Monthly Archives: January 2015

Methane Mitigation Sector: EPA Actions Good for Industry, Will Curb Waste, and Protect Communities

By Sean Wright / Published: January 16, 2015

A rising chorus of companies in the oil & gas services sector are adding their voices to the majority of Americans who think it’s a smart idea to limit vast waste of methane taking place every day in the nation’s the oil and gas operations. These companies in the methane mitigation industry are experts in finding and fixing methane waste. They issued statements welcoming the EPA’s announcement of planned rules aimed at reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas value chain.

As the ones who are working overtime to provide technologies and services to minimize release of methane and other pollutants throughout the natural gas value chain, these companies see limiting methane emissions as smart business for the oil and gas industry.

Consider their remarks:

“Rebellion Photonics welcomes today’s announcement from the EPA regarding its methane plan. It is a positive step towards ensuring we minimize emissions of methane, a short-term climate forcer, from the US oil and gas value chain. America’s shale revolution holds vast potential to both power our economy and drive environmental gains. Limiting the amount of methane that leaks from natural gas equipment ensures that we will maximize the environmental benefits of America’s plentiful natural gas resources,” said Rebellion Photonics, a manufacturer of specialized cameras that detect methane leaks.

Posted in Methane, Natural Gas / Comments are closed

New Jersey Should Leverage Private Capital to Achieve Resilient Energy Goals

By Mary Barber / Published: January 15, 2015

Since Hurricane Sandy exposed the vulnerability of New Jersey’s antiquated power grid, the state has been investing heavily in enhancing the grid’s resilience and promoting clean energy technologies to upgrade to a smarter, more flexible system that can keep people safe and warm when they need it most.

However, as I explain in my NJ Spotlight op-ed published today, limited public funds alone will not be enough to build the state’s clean energy future.

Private capital investment is key to establishing the large-scale, clean energy markets needed to ultimately save customers money, increase grid resiliency, and slash harmful pollution.

New Jersey has already made a step in the right direction with the launch of the Energy Resilience Bank, which was set up with $210 million of federal funds to finance resilient energy systems operating the state’s critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and long-term care facilities. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Energy Financing, New Jersey / Comments are closed

How EDF and Chicago are Leading the Way to Energy-Efficient Buildings

By Ellen Bell / Published: January 13, 2015

One degree Fahrenheit.

Yes, that was Friday’s temperature in Chicago.

But instead of thinking about jetting off to a sandy beach in the Caribbean, my thoughts instead turn to a more practical matter. As I look across the Chicago skyline, I wonder how many of these buildings have old, inefficient heating systems.

The good news is that right here in Chicago, some building owners are finding better, more efficient ways to heat — and in balmier times, cool — their properties.

Over the past year, EDF, the City of Chicago, and some of the city’s leading building owners have teamed up to make real progress in cutting energy use and costs.

The results of this partnership have helped Chicago move closer to the goal of the city’s Retrofit Chicago initiative: reduce commercial energy use in participating buildings by 20 percent in five years. The Mayor’s office has set the bar for energy savings, and EDF Climate Corps is providing boots on the ground to get it done. And Chicago’s leading building owners and operators are showing creativity and innovation in taking their energy management to the next level. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, EDF Climate Corps, Energy Efficiency, Illinois / Read 1 Response

National Climate Conference Puts California’s AB 32 on Display

By Tim O'Connor / Published: January 12, 2015

These days there seems to be steady stream of stories coming from Washington D.C. that are of interest to California, from national standards on trucks to new regulations covering existing emissions sources under the Clean Power Plan. However, the story treadmill runs in reverse too, as evidenced by the attention being paid to California’s world-leading climate program, AB 32, which is being fully implemented during a time of strong economic recovery in the Golden State.

In February 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Climate Registry, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, and the Association of Climate Change Officers will host the Climate Leadership Conference in Washington D.C and California’s AB 32 story and success will be on full display.

At the CLC in Pentagon City, taking place February 23^rd through 25^th, hundreds of policy makers, businesses, and advocates from across the nation will learn about and discuss efforts that are leading the way on climate solutions. As part of that discussion, the California story – from cap and trade to the Low Carbon Fuel Standard – will be showcased and broadcast in a multi-hour seminar, connecting state-level solutions to national decision makers.

Posted in General / Comments are closed

What do the ERCOT Reports Really Say About Texas’ Cleantech Market?

By Kate Zerrenner / Published: January 12, 2015

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which manages 90 percent of Texas’ electric grid, has been busy. In the last two months of 2014, the agency released two very lengthy reports examining the future of a lower-polluting power grid in light of upcoming EPA clean air protections, in particular the Clean Power Plan. As the media described it, the reports did not provide the rosiest of outlooks for costs to Texans or electric reliability. But I think they are looking at the reports the wrong way.

The electric grid is changing. Innovative technologies – many of which are created right here in Texas – are lowering electricity bills and increasing energy independence. They are disrupting the way we produce and use electricity and they are changing the way ERCOT looks at grid reliability – albeit not in these two reports.

Cleantech entrepreneurs are at the helm of deciding Texas’ (and, let’s face it, America’s) energy future. And there are quite a few market opportunities outlined in the reports, if you look closely. Here are a few hidden in the report, plus other trends to keep an eye on: Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Clean Power Plan, Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization, Renewable Energy, Texas / Read 3 Responses

2014: A Positive Sign of What’s to come for Clean Energy

By Cheryl Roberto / Published: January 8, 2015

The New Year is a time for reflection, beginning with a look back on the previous 12 months and all that they brought. A quick scan of the U.S. climate and energy news in 2014 will tell you it was a very big year.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants, the U.S. and China struck a historic climate deal, and Tesla broke ground in Nevada on the largest advanced automotive-battery factory in the world – a move that’s expected to slash the cost of lithium ion batteries by a third. At the same time that these important national and international advancements were grabbing headlines, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and our partners were working together to incrementally transform the U.S. electricity system by rewriting outdated regulations, spurring energy services markets, and modernizing our century-old electric grid.

The U.S. is on the verge of a revolution in the way we make, move, and use energy. And, having spent years working on governmental and regulatory matters related to our power system and lessening its impact on the environment, I can honestly say there has never been a more exciting time to be in this field. Here are a few of the moments that were near and dear to our hearts over the past year, developments I see as a sure signal 2015 will be another epic year for clean energy. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Demand Response, Energy Efficiency, Energy Financing, Grid Modernization, Illinois, Investor Confidence Project, New Jersey, New York, Renewable Energy, Texas, Utility Business Models / Tagged Energy Storage | Read 3 Responses