EPA Chief Gina McCarthy goes before the Senate today for the first hearing about the agency’s proposed carbon emissions regulations covering existing power plants and she is “expected to get an earful from Republicans.” Monday night a group of business interests sent a letter to McCarthy calling for EPA to extend the comment period, alter… Keep reading →
Carbon capture has been slow to fulfill the hopes held for it by a wide range of powerful energy policy players – from the Natural Resources Defense Council to the International Energy Agency – who see the technology as crucial in the fight against global warming. But its prospects in the United States got a boost… Keep reading →
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently proposed new carbon emission standards for fossil fuel power plants under the Clean Air Act (CAA). The rules for new-build power plants fall under Section 111(b) and are known as the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS). This should not be confused with Section 111(d) that regulates existing power plants.… Keep reading →
In this video Dr. Robert Stavins, Professor of Business and Government at Harvard University’s Kennedy School succinctly discusses some of the obstinate challenges facing governments – from the local to national level – regulators, corporate entities, scientists, the environmental community and other relevant stakeholders when considering how to deal with climate change. He discusses the… Keep reading →
The U.S. economy could face significant and regionally diverse economic risks from climate change if it continues on its current path (“business-as-usual”) without proper risk management – i.e. risk mitigation strategies – such as timely “investments in adaptation or policy efforts to mitigate climate change through lowering carbon emissions,” according to a new report titled… Keep reading →
Having read the U.S. National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) report, “Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States,” published on May 29, 2014, we are puzzled by the skewed conclusions reached by the Washington Post: “That U.S. exports of LNG to China could end up being worse from a… Keep reading →
After analyzing the EPA’s ‘Clean Power Plan’ proposal for the Scientific American, David Biello aptly concludes that in order “to burn coal or even natural gas without exacerbating global warming requires CO2 capture and storage whether in India or Indiana. The EPA, because of the cost of such CCS technology, will not go that far.”… Keep reading →
In a global carbon emissions context, the Keystone XL pipeline is a drop in the bucket. The greenhouse gas emissions generated from developing Canada’s oil sands – 6.8% of total 2010 Canadian GHG emissions – are one piece of a very large global climate puzzle. Tailpipe and power plant emissions are far greater sources of GHG’s. And… Keep reading →
Quick Take: Both utilities and the companies that sell to them will be encouraged by the results of the survey described below. Utilities can take comfort that most of their peers are gearing up to grapple with the changes ahead. Vendors can be glad that they say the solutions will come from new technology. – Jesse Berst… Keep reading →
Opinion: Why Obama’s ‘Clean Power’ Plan May Prove Counterproductive for 2015 Global Climate Agreement
By Roman KilisekThe US EPA recently unveiled its Clean Power Plan. This time it proposes carbon pollution emission guidelines for existing stationary sources; namely, electric utility generating units (EGUs). Owners or operators of fossil fuel-fired EGUs will be subject to carbon emission limits if the rule is implemented as currently proposed. It appears this plan constitutes the centerpiece of… Keep reading →