GOOGLE…It’s everyone’s go-to for finding answers to any questions we may ponder. And I admit, I’m guilty of relying on Google as the ultimate authority. This reliance has even impacted our memories to the extent that psychologists have coined it the Google Effect. But as a building energy enthusiast, how many times have you searched… Keep reading →
While governments around the globe prepare to attend the next UN climate change conference in Lima (Peru), which is another important milestone on their ultimate journey to Paris in December 2015 – where the post-2020 international framework is to be agreed – the UN Environment Program (UNEP) released the updated Emissions Gap Report 2014. This… Keep reading →
While it’s been said before, the US oil and gas production renaissance is nothing short of astonishing in terms of incremental volumetric production growth and the speed with which it occurred. It is interesting to drill down into new market developments that have manifested as a result of the production boom, like the emergence of… Keep reading →
While many are prophesizing the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) as doomsday for the electricity sector, Texas utilities are telling a different story. The CPP will limit – for the first time ever – carbon emissions from existing power plants. One utility in particular, CPS Energy in San Antonio, “has already embraced a low-carbon strategy… Keep reading →
WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz today announced two new High Performance Computing (HPC) awards to put the nation on a fast-track to next generation exascale computing, which will help to advance U.S. leadership in scientific research and promote America’s economic and national security. Secretary Moniz announced $325 million to build two state-of-the-art… Keep reading →
Last week, NRG Energy announced plans to reduce CO2 emissions 50% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. And this reduction is not from a 1990 or 2005 baseline; it is from 2014 emissions. NRG’s statement indicated that it had already reduced emissions by 40% since 2005. By my math, that means that the 2030 and 2050 reductions would be 70% and 94%, respectively, below 2005 emissions.
While the purpose of multilateral negotiations with Iran is to reduce proliferation concerns, successful talks may in fact accelerate nuclear plans in the Gulf states and Jordan. In April 2009, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia famously told U.S. special envoy Dennis Ross that “if [the Iranians] get nuclear weapons, we will get nuclear weapons.” Such… Keep reading →
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While Energy.gov was celebrating #GridWeek, I traveled to Japan for the 6th International Conference on the Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources. I got to see firsthand some of the innovative work being done with solar technology, batteries and smart cities. Industry, government and academia created the conference to develop and deploy technologies for grid… Keep reading →
This is the third in a series of six Q&As with Baker Botts partners addressing the most significant developments in their practice areas this year, as well as their outlook for 2015. The Q&As will be posted throughout the remainder of the year.
Bill Bumpers is Head of the Global Climate Change practice group at Baker Botts. His practice focuses on the Clean Air Act and climate change issues.
The oil market is filled with winners and losers. When oil prices decline, refiners generally win as their feedstock is less expensive, but producers lose as they get less money for their product. This highlights the attraction of vertical integration – operating both upstream production and downstream refining – which can insulate companies from oil… Keep reading →
