Sarah Palin has announced she’d be interested in becoming Donald Trump’s Energy Secretary before abolishing the department and relinquishing power to individual states. [Vox] Job cuts in the petroleum industry reached nearly 196,000 globally last week after ConocoPhillips said it would cut 10 percent of its workforce and other energy firms announced more layoffs. [Fuel Fix]… Keep reading →
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015 will kick off at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, California, On October 8. The nine-day collegiate competition challenges teams to design, build and operate energy-efficient solar-powered houses that are cost-effective and appeal to consumers. Not only does the competition produce some of the most stunning, creative… Keep reading →
Finalized federal requirements for ethanol use in 2014, 2015 and 2016 under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) are scheduled to come out later this year. As EPA completes work on them, the interests of American consumers should be put ahead of special ethanol interests. At the same time, policymakers should recognize that the RFS is… Keep reading →
Three people were charged Thursday with running a $54 million Ponzi scheme built on promises of a green energy technology that would turn trash into fuel. [ABC/AP] Opponents have prepared their criticism of President Barack Obama ahead of his proposed rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline in the next few weeks, targeting his suppression of… Keep reading →
Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) is a New York initiative that would create a radically different electric system and change the way power is generated and distributed in the state. Utilities would direct the distribution of electricity produced by thousands of smaller entities. REV encompasses areas such as regulatory reform; load/peak demand management; consumer management… Keep reading →
Crude prices rose as much as 4 percent on Thursday amid optimism over equity markets helped offset a surprise increase in U.S. oil inventory levels. [CNBC] A new report released Wednesday highlights the gains the energy storage industry is making, and predicts its continued growth in the coming year. [The Washington Post] A court in the Netherlands has ruled… Keep reading →
The proliferation of natural gas and crude oil produced from U.S. shale deposits also created a bonanza of natural gas liquids (NGL). NGLs account for around 20 percent of U.S. natural gas production by volume at the wellhead, with ethane being the largest fraction. This surplus of ethane could lead to increased exports of the… Keep reading →
The energy industry – oil & gas sector in particular – is bracing itself for a massive wave of retirements over the short to medium term, which has been dubbed “The Great Shift Change.” As the industry prepares for this turnover, companies are looking to the next generation of candidates with skills ranging from finance, geology,… Keep reading →
The oil and gas industry is pushing a government study that they say vindicates their push to lift the nation’s 40-year-old ban on oil exports. [The Washington Examiner] The Sabine Pass LNG terminal will go live later this year, revealing innovative techniques that will launch the U.S. as a net exporter of natural gas. [Bloomberg]… Keep reading →
More about last week’s Commerce Department decision to allow U.S. crude oil swaps with Mexico – basically, a positive step in the direction of lifting America’s 1970s-era ban on exporting domestic crude. An analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says the exchange of light U.S. oil for heavier Mexican oil will generate economic… Keep reading →
