A once-in-a-generation opportunity to remove the roadblocks to energy infrastructure development took flight on March 15 with the introduction of H.R. 1: The Lower Energy Costs Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The designation of H.R. 1 means this is Speaker McCarthy's top priority for this session of Congress.... (more)
Following the epic fight to elect Kevin McCarthy Speaker of the House, in his acceptance remarks the new Speaker sounded the call to reduce regulatory burdens on energy development with these words: "We pledge to cut the regulatory burden, lower energy costs for families, and create good-paying jobs for workers by unleashing reliable, abundant American-made energy."... (more)
EEIA is tracking the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) to drive a new wave of energy infrastructure construction, especially CO2 pipelines. It's now happening, with new project announcements seemingly coming weekly. There are several drivers, and chief among them are growing customer demands for lower carbon fuels, power and other products; carbon-intensity criteria conside... (more)
With Senators Joe Manchin's and Kyrsten Sinema's support of the "Inflation Reduction Act" (IRA) reincarnation of Build Back Better, our attention is also on a future pipeline permitting reform deal Senator Manchin is reported to have cut in exchange for his support of IRA.... (more)
U.S. LNG exports remain the key driver of future growth in natural gas production and infrastructure development, with seven terminals in operation, four under construction, and twelve more fully permitted and awaiting financing. LNG exports have grown from nothing five years ago to nearly 13 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) today, adding about 15% to total U.S. demand. ... (more)
The Ukraine War has focused widespread attention on the need to help replace Russian natural gas and oil supplies to Europe by increasing American production and exports. But in spite of high crisis-driven market prices, U.S. production is projected to grow only modestly over the near term, far short of volumes needed to make a dent in Europe's shortfall, let alone provide relief from high domesti... (more)
In late February, we alerted about pending FERC rules that would require the Commission to consider a natural gas pipeline or LNG export project's greenhouse gas impacts during construction, when in operation, and (much worse) when the natural gas it delivers is used or burned. That cost-benefit calculus would have become a key factor in FERC's decision whether to grant the certif... (more)
Recently, we alerted the industry that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was issuing new rules that require natural gas pipeline developers, when applying for FERC approval, to estimate and mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that would result from upstream production or downstream use of the natural gas flowing through the line. ... (more)
As we recently reported, while spot-checking the New England grid operator during a 4-day window in late January and early February, EEIA found that New England power producers were generating FOUR TIMES more electricity from burning high-emitting fuels (trash, garbage, wood chips and fuel oil) than from wind and solar. Worse, wholesale prices of electricity throughout the region ran double or mor... (more)
New England has recently become famous for local gas hookup bans, denying new natural gas pipelines from the Marcellus, and making up their cold-weather energy deficits by importing Russian LNG. Now the region has notched another distinction: generating far more electricity from burning refuse (i.e., trash and garbage), wood and fuel oil than from wind and solar.... (more)