NY Utility Resilience Initiatives and Utility Outage Alternatives

New York’s fast-evolving energy industry is focused on preparing for a future in which new technologies present broad opportunities to modernize energy systems in ways that could significantly increase resiliency. In June 2013, New York unveiled a comprehensive plan to increase infrastructure and building resilience including initiatives to mitigate weather-related impacts. These initiatives are designed…...

DOE Announces First Regional Gasoline Reserve

In response to Superstorm Sandy, DOE has announced the first federal regional gasoline reserve to create one million barrels of gasoline storage in the Northeast. On May 2, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced establishment of the first regional refined petroleum product reserve creating one million barrels of gasoline storage in the Northeast.  The action,…...

U.S. Biomass-Based Diesel Imports Reach Record High

U.S. biomass-based diesel imports witnessed a 10-fold growth between 2012 and 2013, reflecting increased demand to meet renewable fuel blending mandates. On May 2, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that U.S. biomass-based diesel imports increased to record levels from 61 million gallons (MG) in 2012 to 525 MG in 2013,…...

New FERC and EPA Regulations will Impact Cost and Security of Electricity Supply

Since the turn of the century, increased scrutiny has been placed on the U.S. electric grid. The threat of weather disruption, physical and cyber-attacks, and decreased regional power generation capacity due to emissions regulations are key factors framing the debate over how to achieve power security and supply. Overview In 2012, Hurricane Sandy exposed electric…...