News | Energy Bar Association

A top energy regulator is in turmoil over climate rules

Apr 27, 2022 09:40 AM

In February, a little-known federal agency for the first time laid down rules requiring energy regulators to consider new gas pipelines’ effects on climate change and environmental justice. The agency, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), would have to analyze the environmental effects of any project that emits a set amount of planet-warming greenhouse gases. The move thrilled environmentalists — but it didn’t last. Fossil fuel industry groups, Republican lawmakers and Sen. Joe Man

Texas hydrogen ‘proto-hub’ leads the US in technical potential for DOE-funded regional hubs: GTI

Apr 27, 2022 09:36 AM

The bipartisan infrastructure law passed last fall gave the DOE until May 14 to issue a funding opportunity announcement for at least four regional hydrogen hubs, for a total of $8 billion in available funding. Weeks speculated, however, that the DOE might approve as many as 10 hubs, which would result in less federal funding per project. The three-year Texas project, initially a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin and Frontier Energy.

Manchin Explores Possible Energy, Climate Package With GOP

Apr 27, 2022 09:29 AM

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin is exploring an energy and climate package aimed at winning enough Republican support to skirt the partisan budget reconciliation process that has held hostage hundreds of billions of dollars in potential spending on related priorities. “If I can find something bipartisan, we don’t need reconciliation,” Manchin, of West Virginia, said in an interview on Monday. A bipartisan energy package, like the infrastructure bill passed last year, could undercut the broader-..

Pennsylvania reaches the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative starting line

Apr 27, 2022 09:27 AM

Pennsylvania’s participation in RGGI’s quarterly auctions of carbon allowances won’t begin until the third quarter of this year because of roadblocks by the Republican legislature and the refusal of the state agency charged with publishing the rules to do so last year. “Publication of the rules is undoubtedly a historic moment for Pennsylvania,” Robert Routh, Clean Air Council public policy and regulatory counsel, said of the enabling regulation.

ANALYSIS: FERC Giving up on Transmission Competition?

Apr 27, 2022 09:25 AM

FERC’s proposed transmission planning and cost allocation rulemaking Thursday was a welcome victory for Chairman Richard Glick (D), coming a month after having to walk back a controversial pipeline ruling, and two months before the end of his current term on the commission. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was approved on a bipartisan 4-1 vote Thursday (RM21-17). (See related story, FERC Issues 1st Proposal out of Transmission Proceeding.)

N.Y. utilitys $1B plan targets offshore wind’s grid problem

Apr 20, 2022 09:38 AM

One of New York’s biggest utilities is asking regulators for permission to build a $1 billion grid hub that connects massive volumes of offshore wind to an old fossil fuel site, underscoring a challenge facing emissions plans that envision a surge in renewables. Known as the Brooklyn Clean Energy Hub, the plan was presented by Consolidated Edison Inc. to the state Public Service Commission (PSC) last week.

Energy sector on high alert after discovery of new malware targeting industrial control systems

Apr 20, 2022 09:36 AM

The new malware was reportedly designed to target energy facilities, and possibly liquefied natural gas plants in particular. Taking over SCADA systems could allow adversaries to inflict significant damage, say experts. "The malware was designed to be used in disruptive operations. This isn’t some normal malware and campaign. This is something that could be used to cause real issues or hurt people," Lee said on Twitter.

NREL: Rapid growth of energy storage to enable high shares of renewable energy on US grid

Apr 20, 2022 09:33 AM

Energy storage is poised for “rapid growth” in the US, with between 130GW to 680GW of diurnal storage capable of integrating an 80% share of renewables on the US grid by 2050. That’s one of the key takeaways from work by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Storage Futures, a seven-part series of studies which has just concluded with the publication of its final chapter: ‘Key learnings for the coming decades’.

Proposed California EV regs could be adopted by other states

Apr 20, 2022 09:32 AM

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is about to enact a major update to its Advanced Clean Cars (ACC) program, setting new standards on vehicle emissions and zero-emission vehicle regulations that 16 other states follow. Section 177 of the Clean Air Act allows these states to adopt California’s standards in lieu of federal requirements. The ACC program regulates emissions from light-duty cars and trucks, including both greenhouse gases and smog-forming pollutants.

FERC Approves PJM-NJ Transmission Agreement

Apr 20, 2022 09:30 AM

FERC gave final approval Thursday to the State Agreement Approach (SAA) sought by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and PJM that gives the greenlight for the state and RTO to build transmission to deliver 7.5 GW of planned offshore wind (ER22-902).The commission concluded that the agreement would require all costs of the transmission to be borne by New Jersey customers, rejecting claims by PJM transmission owners that they could potentially be liable in the future.