Energy Exchange

New government in Puerto Rico must focus on transforming the energy sector

By Agustín Carbó / Published: December 2, 2020

In recent years, we have witnessed how legislation seeks to transform the electricity sector in Puerto Rico. In 2014, the Energy Transformation and RELIEF Act was approved, which for the first time created an independent regulatory entity capable of overseeing and enforcing Puerto Rico’s energy policy. Five years later, in 2019, the Public Energy Policy Law passed, with a bipartisan vote, which essentially mandates Puerto Rico source 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2050.

With a new government in Puerto Rico, there is a historic opportunity to execute public policies capable of transforming the archipelago’s electric system, having a positive impact on future generations. That is why it is extremely important for Puerto Ricans that the directives and goals established in the Integrated Resource Plan of the Electric Power Authority be implemented as modified by the Energy Bureau. This will ensure that the electrical system is clean, reliable, resilient and affordable in order to revitalize the economy and improve the quality of life of all residents.

Posted in Clean Energy / Tagged Puerto Rico | Comments are closed

Nuevo gobierno de Puerto Rico debe enfocarse en transformar el sector eléctrico

By Agustín Carbó / Published: December 2, 2020

En inglés

En los últimos años, hemos sido testigos de cómo se ha aprobado legislación que busca transformar el sector eléctrico en Puerto Rico. En el 2014 se aprobó la Ley de Transformación y ALIVIO Energético, que por primera vez crea un ente regulador independiente capaz de fiscalizar y darle cumplimiento a la política pública energética de Puerto Rico. Cinco años luego, en el 2019 se aprueba, y de manera bipartita, la Ley de Política Pública Energética, que en síntesis crea la meta de alcanzar un 100% de generación por fuentes renovables para el 2050.

Ahora que en Puerto Rico entramos en un nuevo ciclo político, tenemos la oportunidad histórica para ejecutar correctamente las políticas públicas capaces de transformar el sistema eléctrico del archipiélago y tener impactos positivos para las futuras generaciones. Por eso, es de suma importancia para los puertorriqueños que se implementen las directrices y metas trazadas en el Plan Integrado de Recursos (“PIR”) de la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica (“AEE”) según lo modificó el Negociado de Energía. Esto garantizará que el sistema eléctrico sea uno limpio, confiable, resiliente y asequible para poder revitalizar la economía y mejorar la calidad de vida de todos los habitantes.

Posted in Clean Energy, Climate / Tagged Puerto Rico | Comments are closed

5 opportunities for renewed American climate leadership on methane

By Sam Kotis / Published: December 2, 2020

With Joe Biden winning the 2020 U.S. presidency, attention now shifts to how his administration will prioritize domestic and international climate action in the context of COVID-19 and its related economic repercussions.

Among the most powerful elements of a reinvigorated American climate strategy is assertive action to reduce methane pollution. At least 25% of today’s global warming is caused by methane emissions from human activities, including production and use of fossil fuels, agriculture and municipal waste. One of the world’s largest sources of manmade methane pollution is the oil and gas industry.

Oil and gas methane emissions also present a particularly important climate opportunity, as it offers the most immediate and lowest cost option to reduce a potent greenhouse gas.

Posted in Methane, Methane regulatons / Tagged Canada | Comments are closed

Electrifying big trucks and buses could spark a $47B global market

By Andy Darrell / Published: November 19, 2020

We should thank Ford, GMC and Tesla for capturing the world’s attention with flashy promotions of their upcoming all-electric F-150 pickup, Hummer and Cybertruck. If there’s one thing that will make you think differently about electric vehicles, it’s the image of a Hummer owner plugging in instead of filling up.

But when it comes to electric trucks, the consumer market is just the tip of the iceberg.

The electrification of the medium- and heavy-duty truck sector — everything from semis and delivery vans to transit buses and garbage trucks — is already underway, and analysts say it could spark a $47 billion global industry.

Posted in Electric Vehicles / Comments are closed

The connection between jobs and addressing orphan oil and gas wells

By Elgie Holstein / Published: November 17, 2020

All across the country right now, there are tens of thousands of officially documented “orphan” oil and gas wells creating environmental hazards for their communities. These are wells that the oil and gas industry walked away from because they became uneconomic over time. Rather than properly sealing them, they left state and federal taxpayers holding the bag. These wells can be big sources of air, water and climate pollution if left unaddressed.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions more of these inactive, unplugged wells that need to be addressed. This is not to mention the potential for adding hundreds of thousands of currently active wells to the orphan well inventory as oil and gas producers struggle to survive the downturn in petroleum prices.

Luckily, efforts are underway in Congress and within the presidential transition plan to address these orphan wells. In his economic plan, President-elect Joe Biden laid out his vision for a cleaner and healthier future.

Posted in Air Quality, Methane, Natural Gas, New York, Texas / Tagged Pennsylvania | Comments are closed

Will Trudeau make good on Canada’s 2025 climate promises?

By Sam Kotis / Published: November 12, 2020

This piece was originally published in The Hill Times

A lot can change in a short period of time.

Just a few months ago, I lauded Canada’s leadership on climate, in general, and on methane pollution in particular. In 2018, the Trudeau government introduced the world’s first national oil and gas regulations limiting emissions of methane, a powerful climate pollutant intensifying near-term global warming.

Then, in the wake of the global health and economic crisis, Prime Minister Trudeau announced a $1.7 billion Emission Reduction Fund to help put oil and gas workers back to work cleaning up tens of thousands of leaky abandoned wells. The investment combined with a $750 million fund to reduce methane and other pollution from oil and gas infrastructure would create up to 10,000 jobs and help stabilize the climate.

Posted in Air Quality, Methane, Methane regulatons / Tagged Canada | Comments are closed