Energy Exchange

New York utility regulator approves a first-of-its-kind certified gas pilot program. Now what?

By Erin Murphy / Published: September 19, 2023

Con Edison East River Generation Station

The New York Public Service Commission recently approved a certified natural gas pilot program proposed by Con Edison, the gas and electric utility for much of New York City. Under the pilot, Con Edison may pay a premium for limited amounts of natural gas that is purportedly certified as having lower methane emissions than the gas Con Ed typically purchases to serve its customers. Methane, the principal component of natural gas, is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Research shows that a rapid, full-scale effort to reduce methane emissions — including from the oil and gas industry — could slow the current rate of warming by as much as 30%.

There are several reasons to be skeptical about whether this scheme delivers real environmental benefits and if it is worth the premium price Con Ed will pay, and ultimately pass along to customers. This pilot program should make good progress in answering these questions.

Posted in Methane regulatons / Authors: emurphy / Comments are closed

Interim Solutions needed while New York Public Service Commission moves forward on longer term truck charging infrastructure programs

By EDF Blogs / Published: September 7, 2023

By Pamela MacDougall and Cole Jermyn

UPDATE: Since the publication of this blog post on April 27, 2023, the New York Public Service Commission has made meaningful progress within its new Medium- and Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure proceeding. The PSC accepted comments on its initial questions from several dozen parties including EDF, and technical conferences are expected this fall. Despite this, the proceeding will likely continue into next year, leaving many early adopter fleets without sufficient access to charging infrastructure and potentially setting the state behind on its electrification goals. With deadlines from the Advanced Clean Trucks rule and emissions reductions goals from the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act rapidly approaching, now is the time to kickstart the deployment of truck and bus charging infrastructure in New York. The state must implement interim solutions while the PSC continues to move forward. Primarily, changes can be made to the medium- and heavy-duty make-ready pilot program by expanding its eligibility to be more accessible to different types of fleets, depot owners and repair shops. Additionally, the program’s budget can be expanded, as the Commission’s Staff has already proposed. The Commission must also work with its sister agencies including the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the Department of Transportation to support near-term deployments of charging infrastructure. Not only will these solutions help provide the charging infrastructure that fleets need now, but the PSC will have the learnings it needs to have a full-scale medium- and heavy-duty charging program in the future. Environmental Defense Fund commends the PSC for the progress made so far on the proceeding and is looking forward to working with the commission to ensure no time is wasted in deploying necessary charging infrastructure improvements.

Posted in Electric Vehicles, New York / Authors: admin / Comments are closed

Generous tax subsidies for sustainable aviation fuels in the U.S.? Yes, but details matter

By Mark Brownstein / Published: August 23, 2023

One of the Inflation Reduction Act’s key provisions is a powerful tax credit to spark the development and adoption of clean, low-carbon aviation fuels. Climate pollution from aircraft is often overlooked, but if aviation were a country, it would be among the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters.

The Biden administration is about to make a crucial decision on which fuels should be eligible for the tax credits. Getting this right is critical to whether this government subsidy will be money well spent.

Posted in Aviation / Authors: mbrownstein / Comments are closed

Known Unknown: Current hydrogen leak estimates vary by up to 100-fold. We need to know more before betting the farm

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 16, 2023

Hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline - hydrogen gas for clean electricity solar and windturbine facility.

Hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline – H2 can leak easily through joints and valves (if they are not correctly tightened).

By Sofia Esquivel Elizondo

Enthusiasm for hydrogen as a climate-friendly fuel of the future is everywhere. Hundreds of hydrogen energy projects worth more than $500 billion have been announced, and The International Energy Agency says hydrogen demand could increase sixfold by 2050.

Scientists, though, are confident that this leak-prone gas can warm the climate when it escapes into the atmosphere. Just how much warming will depend on how much hydrogen is emitted, and that remains a giant question mark. That’s why Environmental Defense Fund set out to identify the climate risks of future hydrogen emissions and help develop technology that can detect how much hydrogen escapes from today’s infrastructure.

EDF’s groundbreaking 2022 study explained how unchecked hydrogen emissions can severely undercut the climate benefit of switching from fossil fuels to hydrogen. We found that if it’s not done right, using hydrogen could be worse for the near-term climate than the fossil fuels it would replace.

Posted in Air Quality / Authors: admin / Comments are closed

New bipartisan legislation would give U.S. orphan well management efforts a huge boost

By EDF Blogs / Published: August 7, 2023

Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) meets with oil industry and environmental group leaders at kick-off event for orphan well remediation program in Adams County, CO

By Adam Peltz and Meg Coleman

Across the country, a million or more orphaned oil and gas wells threaten the climate, public health, groundwater and surface waters and hamper local economic development. Help is on the way thanks to a major federal effort to invest $4.7 billion in closing orphan wells under the Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells Act as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but the scale of the problem is vast.

In order to get a handle on these orphaned wells, New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Luján , Democrat, and North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer, Republican, worked together to secure well closure funding in BIL. Now, they have reintroduced the Abandoned Well Remediation Research and Development Act and a bipartisan group in the House led by Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee, Democrat, and republican Oklahoma Rep. Stephanie Bice have introduced a companion bill. This important, bipartisan legislation would invest more than $150 million over the next five years to help find an estimated 800,000 undocumented orphan wells, reuse those we can for beneficial purposes and ultimately close all of the rest more effectively and affordably. While partisan politics seem to divide the Capitol these days, it is exciting to see leaders on both sides of the aisle come together to address orphan wells.

Posted in Air Quality, Methane, Methane regulatons / Tagged New Mexico | Authors: admin / Comments are closed

New rules could mean less waste, less pollution and more jobs for Louisiana

By EDF Blogs / Published: July 31, 2023

By Adam Peltz and Elizabeth Lieberknecht

Recently, Louisiana, under the leadership of Gov. John Bel Edwards, became the latest state taking action to curb pollution and waste from oil and gas production. In a new proposal, the state says it will limit natural gas venting and flaring and attempt to reduce the risk of thousands of idle wells becoming orphaned. Both actions will help create jobs, protect taxpayers and safeguard the environment. Here’s how.

Posted in Air Quality, Flaring, Methane, Methane regulatons / Authors: admin / Comments are closed