Everyone has a role to play in fighting climate change. Farmers can use new methods to rotate their crops that keep more carbon safely in the ground. Consumers can act with their wallets – buying goods and services that produce less carbon than competitors. Our elected officials, of course, have a lot of influence in… Keep reading →
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently approved a settlement requiring Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to address environmental, as well as safety, factors when fixing natural gas leaks. This comes on the heels of a similar settlement issued by the New York Public Service Commission in December. Together these decisions are ringing in a… Keep reading →
This year has seen historic flooding across the South. In addition to the devastating rains that recently hit Louisiana, severe floods pummeled Texas earlier this year. In both cases, the states’ National Guards were first responders,rescuing families, delivering meals and supplies to survivors, and providing local agencies with high-water trucks, boats, and helicopters. As the… Keep reading →
Just in time for the holidays, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) quietly gave the gift of more affordable electricity to millions of Pennsylvanians. PECO Energy Company, a leading Pennsylvania utility, had requested a significant distribution rate increase – meaning higher bills for its approximately 1.6 million electric customers. After months of discussion, last week… Keep reading →
New York and other cities across the U.S. and around the world are grappling with the imperative to cut greenhouse gas emissions and implement low-carbon energy and fuel systems. Whether the emission reduction goals are 30% by 2020, 50% by 2030, or 80% by 2050, leaders and climate experts agree: the time to act on climate… Keep reading →
Biomethane is a drop in the ocean of fuel used in the U.S. shipping industry now, but its prospects improved a bit on Tuesday with the announcement of an agreement by UPS to buy “renewable natural gas” (RNG) from Clean Energy Fuels, the natural-gas-for-transport company co-founded by T. Boone Pickens. UPS said that beginning this month, tractors and delivery… Keep reading →
The Canadian Gas Association, a leading industry trade group, issued a report in December 2014 promoting renewable natural gas in Canada. Titled, “Renewable Natural Gas Technology Roadmap for Canada,” the report offers very aggressive support for biomethane production as a means to both reduce waste and greenhouse gases while developing an underutilized renewable resource. According… Keep reading →
Renewable natural gas (RNG) is methane produced from biomass that is cleaned to pipeline quality standards and blended with fossil natural gas. RNG, also known as biomethane, is carbon-neutral and chemically identical to fossil natural gas allowing it to be blended without restriction. Renewable natural gas is produced from a variety of (mostly waste) resources… Keep reading →
The EPA has long promoted cellulosic ethanol as the future of biofuels, but technical challenges have kept production far below targets. A recent rule change allows RNG, renewable natural gas, to qualify as cellulosic biofuel even though RNG is not cellulosic, but this helps EPA appear to be meeting their goals. RNG growth has been… Keep reading →
Natural gas use is growing throughout the world as new drilling techniques open up vast shale and other tight resources. The result is low-cost gas flooding the market. The environmental advantages of natural gas over other fossil fuels have put it in a favored position as emissions regulations continue to tighten around the world. But conventional… Keep reading →
