ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETS
A federal court decision on January 15, 2013 denied petitions challenging an EPA ruling that permits the use of a 15% ethanol fuel blend (E15) for light-duty gasoline-fueled vehicles. The step is a major victory for the biofuels industry, with several facilities just beginning to reach commercial production levels. The decision will also help the industry…...
California Governor Jerry Brown’s 2013-2014 budget proposal lays out the spending plan for $600 million in cap-and-trade. The budget estimates total program revenue of $200 million in 2013, a far miss from the $1 billion revenue forecast one year ago, reflecting weaker-than-expected demand in the November auction. On January 10, 2013, California Governor Brown released…...
New York Governor Andrew M Cuomo, at his 2013 State of the State address, proposed a major expansion of the successful NY-Sun program, announcing $150 million in annual funding through 2023. The expansion intends to steer progress in the solar power industry by making solar installations for homes and businesses more affordable. The proposal, part…...
As part of state goals to further a clean tech economy, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the Charge NY Plan, a new initiative intended to create a comprehensive charging network for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in New York. The proposal calls for a $50 million investment spread over five years, as part of…...
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, in his State of the State address, proposed a tougher carbon cap for states covered under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) cap-and-trade program. The proposal underscores RGGI’s opportunity for achieving even greater emissions reductions in future years, as its current carbon cap remains significantly higher than actual emissions produced in…...
California regulators will direct the state’s largest utilities to return 85% of cap-and-trade proceeds to ratepayers. The move, which comes about a month after the successful completion of California’s first carbon allowance auction, aims at offsetting higher electricity costs resulting from the cap-and-trade program, by providing a “climate dividend” on utility bills. On December 20, 1012,…...
by Angelique Mercurio, Energy Solutions Forum California regulators have named two major carbon offset registries, American Carbon Registry and Climate Action Reserve, as approved participants under the state’s cap-and-trade program. The approval authorizes permanent carbon offsets from sectors that are not covered under cap-and-trade, and allows regulated entities to reduce compliance costs by using tradable offset credits…...
Quebec has adopted a regulatory amendment to its cap-and-trade program, proposing to link its emissions trading system with the California AB32 program. The move marks a major step towards establishing potentially wider carbon markets in North America. The Quebec Cabinet announced an amendment to its cap-and-trade regulations on December 13, 2012, proposing linkage with California’s AB32…...
Politico Conference Recap by Erin Carson, Senior Policy Advisor A well-attended energy conference held in Washington D.C. last week asked congressional members and industry leaders about the upcoming energy policy agenda. The topics included oil and gas, renewable energy, and the possibility of new energy legislation. Panelists spoke about the need to invest in energy technologies…...
With the election over, President Obama’s energy priorities will emerge as new rules and regulations are finalized under existing law. The balance of power in Washington is the same as it was prior to the elections– President Barack Obama will serve another four years and Congress will continue to be divided with a Democrat-controlled Senate…...
On August 29, 2012 the Department of Energy (DOE) announced new investments for two university-led solar projects over a five-year period, under its SunShot Initiative. The investments amounting to $10 million are aimed at enhancing innovative technologies in concentrating solar power (CSP) systems. Such innovations can make solar power a practical energy option by increasing…...
According to a report released by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on August 27, 2012, applying a carbon tax at the rate of $20 per ton in 2013 and increasing it by four percent per year can raise $1.5 trillion over a span of 10 years. The report, which comes at a time when Congress…...