Energize Weekly, May 20, 2020 Renewable electricity generation is set to surpass coal-fired generation in 2020, as coal continues to slide, having hit a 42-year low in 2019, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The EIA is projecting a 25 percent drop in coal-fired generation in 2020 and…
Tri-State and United Power fighting in court and before state and federal regulators
Energize Weekly, May 13, 2020 A new front was opened last week in the battle between Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and some of its electric cooperatives, as United Power, its largest member, filed a complaint in a Colorado district court charging subterfuge and breach of contract. Meanwhile on May…
Utilities and state regulators delay rate increases, disconnections to deal with COVID-19
Energize Weekly, May 6, 2020 In the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic, utilities and utility regulators are moving to postpone rate increases and guard against service shutdowns for customers as most states continue to impose stay-at-home orders for their residents. The moves are also creating some financial risk and…
Wind power, a growing source of electricity in the U.S., faces an uncertain future
Energize Weekly, April 29, 2020 Wind power led in electricity generation installations in 2019, and this year is showing signs of becoming a bigger source of energy, according to several studies. Still, uncertainty about the economy and supply chains as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is making the sector’s…
Coronavirus pandemic rattles energy markets from oil to wind to energy storage
Energize Weekly, April 22, 2020 Pandemic and recession are rippling through almost every corner of the energy sector from oil companies to wind, solar and energy storage manufacturers. “Over half the world’s population is now under lockdown, as demand for power drops and the risk of global recession grows,” according…
COVID-19 drives down electricity demand, puts renewable projects and balance sheets at risk
Energize Weekly, April 15, 2020 The impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on electricity demand in the U.S. and on the utility industry is becoming clearer with lower loads, changing peak demands, more emphasis on renewable generation and emerging financial risks. U.S. power usage is set to drop more steeply…
NRC to grant waivers for work-hour limits at nuclear units to meet pandemic staffing needs
Energize Weekly, April 8, 2020 Faced with the risk of not being able to meet the rigorous staffing requirement for operating nuclear power plants during the ongoing pandemic, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) said it is prepared to grant exemptions from work-hour controls. The NRC in a March 28 letter…
Electricity demand drops as utilities enact plans to keep lights on during the pandemic
Energize Weekly, April 1, 2020 The closing of businesses and sheltering-in-place of millions of citizens to tamp down the novel coronavirus pandemic is dampening demand for electricity, even as utilities across the country put in place emergency plans to keep electrons flowing through the grid. Between March 14 and March…
Solar industry catches a bad case of the coronavirus as supply and demand both fall
Energize Weekly, March 25, 2020 The solar industry has caught a case of the coronavirus with the symptoms being a supply chain slowdown and a drop in demand for solar projects. With China manufacturing 70 percent of the world’s solar panels, the emergence of the disease there and the aggressive…
Hedges will help U.S. drillers survive Russian-Saudi price war and coronavirus
Energize Weekly, March 18, 2020 The oil market is set for a long price war, falling consumption, a shake-out among U.S. shale drillers and a missed opportunity for Asian economies, according to industry analysts. Yet even as depressed prices lead to fewer drilling rigs and a slowing in U.S. production,…
U.S. crude oil and natural gas production, as well as gas consumption, hit records in 2019
Energize Weekly, March 11, 2020 Annual U.S. crude oil and natural gas production hit records in 2019, as did domestic natural gas consumption, according to data from the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). Crude oil production was up 11 percent over 2018 to an average of 12.23 million barrels per…
Xcel Energy proposes TOU rates for all Colorado residential customers
Energize Weekly, March 4, 2020 Time-of-use electricity rates are increasingly being seen as a valuable tool in reducing peak demand and managing renewable energy generation – but concerns are being voiced over their impact on low-income and elderly customers. Xcel Energy is seeking to shift all of its 1.2 million…
Energy a big focus for Virginia legislature which passes sweeping clean energy bill
Energize Weekly, February 26, 2020 The Virginia legislature, on a pair of razor-thin votes, has passed a sweeping energy bill that will bolster renewable generation, energy storage and efforts to set a carbon dioxide cap and trade program. While the Clean Economy Act was the most far-reaching and visible piece…
Global carbon emissions flat in 2019 as the U.S. leads the way in CO2 cuts
Energize Weekly, February 19, 2020 Global carbon emissions slowed in 2019 after two years of growth as increases in developing nations were offset by a sharp drop in power sector emissions in developed countries led by the U.S., according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The worldwide emissions of carbon…
New York States seeks to develop another 1 GW to 2.5 GW of new offshore wind power
Energize Weekly, February 12, 2020 New York State energy officials have filed a petition with state regulators to begin the process to develop 1 gigawatt (GW) to 2.5 GW of new offshore wind projects. This follows on the award in July 2019 of two contracts for 1.7 GW in offshore…
New York Mayor de Blasio seeks to end the use of oil and gas in large buildings
Energize Weekly, February 12, 2020 New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is taking aim at fossil fuels seeking to end the use of natural gas and oil in large buildings and banning the development of oil and gas infrastructure in the city. Other initiatives include switching the municipal feet…
Renewables poised to overtake coal and nuclear power in 2021, natural gas in 2045
Energize Weekly, February 12, 2020 Renewables are set to overtake both coal-fired and nuclear generation by 2021 and natural gas-fired generation by 2045, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Wind and solar are leading the surge in renewable generation, which EIA says will account for 21 percent of…
Evergy sets goal of 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions and an increase in wind power
Energize Weekly, February 12, 2020 Evergy Inc., which serves Kansas and Missouri, has set a goal of reducing its carbon emissions by 80 percent from 2005 levels by 2050 and announced plans to add 660 megawatts (MW) of wind power. The company said that it will reach a 40 percent…
Last coal-fired plant in New York to close, New England plants not far behind, EIA says
Energize Weekly, February 12, 2020 New York State’s last coal-fired power plant is set to close as early as mid-March and coal-fired power is headed in the same direction in New England, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). “As many of the coal-fired power plants in New England…
U.S. posts a record for wind installations in Q4 2019 led by Texas and Iowa projects
Energize Weekly, February 5, 2020 The U.S. wind industry finished 2019 in a flurry with the busiest fourth quarter on record as 5,476 megawatts (MW) of capacity were installed, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The late push made 2019 the third busiest year for wind turbine installations…
EIA forecasts growth in U.S. crude oil output to slow in 2021 with a drop in drill rigs
Energize Weekly, February 5, 2020 While U.S crude oil production is set to grow by 9 percent in 2020 to 13.3 million barrels a day, production growth will slow in 2021 due to a decline in active drill rigs, according to a federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). EIA is projecting…
Corporate clean energy purchases soared in 2019 to a record 19.5 GW, Bloomberg says
Energize Weekly, February 5, 2020 Corporations purchased a record 19.5 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy contracts in 2019, a 40 percent increase over 2019, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Contracts, primarily power purchase agreements (PPAs), were signed by more than 100 companies in 23 different countries, marking a…
New York State pension plan looks at divesting from coal mining companies in its portfolio
Energize Weekly, February 5, 2020 The New York State Common Retirement Fund – the third largest public pension plan in the country – said it may divest from any of the 27 thermal coal companies in its portfolio which it deems are not taking steps to “transition to a sustainable…
U.S. coal plants pinched between economic pressures and inefficient cycling of the units
Energize Weekly, February 5, 2020 U.S. coal-fired power plants – facing economic and operational pressures – are running with more shutdowns and startups, which are less economical and more wearing on equipment, according to a study by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC). The study said increases in…
India moves into top spot for clean energy investment among emerging markets, BNEF says
Energize Weekly, January 29, 2020 India is moving to the top as an emerging-market destination for clean energy investment, followed by Chile and Brazil, while China, long the biggest market, slips to fourth, according to an analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Bloomberg’s Climatescope evaluated countries based on market…
EIA forecasts declines in both oil and natural gas prices in 2020
Energize Weekly, January 29, 2020 Spot prices for oil and natural gas are expected to trend downward in 2020 as geopolitical risks abate for oil and U.S. natural gas production grows, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In 2019, Brent crude spot oil prices were spurred upward by…
Climate change threatens profitability of investor-owned utilities, Moody’s says
Energize Weekly, January 29, 2020 From heat to humidity to severe storms investor-owned utilities across the U.S. will face particular regional climate change hazards, according to an analysis by Moody’s Investors Services. A utility in the Southeast, such as Duke Energy, could face risk from heavier storms, floods and storm…
Oil companies need to investment more in the global energy transition, IEA says
Energize Weekly, January 29, 2020 The oil and gas industry needs to be major player in the global transition to cleaner energy, in part to maintain its social license to operate, but barely 1 percent of its capital investment is going to alternative technologies, according to the International Energy Agency…
Investments in U.S. offshore wind could outstrip offshore oil by mid-2020s, Rystad says
Energize Weekly, January 29, 2020 Annual investment in U.S. offshore wind – based on projects in the pipeline – could reach $15 billion by the mid-2020s, surpassing offshore oil and gas capital expenditures, according to Rystad Energy. Rystad Energy, an Oslo-based energy consultant, called the trend “a truly remarkable development.”…
U.S. sets a renewable investment record as global investment stalls, BNEF says
Energize Weekly, January 22, 2020 U.S. renewable energy investment surged in 2019 to a record $55.5 billion, a 28 percent year-on-year increase, helping global renewable energy investment post a modest 1 percent rise to $282.2 billion, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). Investment in China, the world’s largest renewable…
Natural gas-fired generation to cool in 2020 as the pace for renewables picks up, EIA says
Energize Weekly, January 22, 2020 After robust growth in the last few years, natural gas-fired electricity generation and new natural gas-fired capacity growth will be modest in 2020, according to an Energy Information Administration (EIA) analysis. The EIA projects generation from natural gas-fired plants will grow by 1.3 percent in…
Tri-State clean energy plan includes 1 GW of utility-scale solar, more local co-op projects
Energize Weekly, January 22, 2020 Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the wholesale power provider for 43 Western electric cooperatives, said it will add 1 gigawatt (GW) of solar generation and open the way for its co-ops to add more of their own renewables. Under Tri-State’s “Responsible Energy Plan,” the association…
Aging grid challenged by shift to renewable and natural gas generation, ScottMadden says
Energize Weekly, January 22, 2020 The aging U.S. electrical grid is facing challenges from just-in-time natural gas plant fueling and a growing demand for renewable generation, which it will not be able to meet without new investment and policies, according to a study by business consultant ScottMadden Inc. “The grid…
Denmark, Germany and Spain move closer to 50 percent renewable electricity generation
Energize Weekly, January 15, 2020 In 2019, three European countries – Denmark, Germany and Spain –were all closing in on getting 50 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. Wind power provided more than 47 percent of the electricity in Denmark, and solar bumped the total from renewable sources to…
Average oil and natural gas prices were lower in 2019 than they were in 2018, EIA says
Energize Weekly, January 15, 2020 Average oil and natural gas prices in 2019 were lower than they were in 2018 by more than 8 percent, with natural gas posting its lowest average price since 2016, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The lower oil prices led to lower…
Wind turbine maker Vestas sets a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030
Energize Weekly, January 15, 2020 Vestas, the world’s top wind turbine manufacturer, has set a target of becoming carbon neutral in its operations by 2030 and to push for carbon reduction across its supply chain. Aarhus, Denmark-based Vestas said that it will reduce its carbon footprint by 55 percent by…
Tri-State, facing economic, political pressures, moves to close its last two coal-fired plants
Energize Weekly, January 15, 2020 Under pressure from market forces, dissatisfied members and environmental policies, the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced it will close the last two coal-fired plants it operates and move to add more renewable energy. Tri-State said that it will close its Escalante Station, in Prewitt,…
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell in 2019, but face a future bump from oil and gas
Energize Weekly, January 15, 2020 The burgeoning U.S. oil and gas and petrochemical sectors are set to add greenhouse gas emissions over the next five years – even as they decline for the power sector, according to two analysis of the country’s emissions. In 2019, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions fell…
Global energy consumption set to rise 50 percent by 2050 led by rapid growth in Asia, EIA says
Energize Weekly, January 8, 2020 Global energy consumption is projected to grow 50 percent between 2018 and 2050, spurred by a rising demand for energy in Asia and a sharp growth in electricity as a key energy source, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In its annual International…
Flaring on the rise in Permian Basin due to a lack of pipelines, Dallas Fed survey finds
Energize Weekly, January 8, 2020 Flaring of natural gas from wells in the Permian Basin, the largest shale field in the U.S., is on the rise, and industry executives say it is due to inadequate gathering line and pipeline capacity, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas survey. The…
After a slow start, the pace of oil and gas M&A picked up in the second half of 2019
Energize Weekly, January 8, 2020 The pace of oil and gas mergers and acquisition (M&A) increased in the fourth quarter of 2019, after a strong third quarter, but the year still ended with deals far off the 10-year average when adjusted for one mega-merger. There were $96 billion in M&A…
The Hartford to stop insuring and investing in coal and tar sands over climate concerns
Energize Weekly, January 8, 2020 The Hartford Financial Services Group said it will no longer insure or invest in companies mining or using coal or developing tar sands oil over concerns about risks linked to climate change. The company, based in Hartford, Conn., said it would not deal with companies…
IEA forecasts stable global coal demand despite sharp drops in the U.S. and Europe
Energize Weekly, January 8, 2020 Global coal demand in 2019 dropped, driven by coal-fired plant retirements in Europe and the U.S., but should be stable over the next five years due to growth in China and Asia, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The outlook for coal in the…
U.S. onshore wind generating capacity hits 100 GW, a flurry of year-end projects underway
Energize Weekly, December 18, 2019 Onshore wind generating capacity in the U.S. reached 100 gigawatts (GW) at the end of September 2019, according to the federal Energy Information Administration (EIA). More than half the capacity has been installed since 2012. The oldest wind turbines still operating in the U.S. date…
Natural gas overtakes coal as a source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. and Europe
Energize Weekly, December 18, 2019 Natural gas – while helping to lower overall greenhouse gas releases – has overtaken coal as a source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. and the European Union, according to a report from the Global Carbon Project. While total fossil fuel emissions are projected…
Oil and gas investments of $1.4 trillion by 2024 will lock in greenhouse gas emissions, report says
Energize Weekly, December 18, 2019 Worldwide investment in oil and gas production, estimated at $1.4 trillion over the next five years, will lock in carbon emissions that will make it impossible to meet the goals to limit global warming, according to a report by a coalition of environmental groups. “While…
Puget Sound Energy to sell Montana coal-fired plant share to NorthWestern Energy for $1
Energize Weekly, December 18, 2019 NorthWestern Energy is set to file an application with the Montana Public Service Commission to purchase Puget Sound Energy’s share of the Colstrip power plant for $1. The deal helps Bellevue, Washington-based Puget Sound Energy meet a Washington state law requiring utilities to stop using…
U.S. shale oil production to remain strong, shale gas production cools due to weak prices
Energize Weekly, December 18, 2019 U.S. shale oil production will continue to grow over the next few years, despite weak investment and commodity prices, while increases in shale gas production will slow. That is the picture drawn by an analysis of shale oil by Rystad Energy, an Oslo-based energy consultant,…
Trump administration disputes claim solar tariffs led to slower job growth and investment
Energize Weekly, December 11, 2019 The Trump administration’s tariffs on solar cells has blunted the growth in jobs, investment and generating capacity, according to a report by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The analysis calculated that the industry has forgone 62,000 jobs, $19 billion in lost investment and missed…
Employment picture cools in the Permian Basin, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says
Energize Weekly, December 11, 2019 Employment in Texas’ Permian Basin – in a sign of cooling oil and gas activity – declined by 400 jobs through the first 10 months of 2019 after adding 16,700 jobs in 2018, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. For the year, employment…