“The result of the 2024 presidential election probably had the biggest impact on the direction the U.S. energy industry is headed right now,” Brandy Johnson, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) with Babcock & Wilcox (B&W), told POWER. “It has opened up the pathway for fossil fuels in power generation again.”
That shift is already visible across the coal sector. “Coal is no longer a four-letter word,” Johnson said. “Existing coal units are being run harder, plant shutdowns are being pushed out, and power producers are talking about building new coal facilities, which is exciting.”
For B&W, the changing landscape has been good for business. Johnson said the company’s coal business is thriving, and it continues to invest in new coal technologies while supporting the existing coal fleet in the U.S. and internationally. “We’re talking to and supporting the development plans of customers who are very interested in building new coal plants,” Johnson added.
“When we look at the technologies we’re developing for the future, including our BrightLoop chemical looping technology, we see coal playing a major role in our business for a very long time,” Johnson said. BrightLoop can use solid fuels, including coal, to produce steam, hydrogen, or syngas.
Beyond coal and BrightLoop technology, B&W is helping customers implement other alternatives including natural gas additions and conversions. “We have a breadth of products to support whatever our customers need,” said Johnson.
Still, Johnson emphasized that the industry shouldn’t lose sight of what comes next. Meeting current energy demands is essential, she said, but investments in plants with 30-year lifespans or more will shape the nation’s energy future for decades. Continued support for next-generation energy technologies remains critical to ensuring long-term reliability, affordability, and sustainability.
—Aaron Larson is POWER’s executive editor.
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