Energy forecasts rest on price assumptions, and price assumptions rest on shifting foundations, said Statoil Chief Economist Eirik Wærness at an event hosted by Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy this morning, where he presented the Norwegian company’s global energy outlook to 2040. No matter how good the data on how much the world… Keep reading →
It was no April Fool’s Day prank when the rate of a power demand increase spiked to its highest level of the year – 12.4% – on the morning of April 1st, 2013 in the Southwest Power Pool territory. Low seasonal and weekend demand overnight quickly reversed course as the business week began and utility… Keep reading →
On September 30, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider a major challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s implementation of greenhouse gas regulations under Section 202 of the Clean Air Act, a hearing that could affect President Obama’s timetable for existing power plants and state implementation plans. The EPA will likely face ongoing litigation on most… Keep reading →
Tools that offer effective communications between utilities and their customers have opened up a broad range of new business opportunities, especially in the field of data analytics. There has been no shortage of commentary on the importance of understanding the reams of data now available to utilities from “smart” technologies if that data is to… Keep reading →
The credits – Renewable Index Numbers – created to track compliance with EPA-mandated ethanol blending into the US fuel supply as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard reportedly created a market easily manipulated by Wall Street and other players. [New York Times] Some positive climate change news may be on the horizon when the Intergovernmental… Keep reading →
Quick Take: I’m far from a security expert and I don’t even play one on TV. But I do have lots of friends who are knowledgeable and several of them think the electric power industry is overlooking the biggest cyberthreat of all. Some context – most national and international security experts now predict a major… Keep reading →
Electric utilities are facing an unprecedented set of challenges. Demand for electricity, which had risen in a fairly steady manner for decades has flattened. Some of this can be attributed to the lack of economic growth. Increasingly, however, this has been caused by growth in energy efficiency and distributed generation. Another important dynamic, but one… Keep reading →
Where do we begin? Breaking Energy featured the Russian energy business in a recent Quote of the Day and it’s not that we’re picking on the country, but the murky world of Kremlin insiders – many former KGB personnel – running oil and gas companies with shares listed on public exchanges is nothing short of… Keep reading →
The ongoing controversy over the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline linking Alberta’s oil sands to US markets covers a vast amount of factual territory, from refinery configuration to logistics to international crude oil trading to carbon dioxide emissions. But at times, all of these issues take a back seat to the emotional, or symbolic, component of… Keep reading →
Keystone XL and US Politics: A Sad State of Affairs
By Jared AndersonRyan Lizza’s New Yorker article about the Keystone XL Pipeline project is both insightful and depressing. The piece dissects the issue’s genesis and history, finding the proposed pipeline to be a climate change symbol seized by wealthy activists seeking to influence national politics, while advancing their own political ambitions. Unfortunately, in selecting Keystone XL opposition… Keep reading →