offshore Floating Solar power installation. The € 8.4 million project, supported by € 6.8 million of the Horizon Europe program, kicked off in December 2023 to execute research and development on offshore floating solar (OFS) systems and its components. The outcomes of the project will enable the large-scale deployment and commercialization of OFS systems in the future, both as standalone systems and integrated in...

Siemens has developed one of the world’s most innovative circuit protection devices with cutting-edge electronic switching technology. SENTRON ECPD (Electronic Circuit Protection Device) electronically switches off circuit faults if errors occur and, if necessary, trips the mechanical isolating contact downstream.  circuit protection Up until recently, disconnection was handled purely through electro-mechanical elements.  “This innovation offers a variety of benefits an...

Siemens and Enlighted, a pioneering property technology company owned by Siemens, announced a strategic partnership with Zumtobel Group, a global lighting solutions provider, to advance the adoption of smart building technologies including intelligent IoT lighting, setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability in building operations worldwide. At the core of the partnership lies the technical integration of Enlighted's industry-pioneering smart sensors into Zumtobel Group's lighting p...

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announces that it has signed an agreement with Dispel LLC, a developer and distributor of secure remote-access and operational management solutions, to expand their operational technology (OT) security business through marketing and technical development. Remote maintenance, which involves utilizing internet technology to monitor and troubleshoot production lines from remote locations, is attracting increasing interest due to manufacturing's globalization as well...

Siemens announces the launch of new Gridscale X software with the release of a Gridscale X Network Model Manager in the US and Canada. The product allows ISOs (independent system operators) and TSOs (transmission system operators) to centrally manage their network data with a Digital Twin of the power grid for more efficient planning, development and operations. The Gridscale X Network Model Manager handles various grid scenarios such as new or changing assets, facilitates project handling, and...

WEG’s mobile solutions ensure application across various voltage classes according to customer needs, providing operational dynamism and time savings for preventive and corrective maintenance. WEG supplied the first mobile substation in the state of Amapá, Brazil, to CEA Equatorial, an electricity trading and distribution company. The acquisition aims to ensure efficiency and reliability in the supply of electricity to the people of Amapá. WEG’s mobile substation WEG...

Cargounit, the largest independent locomotive leasing company in Poland, has signed an agreement with Siemens Mobility for the purchase of 90 Vectron MS locomotives, of which 30 have been immediately called up. Additionally, a second contract was signed for the delivery of ten Smartron locomotives. The first deliveries are planned for 2025. Siemens Mobility and Cargounit’s collaboration dates back to 2018, when a single Vectron MS locomotive was purchased. Cargounit is the largest custome...

Many people think of a train as simply a bus on rails! After all, passenger trains have been around since 1825 and the basic concept of a locomotive pulling carriages has not changed much since then. However, anyone attending the recent Innotrans 2022 exhibition in Berlin, the pioneering international trade fair for transport technology, will have noticed that trains are becoming increasingly high-tech. One exhibitor even boasted that their high-speed train contained over 7000 sensors. This is...

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol has welcomed the new Just Energy Transition Partnership that Indonesia and a group of foremost economies launched at the G20 Leaders Summit in Bali as an important step forward for international cooperation on financing clean energy transitions in emerging economies. The development of the landmark Just Energy Transition Partnership with Indonesia – which targets an ambitious and equitable power sector transition in Indonesia – was underpinned by I...

The world must move quickly to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal significantly in order to avoid severe impacts from climate change, a new IEA report says, calling for immediate policy action to rapidly mobilize massive financing for clean energy alternatives to coal and to ensure secure, affordable and fair transitions, especially in emerging and developing economies. The new IEA special report – Coal in Net Zero Transitions: Strategies for Rapid, Secure, and People-Centered Chan...

Europe could face a gap of as much as 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas during the key summer period for refilling its gas storage sites in 2023, the IEA said in new analysis published, highlighting the need for urgent action by governments to reduce gas consumption amid the global energy crisis. The new report – Never too early to prepare for next winter: Europe’s gas balance for 2023-2024 – shows that gas storage sites in the European Union are now 95% full &ndash...

The global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing profound and long-lasting changes that have the potential to hasten the transition to a more sustainable and secure energy system, according to the latest edition of the IEA’s World Energy Outlook. Today’s energy crisis is delivering a shock of unprecedented breadth and complexity. The biggest tremors have been felt in the markets for natural gas, coal, and electricity – with significant turmoi...

Despite concerns about the effects of the current energy crisis, global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion are expected to grow by just under 1% this year, only a small fraction of their increase last year, as a strong expansion of renewables and electric vehicles prevents a much sharper rise. New IEA analysis of the latest data from around the world shows that these CO2 emissions are on course to increase by close to 300 million tonnes in 2022 to 33.8 billion tonnes &nd...

With business energy bills getting utterly ridiculous, perhaps now is the time to invest in solar energy, battery storage, and a Business Energy Management System? The BBC has recently reported how many pubs, restaurants, and other mid-sized businesses are facing a double whammy of reduced customer footfall and exploding energy bills. People are enjoying outside entertainment less because of their extortionate energy bills yet the costs of running a business is getting ridiculous. Control...

Energy infrastructure in the greater Horn of Africa has struggled to keep pace with a fast-growing population, creating a formidable hurdle for the region’s buoyant economies that can best be overcome through stronger deployment of energy efficiency and renewable technologies, according to a new IEA report. Countries in the region have already demonstrated they can find innovative solutions to extend electricity access to underserved populations and have huge underexploited potential for...

Switzerland aims to transition to a net-​zero energy system by 2050. To meet this goal, it will need to replace fossil fuels with renewables. The Swiss government has also taken the decision to phase out nuclear power. As a result, its plans for carbon neutrality will require not only the electrification of transport and heating by means of electric vehicles and heat pumps, but also measures to compensate for the loss of nuclear generating capacity. To meet increased energy demand, Switzerland...

Though it may go out the window with the next PM appointed, the current UK government is planning to reform the way energy is sold on the wholesale markets, so cheaper renewable energy prices get passed onto consumers. This could well bring about new usage patterns across the board that are similar to those used by people using micro-generation and storage at home. The government consultation announced last week is intended to help tackle the cost of living crisis by passing on the lower c...