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Vision 2020: A Focus on Our Future
The cover story for the July issue of American Gas discusses the ongoing progress of AGA’s Vision 2020 Strategic Planning Initiative, which was created in 2008 in order to envision and plan for our future in the year 2020 and beyond. Through a series of meetings, workshops and conference calls a number of task forces, committees and working groups comprising AGA staff, members and outside experts have examined many possible energy scenarios, utility business models and regulatory constructs to determine how natural gas utilities are likely to operate in the future, especially in a carbon-constrained environment in which increased energy efficiency and significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions are a paramount national goal.
Read about AGA’s Vision 2020 Strategic Planning Initiative in the July issue of American Gas.
The good news is that, given its domestic abundance, environmental superiority and greater efficiency, natural gas, especially when used directly in America’s homes and businesses, will be the preferred fuel for years to come—and that should remain the case regardless of whatever climate change legislation Congress eventually passes. But as Vision 2020 has pointed out, there are plenty of challenges and there will be plenty of changes ahead.
For one, natural gas utilities need to re-think their traditional business model of delivering the commodity—natural gas—to homes and businesses for heating, water heating and cooking applications. That is because new competitors are already re-thinking that business model, which is another significant change that already is taking place. Today companies such as Google, Intel, Microsoft and Home Depot are developing a variety of cost-effective energy solutions, including energy efficiency and “green” products and services that reduce energy use and save customers money. The utility needs do likewise, but that starts with a better understanding of what products and services the customers will want. To that end, utilities also need to re-think their relationship with customers, evolving from service providers into partners, empowering their customers to manage their own energy use through a variety of energy efficient solutions.
This in turn means continuing to ensure that new generations of highly efficient and “energy smart” natural gas products and services are available to the customer, which requires an industry-wide effort to support technological research and development.
Vision 2020 also points out that utilities will need to re-think their relationship with their regulators. In the new carbon-constrained world in which energy efficiency and conservation are the goals, our industry will need a new regulatory construct that rewards, not penalizes, utilities for partnering with their customers to reduce natural gas use.
All in all, as the article in American Gas makes clear, a brave new world is coming and AGA’s natural gas utility members need to be prepared for it, which is one reason AGA developed the Vision 2020 Strategic Planning Initiative. The other reason was to bring our members together to share ideas, strategize, and not only get more involved with AGA, but with one another. Facilitating that involvement is one of the things AGA always has been, and always will be, very good at. In an industry facing fundamental change, it’s nice to know some things won’t change.
Natural gas facts in the July issue of American Gas Magazine
I was browsing through my July issue of American Gas Magazine and came across this statistic. Twenty years ago, 75 percent of federal lands were available for natural gas and oil leasing. Today, only 17 percent of those lands are available.
If you can’t find your copy, don’t forget that you can access the digital version of American Gas Magazine at aga.org
The July issue features Dave’s article on the AGA Vision 2020 Strategic Planning Initiative, a more in-depth article on the topic by Bruce Kauffmann (Bruce is going to do a post on this later so you all can chime in), a great safety article on the tools and strategies utilities are using to combat blowing gas situations, and more gas statistics. Enjoy.
Building Green
There was a great article titled Building Green in the March 2009 issue of American Gas Magazine that focuses on “green” buildings and the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program for new construction.
Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington, D.C., the LEED green building certification program awards points in five areas: building site, water efficiency, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and energy use. The final point total, based upon written documentation submitted after construction or renovation concludes, determines the building’s level of LEED certification as Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Dominion Resources’ new administration building for its Cove Point liquefied natural gas facility is situated on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. The use of drought-resistant landscaping, a highly reflective roof, insulated glass and other features helped the building earn LEED Silver certification. Photo courtesy of Dominion Resources.
The article also does a excellent job of examining the construction of an administration building at Dominion’s Cove Point facility. Some of the highlights from that construction include:
- Purchasing about 25 percent of construction materials—including bricks, windows and cement—from local producers, thus reducing the amount of energy used for transportation.
- Recycling approximately 85 percent of construction waste rather than sending it to a landfill.
- Installing downward-focused outdoor lighting to prevent “light pollution” that disturbs nocturnal animals.
- Using a highly reflective roof, highly insulated walls and insulated glass in windows and doors to reduce heat and cooling loss.
- Installing plumbing fixtures that use 40 percent less water than their standard counterparts.
- Encouraging employees to commute by bike (by offering on-site showers) or car pool (by reserving prime parking spaces for registered car and van pools).
Those are some great examples of how business can have a considerable positive impact on the environment with some planning and dedication. You can download this pdf to read the entire article and visit aga.org for more articles from American Gas Magazine.
Green building is a hot topic as people are more and more concerned with our environment. Check out this useful presentation on the benefits of natural gas in new construction. AGA also has a section on natural gas efficiency. 90% of the energy content of natural gas is delivered to customers as a useful fuel. 90% … that’s huge.
Does anyone have some good links or stories about green construction to share?
True Blue Natural Gas Blog from the American Gas Association (AGA)- 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
- White House Supports Keeping Maximum Dividend Tax Rate At 20%
- Natural Gas Market Indicators
- Natural Gas Vehicles for America in Boston
- Nick Stavropoulos of National Grid on C-Span
