NATURAL GAS
The U.S. Energy Department’s $6 billion nuclear credit program, the pursuit for carbon-free generation to meet climate goals, and technological advancements are reigniting support for nuclear power. The global impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine has also escalated the importance of national security considerations in energy policies including a discussion about the role of nuclear power.
Several states that have ambitious clean energy and emissions reduction mandates are investigating the role of natural gas in the shift to a low-carbon power system. Actions at the federal level, spurred by the Biden administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, are also catalyzing efforts to decarbonize the gas system.
The Biden administration is walking a tightrope on climate action as recent moves in the oil and gas industry challenge its aggressive climate agenda, which calls for net-zero emissions by 2050.
Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage Inc. (EGTS), which provides natural gas transportation and storage services with one of the largest underground natural gas storage systems in the U.S., has requested a whopping 214 percent increase in cost of service rates in its first general rate case filed with federal regulators since 1998. The proposed changes have drawn protests from over two dozen companies that rely on the EGTS system for transportation and storage services.
Ongoing state initiatives to transition to a low-carbon future and new actions from the federal level are impacting natural gas utilities’ long-term planning strategies. The challenge for utilities is to adapt to the changing policy landscape, evolving in ways that contribute to decarbonization.
U.S. state regulators and utilities alike are exploring the use of renewable natural gas (RNG) due to its environmental benefits to displace fossil fuels and to support the transition to a low-carbon energy economy. RNG is pipeline-quality methane produced from biomass that is sourced from livestock operations, landfills, and other organic waste.
A growing number of states are investigating long-term planning of natural gas utilities to explore cost-effective alternatives that better align with climate policies. Investigation into the future of the gas industry is becoming important to develop strategies that facilitate progress toward a net-zero emissions energy future while safeguarding ratepayer interests and ensuring reliable service.
A series of setbacks for high-profile oil and gas pipeline projects in the U.S. reveal the difficult climate for midstream projects in the face of growing legal challenges, changing economics, and states’ push to reduce fossil fuels as they embrace clean energy.
The New Hampshire Public Utility Commission issued a second order on Oct. 2 demanding that retail power supplier Agera Energy LLC make alternative compliance payments totalling over $2.2 million to satisfy compliance with the state’s 2018 renewable portfolio standards. Agera, which filed for bankruptcy with a federal bankruptcy court in New York on Oct. 4th,…...
The U.S. is poised to become a net exporter of natural gas by pipeline for the year for the first time ever following a 24 percent jump in shipments to Mexico in 2018 and a build out of new cross-border links set to expand the capacity for flows heading to the southern neighbor.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska on March 29 overturned President Donald Trump’s executive order issued in 2017 to undo a ban on oil and gas drilling in most of the Arctic Ocean. The court ruled that only Congress has the authority to revoke the ban imposed by former President Obama in…...
The U.S. added 31.3 gigawatts of generating capacity in 2018, the largest since the 2003 capacity addition of 48.8 gigawatts, according to a March 11 report from the Energy Information Administration. Natural gas accounted for 62 percent of utility-scale additions, while wind and solar photovoltaic represented 21 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Coal accounted for…...