Energy Careers: Staffing and The Great Shift Change

Generation

Natural Gas Ascending: Opportunities Abound For Domestic Energy Source

By Peter Gardett

After many years as a sideline in the US energy business, natural gas has become the central fuel driving new generation, with opportunities to remake the American energy economy both regionally and globally.

It is hard to remember when natural gas was flared as a waste product in the search for oil; many of those same oil giants are quickly becoming gas giants instead as the scale of the available shale gas resource becomes apparent. Increased use of natural gas has been hailed as the next step in responding to global warming threats, and as a way to reduce US dependence on energy imports. Keep reading →

Technology

Innovation, Not Cost Cutting, Key To Manufacturing Recovery

By Peter Gardett

Although manufacturers might be slashing costs left and right amidst a weak recovery, they readily acknowledge that’s not much of a long-term solution. Ninety percent of manufacturing executives say that innovation, not cost-cutting, is the key to long-term growth in the manufacturing industry, according to a new report. The report, which surveyed 360 manufacturing executives and was released on Tuesday by its sponsor General Electric, found that although 62 percent of manufacturing executives say that cost-cutting would help in the near term, nearly all of them say innovation is crucial to long-term success. Overall, 61 percent of manufacturing executives said that ensuring a higher quality of production was the strongest safeguard against competition from emerging markets such as China. This article is a linkout, to see the original go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/18/manufacturing-innovation_n_1018086.html

Regulation

Solar Makes Case For 1603 Grant Extension

By Peter Gardett

The leading U.S. solar-industry lobbying group says a tax provision that expires at the end of this year will create some 37,000 additional jobs in 2012 if it is extended by Congress. And if it’s not? In a press conference, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) chief Rhone Resch said killing the Section 1603 Treasury Program “would essentially amount to a massive tax increase … that would reduce jobs significantly.”

The 1603 provision allows renewable energy developers to receive a grant for up to 30 percent of the cost of a project, once it goes online, in lieu of claiming an energy tax credit. The grant option was instituted for two years in 2009, as the financial crisis froze up tax equity markets. After heavy lobbying late last year it was extended through the end of this year. Keep reading →

Dealmaking

US Export-Import Bank Approves Energy Financing Support

By Shifra Mincer

The sagging US economy and its energy sector will soon be getting a boost, as well as some help in competing with China.

On September 30, the board of directors of the US Export-Import Bank approved $3.4 billion in financing to support US exports in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, oil and gas, locomotives and solar. The hope is that the financing will create over 20,000 news American jobs and help in efforts put the country’s economy back on its feet. For energy companies struggling to compete with a heavily subsidized Chinese energy market, the financing could be a major game changer. Keep reading →

Regulation

White House Sets Out To Counter ‘Defeatism’ In Clean Tech

By Shifra Mincer

In a blog post today, the White House publicly reaffirmed its commitment to not only develop clean energy, but to win the global race in the sector.

“It’s not enough for our country to invent clean energy technologies – we have to make them and use them too. Invented in America, made in America, and sold around the world – that’s how we’ll create good jobs and lead in the 21^st century,” said Energy Secretary Steven Chu, quoted by White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer on the White House blog. Keep reading →

Regulation

Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning says a real national energy policy can lead America out of its current economic situation

By Peter Gardett

Southern Company CEO Tom Fanning says a real national #energy policy can lead America out of its current economic situation. AmericasPower

Regulation

Will #budget crisis, #jobs focus shake up fed #energy #regulations? Join @AOLenergy @LinkedIn conversation – http://t.co/haZuHNPQ #cleantech

By Shifra Mincer

Will #budget crisis, #jobs focus shake up fed #energy regulation? Join @AOLenergy @LinkedIn conversation – http://t.co/haZuHNPQ @Aolenergy

Regulation

Obama Addresses Jobs, Economy In LinkedIn Public Q&A

By Shifra Mincer

EPA regulation of utilities will be going nowhere if Obama has his way.

At a public Q&A session with LinkedIn members, hosted by the company in California, the President was adamant that regulation of energy companies and utilities was important, including pollution control, as part of consumer safety and environmental protection. Keep reading →

Dealmaking

Defending The Stimulus On Energy Job Creation

By Peter Gardett

The scale of unemployment in the US makes each individual job seem less impactful than the proverbial drop in the bucket, but each individual story of a job gained still carries emotional weight well beyond the economic gains.

At least that’s the hope in this unusually personal and emotional video from the US Energy Department, posted two weeks ago on its Youtube channel as new job numbers showed a renewed slowing in an economy where growth failed to meaningfully pick up after the 2008 financial crisis despite unprecedented amounts of government stimulus. Keep reading →