Black & Veatch: Decarbonization Driving Repowering of the Power Industry
Calls for zero-carbon energy are increasing, fueling the need for cleaner, more environmentally friendly energy portfolios.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.: The global power industry is in a state of transformation and needs to accelerate the path to net-zero as many companies, communities and stakeholders forge ahead with commitments to lower carbon emissions.
To address the challenge of maintaining grid reliability while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Black & Veatch, a global leader in the engineering and construction industry, for the past decade has been increasing its focus on advancing renewable energy and energy storage technologies, as well as furthering the deployment of hydrogen as a carbon-free fuel and advanced technologies for carbon capture. Within its power delivery portfolio, the company is also investing in grid modernization solutions to accommodate a more diverse power generation landscape of baseload and intermittent sources.
Recognizing the timeline its clients need to reliably achieve varying decarbonization targets, the company today announced it will cease participation in any further coal-based power design and construction. This shift allows its talented workforce to further accelerate the creation of solutions that help transform the industry, including helping clients reduce dependence on coal power assets and minimize the impact of those assets on the environment.
“The transition away from any coal-related activity is about our commitment as a company to sustainability and accelerating our efforts to lead the emerging carbon-free energy future,” said Steve Edwards, CEO of Black & Veatch.
The company will fulfill current project commitments to completion in the coming months. Its efforts will focus on supporting clients through their transition to a balanced energy portfolio with cleaner energy sources and towards achieving their decarbonization and sustainability goals.
“At the same time the industry wrestles with its transformation, global communities continue to have demand for safe, reliable, and cost-effective power,” added Mario Azar, President of Black & Veatch’s Power business. “These forces create a delicate balance that requires deep engineering and technology expertise to help guide the complex transition of power generation and delivery infrastructure.”
Reflecting the accelerating pace of market disruption, earlier this year, the Intermountain Power Agency selected Black & Veatch as Owner’s Engineer on its Intermountain Power Project Renewal Project, one of the earliest installations of combustion turbine technology designed to use a high percentage of green hydrogen.
For more information about the energy transformation, Black & Veatch’s new 2020 Strategic Directions: Electric Report details an industry focused on the pursuit of a lower-carbon footprint and integration of renewable energy into the grid to ensure increased resilience and reliability.
