Google, with one of the largest data centers in the world located in northeast Oklahoma, recently made a power contract with a 350-megawatt solar project north of Austin, Texas. Google LLC reached the agreement with Engie North America, part of French utility Engie SA and the Chillingham solar project is anticipated to go online …
Category: Wind Energy
Power grid seeks experts to help with major transmission projects
The Southwest Power Pool, the group that controls the 14-state power grid, including Oklahoma, wants to create a pool of industry experts to be used for major transmission projects encouraged by the federal government. In an announcement about the move, the SPP said the experts may be chosen to serve on an independent panel to …
Study finds increased costs for solar and wind construction but lower for natural gas
The average U.S. construction costs for solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines in 2022 were close to 2021 costs, while natural gas-fired electricity generators decreased 11%, according to recently released data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Average construction costs for solar generators increased by 1.7% in 2022, and for wind turbines they increased …
Energy briefs
** Striking Boeing machinists rejected a proposed contract that would have ended a costly 41-day work stoppage. The machinists, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), turned down a deal that includes a 35 percent wage increase over the next four years, a $7,000 ratification bonus and improved retirement offerings. ** Nearly 80 …
Increased 3Q revenues reported for NextEra Energy
When NextEra Energy’s president said the third quarter revenues were strong, he wasn’t kidding. With Oklahoma wind farm operations adding to its revenue, NextEra Energy, Inc. reported third quarter net income of $1,852 billion or 90 cents a share….up from the $1.219 billion and 60 cents a share reported in the third quarter of …
Energy briefs
** Dozens of U.S. Representatives from both political parties urged the Biden administration to toughen sanctions on Russian oil shipments and questioned an exception issued to the world’s largest oilfield company SLB to operate in the country. ** General Motors will invest $625 million to partner in developing a lithium mine in Nevada that will help …
Energy briefs
** Nearly three weeks after a geyser shoy 100 feet into the air from a Reeves County, Texas oilfield, it is still gushing. The blowout is at an old well, once owned by a Kinder Morgan subsidiary. ** Labor advocates say training unionized oil and gas workers to plug orphaned oil and gas wells would help …
State House Committee to hold interim study on energy in Oklahoma
The wind industry, the Kiamichi River hydroelectric project and other related issues will be focused on Tuesday by members of the Oklahoma House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. They will spend the entire day discussing the issues prior to the start of the 2025 session of the Oklahoma legislature. Energy Generation will be the …
Energy briefs
** Boeing is exploring asset sales in a bid to boost its fragile finances by shedding its non-core or underperforming units, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. The planemaker last week reached an agreement to offload a small defense unit that makes surveillance equipment for the U.S. military, the paper reported, citing people familiar with the …
Kansas saw big jump in clean energy jobs in 2023
The state of Kansas saw a 5% increase in clean energy jobs last year according to a new Clean Jobs Midwest’s report. As a result, Kansas had 26,058 people working in the clean energy industry, far more than in 2019 when 24,812 worked in the industry. The report found 761,000 people were employed by …