It’s that time of year when people look back at their behavior of the past year and wonder what they can change in the coming months. They set goals and try to put in place new practices as part of their New Year’s Resolutions. The energy industry has had a busy, transformative decade. Technology innovation… Keep reading →
Recent enforcement actions by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on alleged manipulation of US power markets are “alarming” and set a dangerous precedent that departs from previous cases, a Harvard professor and former International Association for Energy Economics president told energy traders gathered in New York City this week. FERC is endangering the functioning of… Keep reading →
Portland, Oregon-based law firm Stoel Rives announced Monday that Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff will join the practice upon his departure from the regulator. Wellinghoff submitted his resignation on May 28, but no date has been announced for his departure. Stoel Rives is known for its energy law practice and claims to have… Keep reading →
Canadian security agencies have been briefing representatives of energy companies who have obtained high-level security clearances, according to freedom of information documents obtained by the Guardian. “Meetings were officially billed to discuss ‘threats’ to energy infrastructure but also covered ‘challenges to energy projects from environmental groups’, ‘cyber security initiatives’ and ‘economic and corporate espionage’.” [Guardian]… Keep reading →
The utility business model is changing from one of large, centralized generators that own and run entire power systems – from plants, to transmission, to distribution – to one involving more distributed generation and more players offering innovative products, services, and most importantly, customer savings. But crafting the right policies and regulations will be cornerstones… Keep reading →
Quick Take: In July I alerted you that the nominee to replace Jon Wellinghoff as chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Ron Binz, was likely to be good for smart grid and renewables but tough on coal. Now we’re learning that his nomination has “generated unprecedented interest and controversy” according to Brent Franzel… Keep reading →
Expectations that we are on the verge of a global transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources may be mistaken. “Humanity is not entering a period that will be dominated by renewables… investment in unconventional fossil-fuel extraction and distribution is now expected to outpace spending on renewables by a ratio of at least three-to-one in the… Keep reading →
JPMorgan Chase & Co. has accepted a $410 million penalty to settle accusations of electricity market manipulations in California and the Midwest. On July 30, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order approving stipulation and consent agreement that requires JPMorgan Ventures Energy Corporation (JPMVEC) to settle allegations of electricity market manipulation in… Keep reading →
Early indications of the direction the newly activist Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are deeply worrying, not just for the power industry but for the entire economy, as well as for the future of the agency’s own necessary and important work in overseeing the evolving US electricity sector. Not many people cry for banks when regulators… Keep reading →
Out With Bad Arguments – In With Energy Security
By Energy Tomorrow BlogThe long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline and whether President Obama will agree with a strong majority of Americans who believe that the full project is in the U.S. national interest landed on a couple of year-ending lists of top energy issues, here and here, no doubt reflecting the politics surrounding the pipeline’s five-year federal review. Much of politicizing has been fueled… Keep reading →