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Retail sales of renewable energy through green power markets up 20 percent in 2018

Energize Weekly, October 16, 2019 Retail electricity purchases of renewable energy through green power markets rose 20 percent in 2018 to 134 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy compared to 2017, according a federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) market trends report. The number of customers participating in these markets also grew 15 percent to 6.3…

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Gas demand and production set to hit record highs this winter bolstered by LNG exports

Energize Weekly, October 16, 2019 U.S. natural gas demand and supply are both forecast to hit record highs this coming winter­­ – the result of growing exports, more gas-fired power generation and increased production from Texas’ Permian Basin, according to the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA). The association’s Winter Outlook projects demand, including exports, to…

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Five states with open electricity retail markets now have financial aid programs for nuclear plants

Energize Weekly, October 16, 2019 Five states have now moved to provide financial aid to their economically challenged nuclear power plants, according to a federal Energy Information Administration (EIA) report. In July, Ohio joined Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Illinois in offering financial relief or other assistance to their nuclear units, which have seen…

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Coal production in the fourth quarter drops 17 percent, hitting a 42-year low, EIA says

Energize Weekly, October 16, 2019 Coal production in the U.S. is projected to fall 159 million short tons in the fourth quarter of 2019, a 17 percent drop when compared to the same period in 2018, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). For the year, the EIA is forecasting a 10 percent drop…

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New England must increase renewables deployment almost eightfold to meet 2050 target

Energize Weekly, October 16, 2019 New England will have to increase the pace of renewable energy generation installations by four to eight times to meet 2050 goals to cut carbon emissions, according to a study by the Brattle Group, an economic and regulatory consultant. The region has a goal, as do several states, of reducing…

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Municipal power agency to buy electricity from $80 million solar farm in rural Utah

Energize Weekly, October 9, 2019 Utah Municipal Power Agency (UMPA) has entered into an agreement with Salt Lake City-based sPower for the development of an $80 million solar facility in rural Juab County. The 80-megawatt (MW) Clover Creek Solar project will be located on a 560-acre site on the west side of Mona Reservoir about…

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Renewable generation to provide 50 percent of the world’s electricity by 2050, EIA says

Energize Weekly, October 9, 2019 The total share of electricity provided worldwide by renewable generation is projected to grow to nearly 50 percent in 2050, compared to a 28 percent share in 2018, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). The bulk of that energy will be provided by hydropower, wind and solar with…

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Bankruptcies and red ink will not mar the future for U.S. shale drilling, Rystad says

Energize Weekly, October 9, 2019 Despite a string of bankruptcies and red ink, the future for U.S. shale drillers is not bleak, according to Oslo-based energy analyst Rystad Energy. “In a nutshell, we do not believe the recent bankruptcies that have beset a number of shale players are indicative of an industry-wide epidemic,” Alisa Lukash,…

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U.S. oil and gas M&A reached $17 billion in Q3 2019 and $85 billion for the year

Energize Weekly, October 9, 2019 U.S. oil and gas sector mergers and acquisitions (M&A) ticked up in the third quarter of 2019 to more than $17 billion, putting M&A activity for the year-to-date at $85 billion, according to Enverus, an industry analytics company. After a weak start to the year, deal activity was close to…

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PacifiCorp to close 20 of 24 coal plants by 2038 and invest in wind, solar and storage

Energize Weekly, October 9, 2019 PacifiCorp unveiled a new resource plan that takes a sharp turn away from coal-fired plants toward renewable generation – closing 20 of its 24 coal units by 2038 and adding 8,300 megawatts (MW) of wind and solar. Portland, Ore.-based PacifiCorp, which serves 1.6 million people in the Pacific Northwest and…

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Dominion Energy plans a $7.8 billion wind farm, largest in the U.S., on the Virginia coast

Energize Weekly, October 2, 2019 Dominion Energy is proposing to build the largest offshore wind farm in the U.S. – a $7.8 billion, 2,600-megawatt (MW) project – off the Virginia coast. The utility has already filed an application with PJM Interconnection, the regional grid that covers all or parts of 13 mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states,…

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Facing a demand crunch, California regulators look to extend the lives of four gas-fired plants

Energize Weekly, October 2, 2019 Facing the prospect of electricity shortages as soon as 2021, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) staff has proposed extending the life of four natural gas-fired power plants that use ocean water for cooling. On Oct. 24, the CPUC is set to rule on the recommendation to keep the four,…

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