LNG boom | Delayed Report | Where’s the gas
Happy sunny Friday folks.
We start this week with a story from the New York Times about the US’s move from an energy importer to an exporter – specifically related to natural gas. They write, “A shale gas drilling boom over the last decade has propelled the United States from energy importer to exporter, taking the country a giant leap toward the goal of energy independence declared by presidents for half a century. Now the upheaval of the domestic energy sector is going global. A swell of gas in liquefied form shipped from Texas and Louisiana is descending on global markets, producing a broader glut and lower energy prices.”
DOE’s NOPR filing with FERC has caused ISO-New England to delay the release of its much-anticipated fuel security study, according to an article in CommonWealth Magazine. “ISO-New England has been working on its fuel security study since late 2016 and planned to release it Oct. 24. Few details have been released about the study, but it appears to focus on whether New England’s heavy reliance on natural gas for generating electricity could eventually put the grid at risk without the construction of additional pipeline capacity. The study is expected to analyze fuel security for the winter of 2024-2025 ‘because challenges to power system reliability are expected to be manageable in the near term.’ The grid operator decided to hold off after US Energy Secretary Rick Perry ordered the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to develop and issue grid resiliency rules.”
Last story for this week is a story from Greentech Media noting that “A review of Europe’s top wind-powered countries seems to refute the idea that gas peaking capacity is required to balance out intermittent generation. But partly it’s because these high-wind nations have unique balancing acts, and partly because gas is not the answer after all.”
As always, be sure to check out Northeast Energy News for regional energy events. Have a great weekend, the weather looks to be spectacular!
Natural Gas/Pipeline
Charlestown Gets Say in Burrillville Power-Plant Saga, ecoRI news
EFSB Grants Invenergy Motion To Exclude Resolutions From Evidence, Rhode Island Public Radio
Water supply pact means delay for final hearings on Burrillville power plant plan, Projo
PURA to review CT utilities’ pipeline practices, Hartford Business
Massachusetts reviews natgas manipulation claim, Argus Media
Sen. Asks FERC To Probe $3.6B Market Manipulation Claims, Law360
Fossil Fuel Misinformation Helps Quash Community Effort to Ban Fracking in Youngstown, Ohio, DeSmog
Senate bill would fast-track ‘small-scale’ natural gas exports, The Hill
‘This is a really big deal’: Canada natural gas emissions far worse than feared, The Guardian
Judge Allows ‘Necessity’ Defense by Climate Activists in Oil Pipeline Protest, InsideClimate News
Boom in American Liquefied Natural Gas Is Shaking Up the Energy World, New York Times
Pipeline backers, New York duel over water quality certificates, Utility Dive
Renewable Energy
Lawmakers Debate How To Attract More Renewable Energy In Mass., WAMC
How the US might fulfill its Paris pledge without the White House, Phys.Org
What It Will Take to Rebuild the Caribbean With Clean Energy, Greentech Media
In the Future, Your Home May Be Powered by a Tesla Battery, Futurism
Governors Push Clean Energy Technology, U.S. News & World Report
LePage invites bio-based businesses to call Maine home, Press Herald
Wood pellet boilers at Sanderson opposed, Greenfield Recorder
Vermont Landfill Plans to Build Greenhouses Powered by Geothermal Heat, Waste 360
State’s clean energy sector remains hopeful in a climate of uncertainty, (subscriber content), Boston Business Journal
Wind
Delaware Wants In on the US Offshore Wind Market, Greentech Media
First floating wind farm, built by offshore oil company, delivers electricity, Ars Technica
Can deepwater wind farms power the world?, USA TODAY
US Energy Dept. Shows Love For Teeny Tiny Micro Wind Turbines, CleanTechnica
Maine city struggles to get rid of windmill that never produced energy as promised, Bangor Daily News
This Controversial Law Could Stifle the US Offshore Wind Market, Greentech Media
Solar
South Portland power grid soaks up the sun, WCSH-TV
DEEP taking heat on its proposed changes to solar policy, The CT Mirror
Newport Looks to Move Toward Solar, New Hampshire Public Radio
Solar buy proposed for Manchester, NewHampshire.com
Chelmsford solar project latest as panels continue march across region, Lowell Sun
Three companies bid on Fall River solar farm, Herald News
Solar power project brings a crowd to informational meeting, Daily Bulldog
Moscow Board of Selectmen advocates for solar power project, centralmaine.com
Solar Will Help N.H. Soup Kitchen ‘Get More Food To Hungry People,’ Solar Industry Magazine
Energy Efficiency
The Proposed Repeal of the Clean Power Plan Shortchanges the Benefits of Energy Efficiency, Energy Collective
Energy efficiency as a resource: The power of getting more from less, Utility Dive
Europe will be spending $112 billion on energy efficient building technologies in 2026, Climate Action Programme
MA Ranked Among Most Energy Efficient States in US, GoLocal Worcester
World’s most sustainable office space opens in London, Curbed
Connecticut Town Goes LED, Saving $338000 Per Year, Energy Manager Today
Nuclear
Conservative think tank: Plan to help coal, nuclear power ‘arbitrary’, The Hill
Rick Perry’s plan to subsidize coal and nuclear plants is bonkers, Vox
US should incentivize the development of small modular reactors: Moniz, Platts
Opponents say premature closing of Millstone would cost Dominion $1B, The Day
Markets/Grid/Policy/Prices/Etc.
PUC Sides With Public’s Right-to-know On Eversource $100 Million Question, InDepth NH
Without Action, Northern Pass to Cut Straight Through Plymouth, PSU The Clock
LaFleur: DOE NOPR likely not detailed enough to form final rule, Utility Dive
Report: New England paying more than necessary for its electricity, The Recorder
Plan to ‘bury the power lines’ dealt another blow, Turn to 10
Eversource case: Protect Sudbury scrambles after expert quits, MetroWest Daily News
Eversource Protest Draws a Crowd, The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News
Pack Monandock utility pole project may cause snag for hikers, NewHampshire.com
Connecticut regulators approve two grid modernization proposals, Electric Light & Power
Intermittent Renewables Are Up. So Where Is All of the Gas?, Greentech Media
Citing Trump initiative, grid operator delays report, CommonWealth Magazine
Connecticut regulators open investigation on Eversource, Avangrid pipeline practices, Utility Dive
What FERC Commissioners Are Saying About the DOE NOPR, Greentech Media
What’s Electric Resilience Worth to You?, Microgrid Knowledge
Moniz: Utilities should prepare for very low carbon future, Utility Dive
4 signs that Trump’s furious efforts to save coal are futile, Vox.com
Climate change impacts coming to Crane Beach, Salem News
Editorial/Opinion
Beyond public safety, fixing aging gas pipelines is good for our economy | Opinion, NJ.com
Natural gas supply critical to keeping CT manufacturers competitive, Hartford Business
Time to put pedal to the metal, CommonWealth Magazine
Mass. citizens point the way on climate change, CommonWealth Magazine
Editorial: Eversource must quickly connect Bar-Way project to the grid, Going Green
Why Cap and Invest Is the Right Solution for Massachusetts Transportation, Union of Concerned Scientists Blog
A way New York can cut electric bills, Albany Times Union
How America Should Promote Energy Innovation in the Face of Extreme Weather, Greentech Media
Sunny days: Gatsas gets a solar deal, Union Leader
My Turn: A windfall for utilities at taxpayers’ expense, Concord Monitor
Northeast Energy News 