New research reveals methane emissions from Saskatchewan’s oil and gas industry are much higher than previously thought. Fortunately, the Trudeau government has a tremendous opportunity to address this problem as it crafts next year’s federal budget and demonstrates its commitment to ratchet down climate pollution.
Energy Exchange
New study underscores need for better methane measurement and strong regulations
Study suggests LNG production facilities should monitor methane emissions – just like the rest of the gas supply chain
By James France
Many parts of the world are looking to liquefied natural gas to provide a pathway to a cleaner and more secure energy resource — interest that has only grown since Russia’s war on Ukraine has shaken global energy markets. Meanwhile, gas-producing countries see LNG as a critical growth opportunity. The question is what an LNG boom would mean for the climate and communities near LNG facilities.
New study shows huge variation in how different oil companies manage climate pollution – underscores need for more oversight
By Jon Goldstein and Ben Hmiel
For the last several years, researchers have been studying methane emissions in the Permian Basin (the nation’s largest oil field) to try and understand just how much climate pollution specific oil companies may be responsible for. A new study published this week from EDF and Carbon Mapper offers insights into how we answer that question.
Rule #1 of deploying hydrogen: Electrify first
By Eriko Shrestha and Tianyi Sun
There is extraordinary excitement today over zero and low carbon hydrogen. But can it live up to the silver-bullet hype?
Case in point: Evidence indicates that in certain applications, green hydrogen made using wind or solar power could indeed yield a big climate benefit over fossil fuels. And in applications where other clean alternatives are lacking, it could be one of our best decarbonization tools.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer on methane. Here’s why.
By Edwin LaMair and Grace Smith
The US Congress recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which takes bold action to address the climate crisis. Multiple independent analyses show the bill could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, providing important support for President Biden’s goal of halving emissions by 2030.
Last week, the EPA requested public input on a key provision of the IRA — the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, MERP, — which works hand-in-hand with forthcoming EPA rules to cut methane from oil and gas operations through a fee on wasteful emissions.
What DOE should consider as it makes decisions on Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Projects
By Jona Koka
Nearly $5 billion from the Department of Energy combined with the economic incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act represent the United States’ first major steps to building a domestic carbon management industry that supports our Paris commitments.