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Big boxes of steel, iron, and mineral oil.
That’s how John Gajda, a long-time utility engineer and professor at North Carolina State University, described power transformers in a recent interview with the Energy News Network. But that unassuming description disguises just how important these hunks of metal are for the clean energy transition.
Transformers do exactly what their name suggests: Transform electricity made at power plants to a voltage suitable for transmission, then transform the voltage again for us to use at home. And as more solar panels and wind turbines are built and more electric cars and appliances add to power demand, they’re becoming more essential than ever.
But there’s one big problem: The average large power transformer in the U.S. is about 40 years old, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and many are in need of replacement. And because of a global shortage of the devices, it can now take as much as five years to get a new one.
A new transformer factory coming to Charlotte, North Carolina, could help plug the gap. Siemens Energy is expanding and refitting its existing plant to build 57 massive transformers every year — a critical new supply as the DOE projects the U.S. will need to buy 900 new transformers annually in just three years.
Read more about the future of transformers at the Energy News Network.
More clean energy news
💸 Methane fee math: The top 25 U.S. oil and gas producers would’ve been liable for $1.1 billion in charges had the federal climate law’s methane emissions fee been applied over the year ending in March 2023, an analysis finds. (Grist)
🚗 Tailpipe rule tossup: The Biden administration reportedly plans to give automakers more time to meet its ambitious tailpipe emissions rules meant to speed electric vehicle adoption; White House officials say the rule is still in play. (New York Times, E&E News)
🌬️ Bright spots for offshore wind: The U.S. offshore wind industry enters 2024 with lowered ambitions after a series of canceled projects last year, though analysts say those that survived now have a better chance of being built. (E&E News)
🏦 Banks back off climate: Big financial firms have quit an international coalition aimed at curbing investment-related greenhouse gas emissions and back out of other climate commitments, saying the promises could expose them to legal challenges. (Reuters, New York Times)
🤝 Better together: Combining state, local and private-sector efforts to reduce emissions are more effective than any efforts on their own, researchers find, noting that when governments make emissions rules, they often drive companies to follow suit. (The Hill)
🗳️ Clean energy’s political future: Republicans pushing for climate action and clean energy vow to keep working even if former President Trump is elected and turns the tide against them. (E&E News)
🛣️ Stay in your lane: Environmental justice advocates call for a moratorium on expanding highways, saying they disproportionately affect nearby communities of color through displacement and pollution. (Washington Post)
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