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Article Archive

EV Hype and Hope

Solyndra shakeout hits the electric car business
Michael T. Burr
Six months after Solyndra's bankruptcy, the resulting controversy is affecting other companies that were hoping to secure loans from the Department of Energy. Lawmakers want to know whether the DOE loan program has stalled out -- and whether reforms are needed to clarify the mission and the risks for taxpayers.
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The CAPX2020 Model: Part II

Xcel Energy’s Teresa Mogensen discusses public-private collaboration
Michael T. Burr
One of the most ambitious transmission projects in America today is CAPX2020. In this second of two exclusive interviews, Fortnightly's Spark talks with Teresa Mogensen, Xcel Energy’s vice president of transmission, about how the investor-owned utility collaborated with public-power utilities to develop a complex set of lines and a solid investment for shareholders.
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The CAPX2020 Model - Part I

Great River Energy’s Will Kaul discusses collaborative development
Michael T. Burr
One of the most ambitious transmission projects in America today is CAPX2020, a series of lines in Minnesota and surrounding states. In this first of two exclusive interviews, Fortnightly's Spark talks with Will Kaul, Great River Energy’s v.p. of transmission, about how the project managed to succeed where others have failed.
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Cyber War!

Hardening SCADA Systems against Internet Threats
Chris Petersen, LogRhythm
The United States is the superpower of cyber warfare, but we aren’t alone in possessing these capabilities. Sophisticated attacks raise new concerns about utility vulnerabilities -- SCADA systems in particular.
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Climate Exposure

Collecting on GHG Damage Claims
F. William Brownell and Curtis D. Porterfield
A state supreme court ruled last fall that damage resulting from climate change allegedly caused by power plant emissions was “reasonably foreseeable,” and therefore litigation expenses were not covered under a general liability insurance policy. The ruling creates an unworkable standard and raises questions about insurance coverage for climate-change liabilities.
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