Power & Utilities
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…...
Under President Obama’s second term, energy industry officials and analysts are keen on the Administration’s priorities for the energy sector, envisioning regulatory reforms and policies to advance the nation’s energy and economic security. Key areas to watch include Keystone XL Pipeline talks, recognizing the primacy of states in regulating oil and natural gas development, and…...
Sequestration refers to a package of automatic $1.2 trillion across-the-board spending cuts that is a part of the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA), passed in August 2011. The spending cuts would affect some 1200 government programs, including those that fund energy research and development initiatives. The cuts are scheduled to begin on January 2, 2013…...
Homes with Energy Star certification represented 26 percent of new buildings in the U.S. in 2011, according to a report released by Energy Information Administration (EIA) on October 16, 2012. Announcing the first Energy Star Day on October 10, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stated that the 20-year-old program has helped American consumers save…...
A new report from Brattle Group released on October 1, 2012 projects that as much as 77 GW of coal power could retire in the next five years, driven mainly by lower natural gas prices, despite a less restrictive regulatory atmosphere than previously envisioned. The report, which is an update on Brattle Group’s 2010 study,…...
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…...
Ocean Power Technologies, a New Jersey-based renewable energy company, announced on August 20, 2012 that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a license for its 1.5 MW Reedsport wave energy park, the first of its kind in the U.S. The 35-year license approves the operation of up to 10 devices that can generate wave…...
According to an announcement from the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Secretary Steven Chu convened a group of technical experts on August 2, 2012 to review the Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) at Hanford Site, in order to assess its capability to detect and rectify equipment failure inside the plant’s black cells. Due to high levels…...
Congressional leaders and federal regulators are devising new ways to encourage anti-idling technologies that eliminate overnight idling by heavy duty diesel trucks, including Truck Stop Electrification (TSE). Every day, over 500,000 long-haul trucks crisscross the United States. Truckers are required to take a ten-hour rest after every eleven hours of driving, often using truck engines…...
On June 13, the Obama Administration announced a number of new public-and private-sector policy initiatives for building the 21st century grid. The White House event, which featured high-level Administration officials, private-sector leaders, and innovators from across the nation, focused on how new federal initiatives can advance development and deployment of smart-grid technologies. The panel coincided…...
