Lynchburg-based BWXT elects new chair
Lynchburg-based nuclear components and fuel supplier BWX Technologies Inc. announced May 3 that Jan A. Bertsch assumed the role of chair of the board of directors. Bertsch succeeded retiring chairman John A. Fees. “We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Jan’s caliber assume this important leadership position for our c[...]
Tilting toward windmills
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A.’s October 2021 announcement that it will build the nation’s first offshore-wind blade factory at Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) has put Hampton Roads on a trajectory to become a supply chain hub for the country’s nascent offshore-wind energy industry. The Spanish wind turbine company [...]
Bill Buchanan named CEO of BARC Electric Co-op
Millboro-based BARC Electric Cooperative has named Bill Buchanan as CEO, replacing Michael Keyser, who left the cooperative in December 2021. Buchanan will take over as CEO effective May 9. Chief Operations Officer Chris Botulinski has been filling in as interim CEO and will return to his role as COO, the cooperative announced M[...]
Fluence to acquire renewable energy SaaS company
Arlington-based energy storage and digital application company Fluence Energy Inc. announced Monday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Nispera AG. Nispera is a Zurich-based artificial intelligence and machine learning-enabled software-as-a-service company that targets the renewable energy sector. It helps clients m[...]
Report: More cuts needed to meet net zero by 2050
Clean energy policies enacted in Virginia put the state on the path to cutting carbon emissions, but the commonwealth likely won’t reach net zero emissions by 2050 without more work, according to a new report released Monday by U.Va.’s Environmental Resilience Institute. The report set carbon dioxide emissions reduc[...]
Va. Energy seeks applications for mine reclamation projects
Companies with three or more years of mining and reclamation experience may apply for a chance to bid on the state’s Abandoned Mine Land projects, the Virginia Department of Energy announced this week. Projects involve removing safety hazards and environmental issues resulting from coal mining before 1977. Applicants will [...]
Power plays
Virginia’s largest electric utilities are deploying an array of technologies as they decarbonize, digitalize and decentralize their power grids to meet the state’s and their own clean energy goals. Richmond-based Dominion Energy Inc. and Charleston, West Virginia-headquartered Appalachian Power are expanding their solar, win[...]
SW community colleges to create wind manufacturing workforce
The presidents of four community colleges in Southwest Virginia signed a memorandum of understanding Wednesday to establish a wind manufacturing workforce development partnership. “Today’s MOU signing is meaningful because it demonstrates our resident and abiding interest in collaborating. Our four community college pres[...]
Dulles transit fleet to go greener
Washington Dulles International Airport’s parking shuttle fleet is going greener. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on Thursday announced that it purchased five fully electric-powered ZX5+ buses from California-based Proterra Operating Company Inc. as well as three charging stations. Each 29-seat bus features a 450-kilowatt-hour battery that can deliver as many as 216 miles of service […][...]
Henrico-based TemperPack receives $140M in financing
TemperPack Technologies has received $140 million in new equity financing, the Henrico-based manufacturer announced Tuesday. The company manufactures ClimaCell thermal liners, a recyclable, nontoxic alternative to expanded polystyrene and Styrofoam, used to ship food, pharmaceutical and other products which help to reduce waste and carbon emissions. TemperPack produces millions of ClimaCell box liners monthly from […][...]
Davenport Energy promotes Harold Thornton to president
Chatham-based Davenport Energy Inc. has promoted Harold E. “Hal” Thornton Jr. to president, the company announced Tuesday. Thornton has been with Davenport, a provider of gas, diesel fuel propane and petroleum products, for 27 years. He was initially hired as human resources director in 1995, rising through the ranks[...]
Dominion Energy solar, storage expansion projects approved
Dominion Energy Virginia has gotten the go-ahead for 15 new solar and energy storage projects that are expected to increase the typical residential customer’s monthly bill by $1.13. The Virginia State Corporation Commission approved several projects Tuesday that will provide nearly 1,000 megawatts of carbon-free electricit[...]