FOSSIL FUELS
A federal appeals court has rejected portions of revisions to EPA’s 2008 ozone rule that would delay compliance deadlines and revoke transportation conformity requirements. On December 23, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated portions of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2008 National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ground-level ozone. The court…...
EPA’s Clean Power Plan, regional programs, and continued solar installation growth aim to improve state-level resource and grid reliability. The proposed Clean Power Plan and regional reliability programs will continue to influence an energy mix shift and electric system improvements in the coming years. The energy mix shift is also being pushed by fuel and…...
The continued increase in rail transportation of U.S. crude oil reflects rising production, which reached 8.5 million bbl/d in June 2014, the highest since July 1986. On December 24, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that the amount of U.S. crude oil and refined petroleum products transported by rail increased by…...
Demand response (DR) performance in wholesale power markets has improved over the past six years, in part as a result of multiple FERC Orders. Removal of DR from organized electricity markets would favor generators through increased sales; this could lead to higher associated emissions and peak power prices. The Solicitor General has until January 15 to file…...
The EPA has issued the first national regulations for disposal of coal ash as solid waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. On December 19, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule to regulate disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR) generated from electric utilities and independent power producers. The final rule…...
The New York State DEC has announced that it will prohibit high-volume hydraulic fracturing activity in the state based on findings and recommendations in the DOH Public Health Review. On December 17, 2014, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) released its Public Health Review of the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) draft Supplemental…...
ARPA-E has announced $60M in funding under its MONITOR and DELTA programs to check methane emissions and facilitate energy-efficient thermal management. On December 16, 2014, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced $60M in funding for 22 innovative projects through its Methane Observation Networks with Innovative Technology to Obtain Reductions (MONITOR)…...
The EIA has projected that U.S. crude oil production will grow in 2015 despite the recent price decline. On December 12, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report forecasting that U.S. crude oil production will continue to grow in 2015 despite the potential for weaker production levels due to the recent price decline…....
Governor Cuomo has announced five initiatives consistent with the REV strategy to advance the local clean energy industry and modernize utility sector operations. On December 12, 2014, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced new clean energy initiatives consistent with the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy to spur innovation and investment, improve customer choice…...
Utilities are increasingly pursuing rate design reform to earn revenue as kilowatt-hour demand growth flattens. As net energy-metered residential solar PV installation growth continues, utilities will be challenged with building and maintaining infrastructure with diminishing revenue streams. The fixed charge and net energy metering NEM compensation debate will continue as utilities fight for sustained revenue…...
Approval of Con Edison’s BQDM Program is a significant step for the utility to pursue non-traditional infrastructure investments to meet local demand. On December 12, 2014, the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) issued an order in Case 14-E-0302 approving Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc.’s (Con Edison) Brooklyn/Queens Demand Management (BQDM) Program to address overload…...
The FERC has announced technical conferences to discuss the impacts of EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan on wholesale electricity markets, reliability, and infrastructure. On December 9, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced that it will hold four technical conferences – one National Overview conference and three regional conferences – to discuss implications of…...