The project will generate more than half of the facility’s energy needs. The microgrid incorporates 5 MWac solar PV and approximately 1.1 MW of battery storage and existing onsite generators. The site will generate 10 GWh of energy annually, Eaton said.

Eaton highlighted the size of the clean energy microgrid system deployed with Enel, which the companies called a “first” in Puerto Rico. In addition to powering Eaton’s manufacturing facility, the microgrid will also support the regional power grid, the companies said. Eaton also implemented efficiency measures using its intelligent power management technologies to reduce its energy footprint.

“In our administration, we continue to focus on Puerto Rico’s energy transformation that promotes increased renewable energy generation,” said Governor Pedro Pierluisi. “I congratulate Eaton for continuing to invest in Puerto Rico and supporting this transformation with the building of a clean energy microgrid that will provide them with energy resiliency, while also reducing their carbon footprint. This is the type of project that we are working to see replicated throughout the island.”

Enel North America built, owns, and operates the system on behalf of Eaton. Enel North America financed the project under an energy-as-a-service model, shifting Eaton’s investment in the microgrid system from a capital to an operational expense. Eaton provided installation knowledge and technologies for the microgrid system, including its Power Xpert microgrid solutions and power distribution equipment. 

“As the impacts of climate change worsen, large energy users are stepping up to power their facilities sustainably,” said Matt Barnes, head of distributed energy solutions at Enel North America. “Enel is proud to partner with Eaton in building a future for manufacturing that reaches beyond facility walls to support energy resiliency for the broader community. The urgency to deploy microgrids—especially in regions with vulnerable electrical infrastructure—has never been greater, and Enel is delivering the clean and flexible systems that the energy transition requires.”

Originally published in Renewable Energy World.

EDP joins 28 large companies including Iberdrola, Enel, Engie, Shell, and Total, that have pledged to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development H2Zero commitment, which is designed to expand the deployment of large-scale green hydrogen projects globally.

EDP’s commitment will help decarbonize the Iberian Peninsula, the US, and Brazil, countries where the utility has operations. The pledge is expected to help EDP to expand its solar and wind energy infrastructure rollout as well.

The utility says it will take advantage of the proximity to industrial customers, favorable regulations, and availability of supporting infrastructure in the Iberian Peninsula, the US, and Brazil to accelerate its rollout of green hydrogen projects.

In addition to helping fight climate change, the projects EDP will deploy will enable the company to remain relevant by aligning its operations with changing business models, according to the company.

EDP has already set a target to install 250MW of hydrogen electrolyzers by 2025 in its Strategic Plan.

The pledge will enable EDP to achieve the goal of retiring its coal facilities by 2025 and net-zero emissions by 2030. EDP’s coal energy generation facilities will be converted into hydrogen centers as part of the plan.

Miguel Stilwell D’andrade, the CEO of EDP, says the pledge is an effort by his firm to accelerate the energy transition and speed up the mitigation of climate change.

D’andrade, added: “That’s why we aim to guarantee 100% renewable energy production by 2030 and we are taking concrete steps to support the decarbonization of all sectors of the economy.

“Renewable hydrogen will play a crucial role in this path and there is no time to waste. The time to strengthen ambition and make it happen is now.”

The microgrid will enable Eaton to reduce its carbon footprint and demand on local energy infrastructure while improving energy resilience. The project will also enable Eaton to share clean energy on onto Puerto Rico’s electrical grid during periods of excess generation.

Enel X will build, own and operate the system on behalf of Eaton. Eaton will provide the installation expertise and key technology for the microgrid system, including its microgrid controller and balance of plant electrical distribution equipment.

The solar + storage microgrid project will combine 5 megawatts (MWac) solar PV capacity with approximately 1.1 MW/2.2 MWh of battery storage and will be fully integrated with the facility’s existing electrical systems, including onsite power generation. Eaton’s microgrid control technology will balance electricity consumption, to ensure resiliency during grid outage events.

Earlier this year, the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, released its latest integrated resource plan (IRP), which includes a mandate for further development of microgrids and renewable energy with goals of more than 3,500 MW of solar and 1,300 MW of storage by 2025, as the island continues to rebuild its infrastructure following the 2017 hurricane season.

Like all Enel X storage deployments, the microgrid project will utilize Enel X’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Optimization software to maximize the value of the project across multiple applications, including on bill savings, incentive programs and grid services.

“We continue to see the severe impact of the climate crisis, from wildfires in the west to more frequent and powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic, underscoring the need for more sustainable, more resilient energy solutions,” said Surya Panditi, Head of Enel X North America.

Brian Brickhouse, president of Eaton’s Electrical Sector, America’s region, added, “We selected Enel X as our partner in Puerto Rico to help us provide more sustainable and resilient power for the community and are evaluating additional opportunities in the region to provide a microgrid-as-a-service approach together.”

Clarion Energy sister publication Hydro Review is hosting a webcast on this most important issue of the current era. Join a discussion with selected hydro project owners from throughout the world to hear how they are continuing to operate their plants and dams safely and efficiently, and keep their personnel safe, in these times of social distancing mandates, travel bans and economic uncertainty.

Speakers will include representatives from:

• Hydro Tasmania
• Enel
• Seattle City Light: Mike Haynes, Chief Operating Officer
• Tennessee Valley Authority

Discussion topics for this webcast will include:

• Coronavirus action planning: 
  • What goes into a thorough plan? 
  • How do regulatory requirements differ among countries? 
  • What are biggest challenges to implementing this plan? 
• Keeping the workforce safe: 
  • What precautions are you taking? 
  • How has staffing changed with social distancing mandates? 
  • How do you deal with contractors performing in-plant work?
• Accessing needed materials: 
  • How are you ensuring access to supplies that will be needed now and in the near future?
• Outreach to the public: 
  • How are you communicating to customers? How are you supporting your local communities?

Click here for more information and to register for the webcast.

These announcements by utilities have been happening throughout March. The latest include Tucson Electric Power, Southern California parent Edison International, AVANGRID and Italian utility Enel.

Tucson Electric Power and sister utility UniSource Energy Services announced they will donate a combined $1 million to bill payment assistance and other coronavirus relief efforts in the communities they serve throughout Arizona.

 “We know many of our customers have been hit hard by this pandemic, and we want to do everything we can to help,” said David G. Hutchens, CEO of TEP, UniSource and their parent company, UNS Energy. “In addition to maintaining reliable energy service, we want to help local nonprofit groups support our communities during this period of unprecedented and urgent need.”

The companies will contribute $500,000 to the COVID-19 Community Support Fund established by the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona (CFSA) to support charities experiencing increased service demands from vulnerable populations during this public health crisis. Of that amount, $350,000 will be directed to Tucson-area agencies and $150,000 will benefit communities served by UniSource.

California-based Edison International also pledged $1 million earlier this month to local nonprofits. Other of the state’s utilities Southern California gas and Pacific Gas & Electric also have made significant donations, the latter giving close to one million protective masks for first responders.

Edison International’s pledge is to organizations providing critical services, food and necessities to vulnerable communities dealing with COVID-19. Those include California Community Foundation’s COVID-19 LA County Response Fund, Community Action Partnerships in the region and Foodbank Santa Barbara County, among others.

 “Edison International appreciates the health care workers, first responders, local communities and others who are on the front lines working to contain this pandemic,” said Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, Southern California Edison’s parent company. “As an essential service provider and a member of the community, we remain committed to the health, safety and well-being of customers and employees, and will support those who need it the most during these unprecedented times.”

Connecticut-based AVANGRID Inc. and the Avangrid Foundation together announced a $2 million commitment to support national and local organizations on the front lines of dealing with the impacts from the coronavirus. The U.S. has close to 70,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with more than 700 people dead, according to reports.

The AVANGRID family of companies includes Avangrid Renewables and eight electric and natural gas companies in New York, Maine, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

 “As a provider of critical electric and gas services, AVANGRID understands the need for rapid response and is no stranger to working on the frontline of a crisis. We’re proud to offer a steady and helping hand to those who support the most vulnerable among us, particularly during these challenging times,” said Jim Torgerson, the Foundation president and AVANGRID CEO. “We are determined to help address the pandemic’s economic, social and health ramifications. Our communities are in need, and we will stand by them.”

Malaysian utility TNB pledged the equivalent of $2.3 million to that nation’s ministry of health. The company also called on other organizations to do the same.

 “The growing number of people infected by the COVID-19 virus in Malaysia is exerting pressure on the resources of government hospitals that have been designated to deal with the virus, said Dato’ Seri Dr. Chen Chaw Min, Secretary General of the Ministry of Health.

The worst hit of all nations is Italy, with 75,000 afflicted and 7,500 killed. In Rome, Enel announced it had drawn up an insurance policy to cover all of the group’s more than 68,000 employees globally in the event they are hospitalized with the COVID-19 virus.

The insurance tool, which was specifically designed for the needs of the Enel Group, represents the first ever of its kind in the world aimed at guaranteeing support at global level for the ongoing pandemic, according to the company.

Through the policy, Enel will guarantee a cash allowance for all Group employees who are hospitalized after contracting the virus or undergoing intensive care. The policy will guarantee additional benefits beyond those offered by all other insurance tools and forms of health care already available to Group employees.

This tool, developed in collaboration with the leading company in the insurance and risk management services sector Aon SpA, was activated immediately in all countries where Enel has employees.

Enel operates in 33 countries with 2.2 million kilometers of grid network and a managed capacity of more than 88 GW.

Scores of utilities have committed contributions to nonprofits, bill payment assistance, postponing service disconnections and more to fighting the novel virus which had killed more than 21,000 people worldwide since December.

(Rod Walton is content director for Power Engineering and POWERGEN International. He can be reached at 918-831-9177 and rod.walton@clarionevents.com).

On the surface, 2019 for power generators looked pretty routine compared to recent history within the industry. Coal-fired and nuclear plants were retired, while combined cycle gas turbine facilities proliferated. Wind and solar rose dramatically. Nuclear got older.

The stories that readers of Power Engineering flocked to, however, defied those easy and misleading categories. The faithful clicked on pieces about technologies that “trendmakers” consider doomed, unlikely or struggling at best. They wanted to read about peers moving up or moving out or, worse, gone.

This is not a top 10 list of the most read stories on our website. Instead, each entry is a catch-all for a particular type of story which gained wide traction in Power Engineering in 2019.

All in all, perhaps this offers insights into what our readers are thinking, concerned about or anticipating. They are worth another look.

1. The future of nuclear is unknown, but we are clearly eager to know more

Of the top 10 pages opened by our readers, four were about nuclear energy technologies on projects. Whether it was a “what if” column on the possibility of thorium as a fuel for the future, or updates on Georgia Power’s tenacious effort to get the Vogtle 3 and 4 reactors built, nuclear seemed to capture the most attention.

2. Turbine sector is getting ready…and getting more competitive

It seems like nearly all of the major players have struggled. GE already had split off that part of its business–while Siemens announced its own impending split. Meanwhile, a longtime EPC and services firm, Doosan Heavy Industries of South Korea, revealed plans for its own large gas turbine, possibly sending it into top-line competition with the Big Four that includes Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ansaldo Energia, GE and Siemens. All four of these players also are considering futures utilizing hydrogen in the fuel mix.

On-site power was also adapting gas-fired technologies, as reciprocating engines were being deployed to offer load following and stabilization services in areas where renewable energy concentration was heaviest.

3. Forgive us if we’re old-fashioned…but chillers still thrill us

We’ll play it cool when it comes to this part of the best-read content 2019 in Power Engineering. Some pieces focused on condenser performance monitoring or cooling tower heat transfer. Either way, Power Engineering readers are a smart lot who want to learn more on the inside workings of the modern power plant. Our contributors are happy and more than able to oblige.

4. Energy storage is still a question mark, but a lot of people are asking

A January 2019 webcast on “The Growth of Battery Storage for the Off-grid/Mini-grid Market” drew exceptional readership interest up to and following the broadcast itself. Bloomberg, HOMER Energy and Trojan Battery looked at statistics affirming the growth of energy storage and exploring the way forward.

Utilities are stepping tentatively but unmistakably into the battery sector. Dominion and Duke Energy both have projects going forward, Key Capture Energy completed the largest installation in New York.

The utility-scale battery option, however, is expensive and requires serious safety oversights. An Arizona Public Service, AES joint venture facility exploded earlier this year, injuring four firefighters. This search for safeguards also resulted in an important energy storage breakthroughs session at POWERGEN International this November in New Orleans.

And the Energy Storage Breakthroughs Summit at POWERGEN was that event’s most well-attended track.

5. Entergy Corp. building big-time gas-fired capacity

Many utilities are building new CCGT plants globally, but for some reason the stories surrounding Entergy’s new projects proved extremely popular. The New Orleans-based utility announced it was adding 4 GW of new gas-fired capacity in coming years, including the recently completed St. Charles Power Station in nearby Montz. With its Montgomery County project, Entergy also is building its first new Texas capacity in several decades.

6. Are you tired of our gas? Apparently not

Haha, forgive us a little levity with a (very small) joke, but the expansion in gas-fired power generation capacity both in the U.S. and globally was no laughing matter. It’s official: the U.S. Energy Information Agency has confirmed that domestic combined-cycle capacity now exceeds coal-fired, 264 GW to 243.

Companies like MHPS, Siemens and beyond are also supplying CCGT plants all around the world. And IHS Markit reported that U.S. gas production was reaching an astounding 90 billion cubic feet per day.

Now put those last two facts together, and you have the makings for our Number 7.

7. The ETA for LNG is now

This past year marked a turning point for approval, construction and commissioning of liquefied natural gas export terminals along the U.S. coasts. Utilities, conventional oil and gas firms and startups are all vying for space to take some of that excess U.S. gas, freeze it for stable shipping and send it to power generation markets around the world.

The Natural Gas Knowledge Hub at POWERGEN19, which offered numerous sessions on LNG ventures, was one of the most popular content offerings there.

8. C&I Customers want wind and solar in the market

We’re talking just a few companies here, little names like ….Amazon, Google, Microsoft, AT&T and Facebook. They may not off-take clean energy directly, but they want renewables in the grid. Corporate power purchase agreements help finance utility-scale wind and solar projects.

Michael Terrell, head of energy market development at Google, told Power Engineering back in January that zero-carbon energy made great business sense for long-term investment. Clean energy, fixed-price contracts are very attractive. Since 2010, the internet giant has signed to offset the cost of more than 30 solar and wind projects across the Americas and Europe.

New virtual PPAs signed by AT&T recently pushed that company’s clean energy investment to more than 1.5 GW.

9. And let us not forget coal

Sure, Trump Administration energy regulators have worried about the pace of coal-fired plant retirements. Nonetheless, coal still generates nearly 30 percent of the U.S. and global electricity mixes.

And while nothing new is planned in the U.S. and Europe, major projects are going forward mainly in Asia. Coal is going to be around for a while. A long while.

10. In Memorium

We could have put this one much higher, but felt it was an appropriate way to end this story. Power Engineering readers value the contributions of those who give their time and energies into this industry, so we all read with sadness on the death of Christopher McCallum, a principal consultant at Lummus and member of the POWERGEN International advisory committee.

McCallum died in Boston at the age of only 44. Prior to Lummus he had worked for NextEra Energy Resources and had been operations manager and chief engineer of a 300-MW combined cycle in New England.

The industry also mourned the passing of Ron Nichols, most recently president of Southern California Edison. Nichols served in a career that spanned SCE, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Navigant Consulting and Resource Management International.

Here’s looking forward to a happier, more productive and powerful 2020.

Thank you.

The Clarion Energy Content Directors of Power Engineering

Gulf Pacific Power LLC, a fund of Harbert Management Corp. (HMC), bought up 80 percent in EGNPA Renewable Energy Holdings (REP) from GE Energy Financial Services and Enel Green Power North America. EGPNA retains its 20 percent stake and will continue to operate the portfolio.

The EGPNA REP portfolio includes five wind projects. Those are the 235-MW Chisholm View in Oklahoma, the 200-MW Prairie Rose in Minnesota, the 200-MW Goodwell in Oklahoma, the 150-MW Origin in Oklahoma and the 27-MW St. Lawrence wind facility in Newfoundland, Canada.

“The Gulf Plains Wind investment is a strong strategic fit for GPP and an attractive addition to our growing renewables portfolio,” a spokesman for HMC said. “We are pleased at this opportunity to extend and strengthen our existing relationship with Enel Green Power, a world class renewable energy developer and operator.”

Enel Green Power completed the Chisholm View project earlier this decade and brought Goodwell online in 2016, according to reports. Enel Atlantic opened the St. Lawrence project in 2009.

Gulf Pacific Power is focused on North American power infrastructure and is backed by commitments from the California Public Employees Retirement System and by HMC affiliates.

Two years ago, Gulf Pacific Power took an 80-percent stake in another EGPNA project, the 350-MW Rocky Caney Wind portfolio in Kansas and Oklahoma. The equity fund also has investments in thermal and renewable energy projects in Georgia, California, Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and New York.

The Interactive Plants project tells the story of energy in an innovative way, by setting up a narrative environment that moves and involves people, Enel says. The journey begins with a spark: energy embedded in each of us. A camera equipped with depth sensors detects the movement of visitors, which is transformed into watts to quantify the energy produced by the body. The tour culminates with a 360-degree projection that explains the operation of the five sources of energy using videos and graphic animations.

“With the Interactive Plants initiative, we want to introduce the world of renewable energy, especially to the new generations, using simple and accessible language that explains the fundamental role they play in the energy transition process,” said Antonio Cammisecra, chief executive officer of Enel Green Power. “The exhibition uses new media technologies to tell the story of the world of energy, emphasizing how innovation and sustainability are core elements of Enel’s industrial development model and key ingredients to strengthen our global leadership.”

Design agency Dotdotdot designed the installation, which “posed the great challenge of communicating intangible content, such as energy, making it tangible and experiential, and of conveying, through Interaction Design, complex topics, such as energy production or its relationship with the geography of the world,” said Laura Dellamotta, co-founder and general manager. “Our experience has enabled us to implement a considerable amount of technological and exhibit design experimentation. The Acquoria power plant project follows that of the Taccani power plant in Trezzo sull’Adda: a scalable installation that can be replicated in other power plants of Enel Green Power.”

In addition to human guides, there will be digital alter-egos or characters of the various types of energy. Hydro for hydroelectric energy, Gaia for geothermal energy, Mariasole for solar energy, Levante for wind energy and Marina for marine energy. At the end of the tour, visitors prove they have become “Energy Ministers” by playing a video game to put into practice what they have learned, choosing the best scenario based on climate, environment and economy to meet the energy demand of a community.

The Acquoria power plant is located on the left bank of the Aniene River in Tivoli, Italy. Two small plants had been built before the current power plant. The first was built in 1884 and aimed at lighting Tivoli, while the second was inaugurated in 1892. During that year, for the first time in the world, alternating current was transmitted at a great distance: from the Acquoria Power Plant Tivoli to the Porta Pia station to illuminate Rome.

In 1902, the new Acquoria plant was built, located at the entrance to the Valle dell’Inferno. The plant was expanded in 1929 by adding three units consisting of Francis turbines and alternator with vertical axis and power of 17 MVA each, powered by the new San Giovanni waterway. The plant produces 154 GWh with the two groups installed on the San Giovanni waterway and 2.9 GWh with a group installed on the Vescovali waterway.

Enel Green Power is the Enel Group’s company that operates in the renewable energy sector. The company has a managed capacity of about 46 GW and a generation mix that includes wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power. EGP is present today in 29 countries on five continents.

It’s the entry and exit point for ships on global commercial voyages to and from the U.S. It has great ties to the transport of agriculture and energy.

All of these points, but especially the last one, make it a great spot to host POWERGEN International next week. The event has enjoyed and gained much from its usual destinations of Orlando and Las Vegas, but coming to New Orleans for the first time in 12 years is a rare treat.

As the Cajuns and the Cars sometimes say, let the good times roll, but mind your Ps and Qs in the Crescent City. We made that last part up, but it holds true that New Orleans offers an A to Z of food, music and fun opportunities. You just need to keep it between the buoys, boys and girls.

Below is a somewhat orderly alphabet soup of what POWERGEN means when it hits town this week. Consider this some “lagniappe,” or what locals sometime say to mean “a little something extra.”

A is for Archie Manning, the New Orleans legend and football hall of famer who will be POWERGEN’s keynote speaker on Tuesday. Come prepared for stories on family, leadership, his own career, overcoming tragedy and, yes, his famous quarterback sons.

B is for Better Balance, the Wednesday luncheon where great women in the power sector will be honored. It could be also be Boiler Code and Beignets, sponsored by exhibitor Clark-Reliance to give plant pros and partners a chance to mingle over coffee, powered sugar pasties and the latest in industry standards.

C is Conventional Power and Coal-Fired Generation, as in the present and future of both. POWERGEN will offer no less than five summits and hubs devoted to these subjects.

D is for Decentralized Energy. Yes, the event has plenty of power plant operations sessions, but it is also strong in energy storage breakthroughs, microgrids and on-site power. If it generates, we venerate.

E is for Entergy Corp., POWERGEN’s host utility. Entergy not only welcomes more than 10,000 attendees to its hometown of New Orleans, but it also is contributing a Wednesday keynote speaker in COO Paul Hinnenkamp, other session speakers and tours of its St. Charles gas-fired plant and solar-storage pilot project.

F is for the French Quarter. Take a little stroll and you’ll be there in no time. The best in food, music and people watching. But F could also for the Floor, as in the 180,000-square-foot exhibit space featuring more than 800 companies, six Knowledge Hubs and plenty of networking-meeting space through our MATCH! and Connect offerings.

G is for Gas, the fastest growing part of the electricity generation mix. POWERGEN has a Natural Gas Knowledge Hub featuring technical content but also forward-looking talks on the LNG potential impact to global power generation. Upstairs it will also have the summit track on Gas-fired Turbines and Plants.

H is for Hydrogen. Is it the next, carbon-free chapter in the turbine power story? Presenters from major power firms will talk about electrolysis and hydrogen in various sessions, while the Italian Trade Agency also will sponsor a special session Tuesday on “The Future of Hydrogen and the Power Industry.”

I is for Initiate! POWERGEN is proud to have hundreds of established industry companies involved, but also wants to be a breeding ground for startups. Eight of them will be vying Tuesday for the favor of expert judges in Booth 800. Who are the next innovators first made known here? The Initiate! winners will be revealed on Wednesday.

J is for Jazz. You’ll find plenty of that in clubs on Bourbon Street, Frenchman Street and beyond. You might even get to hear it live in the Morial Conventional Center at POWERGEN. Wait and listen.

K is for Knowledge. More than 90 sessions in total, featuring about 130 expert speakers, will be available from Monday through Thursday. We’re talking seven Summit tracks, nearly 70 Knowledge Hub sessions, three Mega-Sessions, three keynote speakers (including Chris Moser, head of operations with NRG Energy), five co-located events involving power generation insiders from close to a dozen nations. Throw in POWERGEN University on Monday, and you’ve got approximately 100 hours of content from which to choose. Maybe K should also stand for Komprehensive…but we’d be getting off track from the spelling lesson.

L is for Large-scale. No other annual power generation conference details as many utility-level projects and viewpoints as POWERGEN. Whether it’s a revived gas-fired plant in south Texas or an enormous microgrid for a pork processing plant in Mexico, or a microgrid cluster in Chicago …or… cycling the modern coal-fired plant, the case studies go big before going home.

M is for Mega-sessions. POWERGEN has three: 1) A look at microgrid opportunities and challenges Wednesday afternoon, featuring Duke Energy, ComEd and Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories; 2) capital project trends and overview from Industrial Info Resources, focused on energy and power plants; and 3) an “Across All Sectors” high-level view from Black & Veatch, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems and Ameresco. These leaders will offer insights on gas-fired power, energy storage, EPC trends and more.

N is for Networking. Meet and greet is its own industry at POWERGEN. Any visitor can walk around the exhibit floor and be captivated, almost overwhelmed, by all the conversations going on, and yet there’s more in MATCH!, Networking on Tap receptions, Powerful Young Professionals Happy Hour, the Contractors Crawl, Breakfast Roundtables, the aforementioned Lunch for Better Balance, and the Tuesday party at Mardi Gras World, sponsored by POWERGEN parent Clarion Energy. Mardi Gras World is where the floats get made. It’s big time.

O is for Optimizing Plant Performance and On-Site Power, two of the biggest reasons for having POWERGEN in the first place. These Summit tracks offer sessions focused on O&M challenges, best practices, innovation, combined heat and power and much more.

P is for Purpose. No, that’s not the catchy or corny name of a program, but the very heart of why people come to the event. Meeting potential clients, firming up new partnerships, renewing old friendships and learning the latest in the industry they love—that’s why people come to POWERGEN.

Q is for Quality. Sensing a theme here lately? This is what attendees aim for, whether it’s better air and water, power efficiency, capacity factors, safety, data and service.  Getting to know high-quality people is a net win, too.

R is for Renewables. POWERGEN has long been focused on conventional power, but it also sees the future. Wind and solar capacity is growing by hundreds of GW as much of the world races to reduce or limit carbon emissions in the wake of climate change. POWERGEN will have Knowledge Hub sessions in onshore and offshore wind, as well as solar content. Meanwhile, the nearby Hydropower Hub will offer two days of deep dives into the original renewable energy resource.

S is for Social Media. #POWERGEN19. Hashtag, you’re it. Know it. Love it. Use it. Please.

T is for Turbines. They still make much of the world go round, folks. Industry giants Siemens, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Doosan Heavy Industries, Ansaldo Energia and GE all will be involved, either as presenters or exhibitors or both.

U is for Utilities. Close to 100 power generators will be sending people to New Orleans. More than 30 will be speakers from utilities such as Southern Co., Duke, Avista, Cleco. Entergy, ComEd, NRG, Salt River Project and many more. U is also for Universities. This may be Unprecedented for POWERGEN, offering energy sessions from experts at Tulane, New Orleans and Texas Tech University. Class is in session soon.

V is for Voices. Many will be heard in the Morial Convention Center hallways, in exhibit booths, Summit rooms, Hubs and restaurants. And they will be talking about how to make the power generation sector ever better, cleaner, more reliable and vibrant. Later they’ll be talking about where to get drinks and dinner… and making the power better. Dialogue is good.

W is for Wind. This is the utility-scale renewable energy growing at the fastest rate. Happy to have Southwestern Electric Power Co., Mercom Capital, Enel Green Power, Black & Veatch, National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, National Ocean Industries Association, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, Wood, Ameresco and Synergy Project Solutions.

X is for ….well, this is a difficult one. X marks the spot but it doesn’t start a whole lot of words, except xylophone. OK, X is the Roman numeral for 10, such as the number of companies which are POWERGEN’s top-level sponsors. FPT Powertrain Technologies, AECOM, Power Solutions International-Weichai, Aska Power Generation, Black & Veatch, ABB, Uniper, Travelers Alliance Group, John Cockerill and the Italian Trade Agency. We think they are pretty Xcellent.

Y is for Y ask Y? What happens in New Orleans stays in New Orleans… Just kidding. Be safe and smart.

Z is for Zydeco, because in New Orleans, well, it all comes back to music. Jazz is better known, but this combination of piano, accordion and washboard rhythms can also be found at various clubs within the city. And it helps us conclude this journey through the alphabet. Now you know…

Hope to see you in a few days where we can recite them together again at POWERGEN International.

(Rod Walton is content director for POWERGEN International and Power Engineering. He can be reached at rod.walton@clarionevents.com).

The result of a six-month creative consultation with market-leading Larsen Energy Branding, Enlit is the world’s only complete energy event. It will bring clarity to the global energy transition and define the roles of all those involved in powering the next generation of the industry.

Visitors to Enlit will enjoy a truly inspirational and immersive experience with content created and curated specifically for tomorrow’s new energy professionals; while Enlit exhibitors will have unprecedented access to the people driving the future of the industry and the ability to reach a global audience under one brand.

“The energy transition is defining the way we harness, trade, deploy and use energy, which is changing radically, rapidly and continuously,” said European Utility Week and POWERGEN Europe director Paddy Young.

“From source to generation, to grid to the consumer, the boundaries of the sector are blurring, and this evolution is being shaped by established players, external disruptors, innovative start-ups and the increasingly engaged end-user,” Young said. “Enlit will bring together all of these influencers to seize current opportunities, spotlight future ones, and inspire the next generation to join the journey.”

Clarion Energy Executive Vice President & Global Managing Director Duncan Reid added: “Enlit is a fantastic new brand for what is the most important and comprehensive event portfolio for the global energy industry. Over the next 12 months, we will roll out Enlit across three continents to unify seven brands: Power & Utilities Australia, Australian Utility Week and POWERGEN Australia in Melbourne in August, Asian Utility Week and POWERGEN Asiain Jakarta in September and European Utility Week and POWERGEN Europe in Milan in October.”

Industry support

The power and energy industry has welcomed the new Enlit brand. Enel Foundation, the nonprofit research and education organization created by the Enel Group, which joined forces with Clarion as exclusive Global Knowledge Partner of the Power and Energy event series, also considers Enlit as a platform that will support the energy transition promoting sustainable and resilient development for all.

Carlo Papa, Director of Enel Foundation, said, “In this historical moment for our industry and our planet, getting stakeholders to unite behind accelerating the clean energy transition without leaving anyone behind is a global priority and Enlit perfectly represents this convergence space.”