The world's largest solar thermal powerplant is nearing completion in the Ivanpah Dry Lake, 50 miles northwest of Needles, Calif. Comprising three units that will begin staged operation in the fourth quarter, the 377-MW Ivanpah complex will generate enough electricity for 140,000 homes and displace more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, says the owner-developer. Related Links: Solar Sees Growth But Clouds Loom Ivanpah Solar Project Renews Power Market BrightSource Energy Inc., Oakland, has power-purchase agreements in place with PG&E and Southern California Edison. By generating more than 1-million-MWh annually, the $2.2-billion plant will nearly double U.S. commercial
Related Links: Solar Sees Growth But Clouds Loom Fast-Tracked Mojave Projects Boost California Solar Output Israel Awards Contract for $1-Billion Solar Thermal Power Plant The world's largest solar thermal powerplant is nearing completion in the Ivanpah Dry Lake, 50 miles northwest of Needles, Calif. Comprising three units that will begin staged operation in the fourth quarter, the 377-MW Ivanpah complex will generate enough electricity for 140,000 homes and displace more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, says the owner-developer.BrightSource Energy Inc., Oakland, has power-purchase agreements in place with PG&E and Southern California Edison. By generating more than 1-million-MWh
Photo by Tudor van Hampton, ENR Well-managed mobile tool cribs can cut jobsite equipment losses to less than 3%, compared with the 30% to 40% industry average. Related Links: Equipment Cost on the Rise Equipment for the 21st Century Effective equipment management plays a critical role in remaining competitive as more firms vie for fewer jobs. Although equipment rentals typically make up 1% to 3% of total project costs, a non-functioning machine can cripple a jobsite. As a result, contractors are increasingly using turnkey rental services to reduce overhead and decrease downtime, improve safety and increase profitability. A managed equipment
Related Links: Industry Firms Envision New Group as 'Voice' for P3s in the U.S. Interstate 595 Widening Marks Florida's First P3 Effort Indiana DOT Seeks P3 for I-69 Project Nevada recently approved using a public-private partnership for a massive, costly upgrade to a heavily traveled section of Interstate 15 in downtown Las Vegas. Called Project Neon, the plan is meant to improve a 3.7-mile stretch of I-15 between Sahara Avenue and the U.S. 95/I-15 "Spaghetti Bowl" interchange, which sees 250,000 cars daily. Traffic through the corridor is expected to double by 2030.“We received an unsolicited bid a year and a
ESPN Linbeck was the go-to guy to lead an independent probe of the Texas A&M bonfire structure collapse; the 1999 accident killed 12 students and injured 27. Related Links: June 17 Tribute to Leo Linbeck Jr.s leadership of Bonfire Commission by former Texas A&M President Link to PDF-Report of Texas A&M University Bonfire Commission Investigation Can Leo Linbeck IIIs Super PAC Remake Congress? Leo Linbeck Jr., who led Houston-based Linbeck Group LLC to become a regional building giant and took on high-profile causes in Texas and nationwide, died in Houston on June 8 at age 78 from complications of a
The State Highway 114/121 corridor, also known as the Dallas-Fort Worth Connector, is undergoing a supersize upgrade. The $1-billion project expands and redesigns two interchanges and portions of four highways in addition to building 39 bridges and more than 100 retaining walls. The 8.4-mile-long route runs through the cities of Southlake, Grapevine and Irving as well as the northern edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The Texas Dept. of Transportation design-build project is being built by NorthGate Constructors LLC—a 65%-35% joint venture led by Kiewit Texas Construction LP with Zachry Construction Corp. The lead design engineer is PB Americas,
The 60-year-old family-owned company now is set to emerge from bankruptcy with its leadership intact. Related Links: How Ahern Rentals Landed in Bankruptcy Vegas' CityCenter Eyes Rocky Finish After 18 months in bankruptcy over $620 million in debt, Don F. Ahern is breathing a heavy sigh of relief. Ahern, who is president of the country's largest private construction-equipment rental company, received approval on June 5 for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy exit plan in federal court in Reno, Nev. As part of the deal, Ahern will remain at the helm of 60-year-old Ahern Rentals Inc.The Las Vegas-based
Photo Courtesy of Cole-Bar Tool can serve as a hammer, crowbar, T-square, socket wrench and more. Related Links: Auburn Students Work With Industry to Design Tomorrow's Tools Goldieblox Toy Takes Girls For a Spin into Engineering Careers The Cole-Bar Hammer makes the Swiss Army knife look like a can opener. The seven-in-one tool combines a claw hammer with a full crowbar, ruler, measuring square, ½-in. socket wrench, demolition device and nail pliers. To finance production, inventor Lance Hyde and his son, Barton, launched a $100,000 Kickstarter crowd-source funding campaign during the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas on May 7-9.The
Related Links: Mobile Tools Enhance Jobsite Productivity New Safety Methods Boost Jobsite Results Construction companies are increasingly allocating more money for labor-saving items that reduce man-hours in the field while limiting liability risks. Handheld tools and devices can enhance worker performance and reduce owner overhead costs for increased market competitiveness. Greater productivity can be achieved through safer, ergonomic devices that increase efficiency while reducing health insurance-related claims.Innovation, in part, has been driven by companies forced to do more with less during a deep recession. The most popular, best-selling items often address repetitive stress injuries, which cost employers more than $20