power needs and supporting alternative forms of energy).
The solar industry is gaining ground
partly because of solar photovoltaic
and partly because of integrated solar-combined cycle applications, which
introduces low-grade solar-generated
steam into the CT cycle, Small said.
The big “elephant in the room” that
everyone’s talking about today,
according to Small, is CO2 legislation.
The proposed American Energy and
Security Act of 2009 could provide a
comprehensive climate change and
energy policy for the U.S., he said.
Greenhouse gas reduction levels and
timelines, allowable offsets, a Federal
RPS and carbon capture provisions,
are key focal points under discussion,
he said. The Senate will likely vote by
the end of 2009.
Small also said that, despite a few
early movers, “a wait-and-see attitude” is leading to delays in air-quality
control projects. “People want to know
what the rules are going to be. Utility
CEOs want some form of certainty in
place as they plan for their futures,”
Small said. He added that: “Nuclear,
despite a number of submitted combined operating license applications, is
still a ways out.”
the days when the issue was how to
grow the market, and even before then,
how to win its acceptance. He called
what’s happening currently the “perfect
storm for nuclear” because of the
world’s desire for low carbon footprint,
as well as the long lives of plants, reliability statistics and most recently, the
capability to bring economic benefits
and employment to communities.
Fifteen percent of the world’s electricity now comes from nuclear, and in
some places, the figures are much
higher such as France (75%), Germany
(28%) and Japan (25%). Currently,
there are 104 plants in 31 of this
nation’s states, and people now recognize the greenness of the industry, as
well as its very high safety record, Wolski said.
“It’s currently safer to work at a
nuclear plant than in a kindergarten
classroom,” he joked—eight times safer
than electric and 14 times safer than
manufacturing.
Although nuclear is affected by the
fact the nation is currently seeing a
decrease in electricity needs, “we
FORECAST: Recovery in the U.S.
power industry is expected in the
2010/2011 timeframe, and those competing for near-term work must be
flexible, cost conscious and prudent in
risk management practices. The valve
and pump industry should expect a
smaller volume of opportunities, more
renewable applications and a growing
number of combustion turbine projects
in the short-term. The industry should
also begin positioning itself today for a
much improved and robust future following market recovery.
NUCLEAR
A Bright Spot in the
Energy Sector
“I’m a little bullish on nuclear,” said
Gary Wolski, vice president of New
Build, Nuclear Group, Curtiss-Wright
Flow Control Company, who has been in
the industry long enough to remember
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