The notion that natural gas serves as a transition fuel to a low-carbon future has been challenged by a number of studies indicating that emissions of methane, the primary component of natural gas, significantly contributes to global warming. Methane is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere over a 20-year period.
According to a report published on May 8 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration there were fewer interruptions to mount new utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in 2023 compared to 2022. Solar developers postponed the scheduled start date for an average of 19 percent of planned solar capacity compared with an average of 23…...
The U.S. Energy Department on May 9 released an initial list of ten potential National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETCs) aimed at accelerating transmission project expansions in areas with urgent needs for expanded capacity. These corridors, spanning nine regions identified in the department’s National Transmission Needs Study, hold significant promise for advancing transmission to meet…...
U.S. West Coast refineries are utilizing more hydrogen from merchant suppliers than from their own production, according to a May 7 report published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Merchant suppliers accounted for over 62 percent of the hydrogen utilized by West Coast refiners during 2022. The inclination towards higher utilization of purchased hydrogen is…...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on May 6 issued a final rule updating reporting requirements for petroleum and natural gas systems under the agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The revisions will improve the accuracy of reported emissions from oil and natural gas facilities, providing greater transparency and accountability for methane emissions from their operations. Methane…...
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized its guidance clarifying the statutory definition of foreign entity of concern, or FEOC, in a section of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or IIJA, that applies to programs related to the battery supply chain. This interpretive guidance is expected to assist automakers and other stakeholders…...
The Biden administration continues to advance policies and programs to catalyze offshore wind deployment to achieve the goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030…Read the full report …...
The Biden administration continues to advance policies and programs to catalyze offshore wind deployment to achieve the goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035. States are also expediting offshore wind procurement efforts to align with ambitious deployment goals.
The U.S. Interior Department on April 30 announced proposals for offshore wind energy auctions in the Gulf of Maine and offshore Oregon that have the potential to generate more than 18 gigawatts of wind energy and power over six million homes. The Gulf of Maine auction would include eight lease areas off the coasts of…...
Georgia Power announced that Plant Vogtle Unit 4 achieved commercial operation on April 29, bringing the total generating capacity of the plant to over 4.6 gigawatts. With all four units now operational, Plant Vogtle is the largest nuclear power plant in the U.S. and is expected to generate over 30 million megawatt hours of electricity…...