Energy Exchange

Clean Energy Conference Roundup: June 2015

By EDF Blogs / Published: June 8, 2015

rp_Source-National-Retail-Federation-Flickr-300x2001.jpgEach month, the Energy Exchange rounds up a list of top clean energy conferences around the country. Our list includes conferences at which experts from the EDF Clean Energy Program will be speaking, plus additional events that we think our readers may benefit from marking on their calendars.

Top clean energy conferences featuring EDF experts in June:

June 17: PJM Grid 20/20: Focus on Gas/Electric Interoperability (Audobon, PA)

Speaker: N. Jonathan Peress, Air Policy Director – Natural Gas

  • The purpose of GRID 20/20 is to provide PJM members and policy makers with cutting edge ideas, visions, and technologies that will transform electricity in the 21st century. Industry experts and regulatory officials will address key questions during remarks or as part of panel discussions. Among the questions they will explore are: Why is gas-electric interoperability so important right now? What are the challenges of building natural gas pipelines and what will future needs be?

Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Conference Roundup / Comments are closed

How to Ensure New Natural Gas Infrastructure Doesn’t Lock Out Renewables

By N. Jonathan Peress / Published: June 5, 2015

PipelineIn an ideal world, our electricity system would run on 100 percent clean, renewable energy. Moving toward that goal means transitioning away from a system of centralized, fossil fuel power plants, to an intelligent, efficient, networked energy grid that smoothly integrates vastly increased amounts of renewables and energy-efficient solutions.

To do that, we have to balance the intermittency of renewables with our steady need for electricity. That’s where natural gas comes in: When the sun stops shining or the wind stops blowing and renewables are offline, gas-fired plants can ramp up more quickly and efficiently than coal plants.

Many policymakers, regulators and industry members believe we have to build thousands of miles of new pipelines costing $150 billion or more to feed this need. But that could be an unnecessary and expensive mistake, not just now but over a very long term. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Electricity Pricing, Energy Efficiency, Gas to Clean, General, Natural Gas, Renewable Energy, Utility Business Models / Tagged , | Comments are closed

California Leaders See Climate Action as a Winning Political Issue

By Lauren Faber / Published: June 4, 2015

567465036_2f33f6506e_bIt’s always inspiring to see people stand up and fight for issues that matter to them. In our world, when politics can at times seem petty or backwards, it’s especially uplifting to see politicians do this. And that’s exactly what’s happening inside California’s state capitol.

The three most powerful political leaders in the state – Governor Brown, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León, and Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins – are moving in lockstep to enact an ambitious long-term climate and clean energy agenda. Yesterday, we witnessed a major demonstration of that political leadership when the pro tem and speaker marshalled support to move fundamental pieces of legislation through a key part of the lawmaking process – passing bills through their respective houses of origin.

The bills currently under consideration put in place a climate pollution reduction target of 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and reaffirm the ongoing role of market-mechanisms like cap-and-trade in California. They accomplish this while also codifying the governor’s goals to meet half of our energy demand with renewable energy, double energy efficiency in existing buildings, cut our harmful petroleum addiction in half, and reduce climate pollution 40 percent below 1990 levels all by 2030. Read More »

Posted in Air Quality, California, Cap and Trade, Clean Energy, Climate, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy / Comments are closed

Community Choice Programs Empower Electricity Customers in New York and Beyond

By Guest Author / Published: June 3, 2015

By: Paul Fenn, Founder and President of Local Power Inc.

solar panelNew York has embarked on a major energy reform that will change the way electricity is produced, distributed, and priced in the state. The effort, called ‘Reforming the Energy Vision’ (REV) has the potential to scale up the use of local renewable energy resources and widely deploy energy efficiency technologies, reduce energy bills, and give customers greater control over their energy use.

New York’s REV effort would change the longstanding utility business model that relies on a one-way, centralized power grid delivering electricity to customers, most of it generated by aging, polluting power plants. Under this model, the environmentally-conscious customer has little say over how her energy is produced. Read More »

Posted in California, Clean Energy, Energy Financing, Grid Modernization, New York, Renewable Energy, Utility Business Models / Comments are closed

Reducing Drilling Pollution—Wyoming Did It, No Big Deal. Will Texas?

By Colin Leyden / Published: June 3, 2015

ozonegraphThe technological advances that led to the “shale revolution” have undoubtedly had a large economic impact on the Texas economy – something state leaders and the oil and gas industry are never shy about pointing out. But the impact drilling has on air quality and public health, that’s something energy-friendly Texas has not been so quick to recognize.

When not managed responsibly, drilling operations can contribute to the formation of ozone, also commonly known as smog. At certain concentrations, this pollution can trigger asthma attacks and cause other severe respiratory illnesses.

San Antonio is one place that’s seeing the clear connection between drilling and lower air quality, thanks to increased drilling just south of the city from the Eagle Ford Shale region. Before 2008, ozone levels in San Antonio had been steadily dropping, but when the shale revolution hit and drilling increased, regional ozone readings started going up.  In fact, based on air quality monitor readings from the last three years, San Antonio’s air quality is the 2nd worst in the state.  This correlation between drilling and ozone levels has been documented by The University of Texas and the Alamo Area Council of Governments, both of which concluded oil and gas activity in the Eagle Ford Shale is materially impacting ozone levels in San Antonio. Read More »

Posted in Air Quality, Natural Gas, Texas, Wyoming / Tagged | Comments are closed

FirstEnergy Campaign Gets Graphic: EDF Launches Online Ads, Reaches Millions

By Dick Munson / Published: June 2, 2015

FE300_V1In the past few weeks, I have written extensively on the $3 billion bailout proposed by FirstEnergy, the giant utility that provides electricity across Ohio and multiple other states. For those of you who want to catch up on what FirstEnergy is up to and why the proposal is such a bad idea, take a look at our recent blog posts on the topic.

But we haven’t just written about FirstEnergy’s nefarious antics. A few weeks ago, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)began running online ads in local Ohio markets and on some of the web’s most influential financial news sites. Since we launched, our ads have generated more than 2 million impressions on computers, tablets, and phones across the country. And, we’re just getting warmed up.

Thank you to the nearly 1000 EDF members who have already urged the Public Utility Commission of Ohio to reject FirstEnergy’s proposed bailout. If you see one of the below ads online, we hope you consider taking the same action! Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, FirstEnergy / Comments are closed