Worth reading: this presentation on the facts about offshore seismic surveying from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in its August “Science Notes” newsletter. It’s prefaced by William Y. Brown, chief environmental officer for BOEM, who focuses on the public discussion that has followed the agency’s July announcement that it would allow safe seismic testing off portions… Keep reading →
Australia faces an unprecedented oversupply of energy according to the country’s energy market operator. “For the first time in the history of the National Electricity Market, no new thermal baseload electricity generation is required over the next decade…due to the continuing decline in electricity consumption,” Australian Energy Market Operator said in the report. That decline is due… Keep reading →
Tom Steyer the billionaire hedge fund manager turned enviro-political activist is spending big bucks to sway voters toward pro-climate-action democrats in the midterm elections this fall, but some are questioning the factual integrity of ads sponsored by Steyer’s super PAC NextGen. While several respected fact-checking groups have poked holes in some of NextGen’s assertions –… Keep reading →
Late last week, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed an important Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order, giving the agency a big win and aiding in the promise of a cleaner, smarter, and more efficient power grid. By upholding FERC’s Order 1000, the court confirmed what many think is common sense: Because the power grid crosses state and… Keep reading →
The Pennsylvania Health Department was criticized last month for not doing enough to address heath concerns associated with Marcellus Shale development activities, and as a result recently announced changes designed to facilitate the complaint handling process. “The department’s priority is to address the public’s concerns, whether they are about environmental health in general or specifically… Keep reading →
Calls for stricter economic sanctions against strategic Russian energy players are not universal among European Union countries, particularly those where Russian oil and gas dependence is most deeply entrenched. The degree to which various EU members support or oppose the South Stream Pipeline project illuminates those countries reluctant to distance themselves too far from vital… Keep reading →
Louisiana is an important energy-producing state – the country’s No. 2 crude oil producer at nearly 1.45 million barrels per day when federal offshore output is included. The state also is No. 2 in petroleum refining capacity. Energy development is boosting Louisiana’s economy. Oil and natural gas extraction, refining and the pipeline industries support 287,000 state… Keep reading →
Quick Take: We typically reserve press releases for our Friday column documenting product announcements and project wins. But I think this recent story from Itron has at least three important implications. First, an electric power utility is sharing its communications network with a separate entity (a city’s water department). This is such an obvious way for a… Keep reading →
At present, Iran is unlikely to accept more limitations on its nuclear activities, but that doesn’t mean Washington has to settle for a watered-down deal that further damages U.S. strategic interests. The Obama administration appears headed toward a nuclear agreement that will do little more than memorialize the limited Iranian concessions made in last year’s… Keep reading →
It seems to be a recurring trend After years where nobody was building any, 4 new reactors are under construction in the US, supported by all manner of support, subsidies, government loan guarantees and you name it. Much rests on how these 4 reactors will turn out in terms of getting built on schedule and… Keep reading →
