RSS Feed
Kerry-Boxer: Worth The Wait?
Recently Dave Parker participated in the National Journal’s Energy and Environment Experts blog to respond to their question, “Kerry-Boxer: Worth The Wait?” Please take a moment to read his response posted below and visit the National Journal Energy Experts blog to view the comments from others in this respected group.
In the findings section of S. 1733, Senators Kerry and Boxer state that “Creating a clean energy future requires a comprehensive approach that includes support for the improvement of all energy sources.” We could not be in stronger agreement. There simply is no silver bullet or one-size panacea to the dilemma before the nation and this Congress, and Senators Kerry and Boxer are to be applauded for recognizing this at the outset.
Just as America is a diverse nation with varying energy needs, demands, infrastructure and resources, any effective legislation that addresses climate change and its many challenges must be diverse and flexible in its approach.
Natural gas currently meets 25 percent of America’s energy demands and is abundant and available now to meet our energy needs. It has also been leading the drive toward energy efficiency and conservation for more than 40 years, because while the number of natural gas customers has increased, actual gas use and greenhouse gas emissions have remained essentially flat.
Natural gas is already the cleanest fossil fuel—it contains just one carbon atom—and combined with new, highly efficient natural gas technologies, natural gas used directly in America’s homes and businesses is the easiest and fastest way to achieve a low- or zero-carbon option. Natural gas should be used as a primary tool to improve environmental quality and improve energy efficiencies in a host of applications.
To that end, AGA proposes a programmatic approach to reducing emissions – one that is focused on appliance efficiency standards, building codes, and utility-supported conservation/efficiency programs –a proven track record for residential and commercial natural gas customers.
Such an approach is only directed at those factors over which natural gas utilities and their customers have some control. AGA asks that Congress recognize natural gas and its many attributes for what they are and support a programmatic approach rather than imposing the higher costs and greater uncertainties that would result from a cap-and-trade approach that attempts to force fit us all into a one-size fits all that really fits few.
Natural gas market indicators
Many supply assets in the United States are growing and they are not limited to underground storage or domestic production. In fact, a September publication by the Energy Information Administration that examines the nation’s pipeline infrastructure notes that 2008 was a very strong year for capacity additions with nearly 3,900 miles of pipe adding 44.6 Bcf per day of cumulative capacity at a cost of about $11.4 billion.
Although some long-line project stages like Rockies Express contributed to the very active year, most 2008 investment was focused on smaller projects, which linked emerging supply areas to the interstate grid. Overall 84 projects were completed in 2008.
For the three-year period 2009-2011 another 180 projects of various sizes are planned although current economic conditions may impede the construction of some of the infrastructure.
Visit this link to download the full Natural Gas Market Indicator. Topics covered include: Reported Prices, Weather, Working Gas in Underground Storage, Natural Gas Production, Rig Counts, Pipeline Imports and Exports, and LNG Markets.
Clean Cities Success Story: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Clean Cities is a government-industry partnership sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Vehicle Technologies Program. With almost 90 local coalitions and more than 5,700 stakeholders, Clean Cities’ mission is to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector. We’ve written about Clean Cities a few times in the past.
They have a new section of videos showcasing alternative fuels (think compressed natural gas) and advanced vehicles including this one focusing on the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport.
The Dallas/Fort Worth airport is huge with more than 700,000 takeoffs and landings a year. That makes it the third busiest airport in the world behind Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia and O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois.
True Blue Natural Gas Blog from the American Gas Association (AGA)- Utah Clean Cities Coalition and Questar Gas open new fueling station in Utah
- Natural Gas Roundtable: Caruso and Hatley
- Focus on Low-Carbon Solutions
- Congrats to Alagasco on their expanding natural gas fleet
- Natural Gas Market Indicators
- Spectra Responds to Natural Gas Pipeline Concerns
- Don’t Miss Out—Make Sure to Register for the World Shale Gas Conference & Exposition
- Dave Parker Receives Prestigious Key Award from ASAE and The Center
- Department of Energy proposes to use full-fuel-cycle analyses in developing energy efficiency standards
- High dividend tax rates will negatively impact utilities
