Massachusetts has finalized RGGI regulation amendments to implement a new emissions cap of 91 million tons per year, starting in 2014. On December 9, 2013, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued final amendments to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) regulations of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the RGGI Updated Model Rule… Keep reading →
One thing that is very clear from political discussions about the burden higher gasoline prices put on US consumers is that there are few on Capitol Hill who are likely to push for higher gasoline prices. But Oregon state representative Earl Blumenauer is going against the grain, with a proposal to phase in a $0.15 per… Keep reading →
Smaller oil and gas producers have been major drivers of the US shale boom, and hedging has been critical to financing their operations. But rising production is driving more hedging activity as that market is becoming less liquid, which could mean higher hedging costs for some producers. “There’s a reason the shale and tight oil… Keep reading →
By Brad Quick A handful of counties in North Dakota are churning out more oil and gas than the entire state of Alaska. Welcome to the Bakken, the jewel of The Rough Rider State. But a look beyond the drillers working the state’s Bakken field reveals many players who see another opportunity: building North Dakota’s infrastructure. In May,… Keep reading →
DG Energy Partners’ new project valuation model, which lets developers conduct their own first-run economic analysis, is the latest in a suite of products designed to bridge the gap between solar projects and the financing they need to move forward. The model, currently in its beta, or first version, is a web-based interface that gives… Keep reading →
Saudi Arabia has taken another step towards building up its nuclear power generation capacity by signing a Memorandum of Understanding for in-country collaboration with Westinghouse Electricity, Exelon Nuclear Partners and Toshiba. Nuclear could be a key tool in managing a mismatch between rising in-country energy consumption and a heavy dependence on oil exports to meet… Keep reading →
Opec countries’ oil export revenues – excluding Iran – reached $982 billion last year, up by 5% over the previous year, according to Energy Information Administration estimates. This marks a record for EIA estimates covering the 1975-2012 time period, with Saudi Arabia accounting for 32% of the total. But revenues are projected to fall this year and… Keep reading →
A US carbon tax could generate sizeable revenues, but could also have a negative impact on the country’s economy, depending on how those revenues were deployed, according to a report from the United States Congressional Budget Office. The CBO report noted that neither it nor the Joint Committee on Taxation had developed estimates for carbon… Keep reading →
