Energy Exchange

California sets new standards for natural gas storage sites

By Adam Peltz / Published: July 11, 2018

Data visualization shows the methane plume from the Aliso Canyon gas leak in red.

Three years ago, a blowout at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility forced thousands of nearby families to evacuate their homes and leaked over 100,000 tons of methane and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. The facility’s operator, Southern California Gas, wasn’t prepared for the scope or scale of the disaster that unfolded over four months.

The disaster demonstrated the risks of under-regulated natural gas storage sites, as well as the importance of not being over-reliant on natural gas. Regulators in California and across the country realized the need for better oversight and management.

As a result, California’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) recently finalized new rules for managing the risky, industrial enterprise of underground gas storage. These rules are a foray into an underdeveloped policy space, and are the product of collaboration with stakeholders including national laboratories, the environmental community, and the federal government.

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Also posted in Aliso Canyon, California, General, Methane, Natural Gas / Tagged | Comments are closed

A regionalized energy grid creates a home for California’s wasted renewables

By EDF Blogs / Published: July 11, 2018

By Andy Bilich, Lauren Navarro

These days, California’s renewable energy records are regularly broken.

During the summer solstice on June 21, California utility scale solar power set a generation record with solar producing equivalent to about 16 percent of all electricity consumed during the day.

And earlier this year, on April 27, California set two renewable energy records for both instantaneous solar generation: about 10.5 gigawatts), and instantaneous renewable generation: 73 percent of the state’s total electricity demand came from renewable energy.

With renewables deployment poised for more growth, it’s likely even these new records will be surpassed sometime soon. However, to ensure the state’s investment in clean energy is put to use, and not wasted, California has some work to do. Read More »

Also posted in California, Clean Energy, Regional Grid, Solar Energy, Wind Energy / Comments are closed

New utility settlement highlights how Ohio utilities are leaving FirstEnergy behind on clean energy

By Dick Munson / Published: July 9, 2018

BLOG UPDATE – September 26, 2018

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio today approved DP&L’s rate case, described below.

A new utility settlement in Ohio is loaded with promising clean-energy components. Meanwhile, Ohio-based utility giant FirstEnergy continues to cling to the energy sources of the past.

Encouraging settlement

Along with FirstEnergy, Duke, and AEP, Dayton Power & Light (DP&L) is one of Ohio’s four investor-owned utilities that deliver electricity to people’s homes and businesses.

In DP&L’s recent rate case (a process that sets customers’ electricity delivery rates), the utility and environmental groups, including Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), have reached a settlement that includes the following: Read More »

Also posted in Clean Energy, Ohio / Read 2 Responses

Bipartisan western governors agree methane reductions benefit states

By Jon Goldstein / Published: June 28, 2018

Yesterday the Western Governors Association, a bipartisan organization representing the Governors of the 19 western states, announced a policy resolution recognizing the importance and economic benefits of efforts to cut methane pollution from oil and gas facilities – the nation’s largest industrial source of methane.

The resolution states:

There are environmental and economic benefits of reducing methane emissions and opportunities for the beneficial use of this natural resource. Many western states – in cooperation with industry in those states – have already implemented regulatory strategies that reduce methane emissions from oil and gas operations, while expanding the use and sale of methane.

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Also posted in California, Colorado, General, Methane, Natural Gas, Texas, Wyoming / Tagged | Comments are closed

100% by 2045: California evaluates one of the nation’s biggest clean energy goals

By Lauren Navarro / Published: June 27, 2018

It’s summertime in California, and one thing that means is lots of sunshine. Lucky for us, the Golden State is a national leader in turning that sunshine, and other renewable resources, into electricity to power homes and business across the state.

Currently, the state is working to produce 50 percent of its electricity from clean energy resources like solar and wind and is closing in on that goal. Next month, lawmakers will get the chance to advance that goal even further – to 100 percent by 2045.

SB 100, authored by Sen. Kevin de León, is the bill that, if passed, could solidify the new, bigger, bolder target. California would be the second state in the nation to pass this high of a target – only behind Hawaii. A handful of other states are considering aiming at 100 percent clean energy, including Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Washington, and Pennsylvania.

California’s leadership could help tip the scale. California has the opportunity to show the rest of these states and countries across the world that 100 percent clean energy is possible. With climate change already affecting us, we don’t have much more time to waste.  Read More »

Also posted in California, Clean Energy, Electric Vehicles, Electricity Pricing, Energy Efficiency, Solar Energy, Time of Use / Tagged | Read 1 Response

An electrified transportation future could create thousands of jobs for this Midwestern state

By Dick Munson / Published: June 26, 2018

Today General Motors offers two models of electric vehicles (EVs). Within the next five years, the automotive giant will offer at least 20 EV options.

That’s just one of many signs pointing to a more efficient, connected, and electrified transportation sector, which presents a prime opportunity for Ohio companies. In fact, a recent report from Synapse Energy finds that Ohio could bring in over $6 billion in investment and net more than 9,000 jobs by expanding the state’s automotive leadership into an electrified, more efficient future.

Why Ohio?

With a thriving automotive supply chain, Ohio has a strong foundation for investment and growth by electrifying transportation. Specifically, the state is already heavily involved in the areas of the auto industry that will change the most with electrification: internal combustion engines, transmissions, and other drivetrain components.

And according to a 2017 report, Ohio has more than 27,000 jobs – and 80 facilities – building clean and fuel-efficient vehicle technology. Only the states of Michigan and Indiana have more. Read More »

Also posted in Clean Energy, Ohio / Comments are closed