Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 31, 2022

Rising prices of methane gas used for power and heating, exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, are contributing to soaring electric and heating bills across the country. And such action cannot be influenced by fossil fuel interests and their policy proposals that we are seeing in Congress. How Did We Get Here?

Clean Energy 234

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity 2020 234

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 30, 2022

Replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy from wind and solar will depend on upgrading the electric power grid, which is currently plagued by planning delays and gridlock. PJM has only recently considered the states’ energy policies as relevant to its FERC-authorized role as transmission planner for its region.

Fossil Fuels 244

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Electricity Regulations 244

Law and Environment

AUGUST 11, 2022

5060 ), titled An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, into law on Thursday August 11, 2022. DPU is directed to promulgate updated regulations in accordance with the legislation. Reduction of Fossil Fuels. Electric Grid. Governor Baker signed the climate bill ( H.5060 GW by 2027.

Clean Energy 147

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy 2027 147

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Gas, which now generates 40 percent of US electricity, is considered by some to be critical to maintain grid reliability. For example, Dominion Energy, an electric and gas utility in Virginia, is planning to build a mammoth 1,000-megawatt gas plant in an area with a high percentage of residents who are people of color and low-income.

Clean Energy 318

Clean Energy Nitrogen Oxides Fossil Fuels Electricity 318

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 3, 2023

Last year’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) included a clean hydrogen production tax credit (known as “45V”) that is one of a slew of new incentives intended to help catalyze the next and necessary phase of advancing the nation’s clean energy transition as a whole. The costs will be too great otherwise.

Clean Energy 226

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Electricity Renewable Energy 226

Environmental News Bits

MAY 1, 2024

by Patrick Parenteau, Vermont Law & Graduate School Electric power generation in the U.S. is shifting rapidly away from fossil fuels toward cleaner and lower-carbon sources. State clean energy targets and dramatic declines in the cost of renewable electricity are the most important reasons.

Regulations 40

Regulations Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Electricity 40

Law and Environment

JULY 1, 2022

EPA on Thursday, June 30, 2022, curbing the power of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants across the country. The decision focuses on EPA’s authority under a specific section of the Clean Air Act. What does this mean for clean energy projects?

Clean Energy 130

Clean Energy Climate Change Clean Air Act Greenhouse 130

Union of Concerned Scientists

JANUARY 18, 2024

In late December, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released proposed regulations for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. The tax credit, passed as part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act, provides a generous incentive for the production of clean hydrogen. the “three pillars”).

Fossil Fuels 184

Fossil Fuels Clean Energy 2028 Carbon Emissions 184

Enviromental Defense

APRIL 3, 2023

To no one’s surprise it contained zero funding to address climate change – not even for clean energy – which the document referred to multiple times. As a result, between 2005 and 2017 greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s electricity system dropped by 93 per cent.

Clean Energy 93

Clean Energy Government Electricity Climate Change 93

Law and Environment

AUGUST 17, 2022

As we’ve discussed before , multiple cities and towns in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have tried to ban fossil fuel hookups for new buildings by zoning or other ordinance over the past few years. As we noted then, in order for municipalities to restrict or ban fossil fuel connections, [T]he legislature must move first.

Electricity 130

Electricity Fossil Fuels Clean Energy Law 130

PA Environment Daily

APRIL 18, 2024

By John Quigley, Kleinman Center For Energy Policy , University of Pennsylvania The challenge of decarbonizing the electricity grid while ensuring its reliability is acute in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth is the nation’s third-largest electricity producer , and exports more of it than any other state.

Electricity 114

Electricity Natural Gas Clean Energy Fossil Fuels 114

Union of Concerned Scientists

JUNE 13, 2022

We already have so many of the foundational technological building blocks of the clean energy transition at hand: renewables, energy efficiency, energy storage, and pathways to electrifying a vast array of energy end uses. Now we need to rapidly accelerate the clean energy momentum already underway.

Technology 232

Technology Technology Climate Change Fossil Fuels 232

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 22, 2022

Minnesotans are facing concurrent crises of climate change, high energy prices and inflation, and the inequitable public health impacts of fossil fuel air pollution. Renewable energy will help with all of that—but we need a grid that is designed for wind and solar instead of having to rely on expensive coal and gas plants.

Renewable Energy 343

Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels Solar Power Electricity 343

Legal Planet

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

Over three-fourths of Indonesia electricity comes from fossil fuels: 60% from coal and 16% from gas. For example: “Many electricity sector policies awaiting implementing rules and regulations are not aligned with each other, or contradict related non-energy regulations. Several official plans.

Paris Agreement 253

Paris Agreement Sea Level Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions 253

Union of Concerned Scientists

JULY 1, 2022

That’s because the case, which was about the nature and scope of EPA authority in regulating carbon emissions from existing power plants, turned on a rule that does not exist. Because while this decision does still recognize EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, it simultaneously sharply curtails the agency’s ability to do so.

Fossil Fuels 255

Fossil Fuels Clean Air Act Clean Energy Greenhouse 255

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 13, 2024

On March 7, the Independent Fiscal Office issued its latest Pennsylvania Electricity update that reports the electricity grid is dependent on one fuel for 59% of the state’s electricity generation-- natural gas-- followed by nuclear power-- 31.9%, coal-- 5.4% from other sources. Read more here. Read more here.

Electricity 115

Electricity Natural Gas Renewable Energy Nuclear Power 115

Legal Planet

AUGUST 5, 2021

electricity. With some notable exceptions, they’ve tended to drag their feet on the energy transition. The proposed Clean Energy Standard is one effort to deal with this problem. A big shift to renewables could leave stranded assets — existing fossil fuel plants that the utility will no longer get paid for using.

Fossil Fuels 298

Fossil Fuels Regulations Clean Energy Renewable Energy 298

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 17, 2023

cranks its air conditioners to get through historic high temperatures , the need for energy that slows, not hastens, climate change is more apparent than ever. Yet, in 2022, almost 40% of electricity in the US was generated by power plants fueled by natural gas. And now, as the U.S.

Fossil Fuels 220

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Nitrogen Oxides Electricity 220

Union of Concerned Scientists

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Despite the clean energy transition that is well underway in the United States, methane gas, or natural gas, remains the largest source of U.S. electricity generation. This is a particularly dangerous risk given the coincident grid strain and high electricity demand that is typically triggered by these weather conditions.

Fossil Fuels 174

Fossil Fuels Cooling Electricity 2015 174

PA Environment Daily

AUGUST 28, 2023

On August 23, the PJM Interconnection Critical Issue Fast Path Resource Adequacy stakeholder group heard testimony and suggestions on the issue of making electricity market changes to address nonperformance of natural gas and other generators during emergencies and events like Winter Storm Elliot in December. Read more here. Read more here.

Natural Gas 84

Natural Gas Electricity Clean Energy Renewable Energy 84

Union of Concerned Scientists

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

In December, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service proposed regulations governing implementation of the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit , passed as part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act. In particular, emissions loopholes related to biomethane and fugitive methane (i.e.,

Fossil Fuels 248

Fossil Fuels Waste Regulations Electricity 248

Enviromental Defense

APRIL 1, 2023

To no one’s surprise it contained zero funding to address climate change – not even for clean energy – which the document referred to multiple times. As a result, between 2005 and 2017 greenhouse gas pollution from Ontario’s electricity system dropped by 93 per cent.

Clean Energy 52

Clean Energy Government Electricity 2017 52

Environmental Progress

JANUARY 20, 2022

In order to steer investment toward environmentally sustainable activities, the European Union launched the Taxonomy Regulation framework to define activities deemed sustainable. Notably, in the same proposal, the Commission has also included screening criteria for gaseous fossil fuels. 31 1(a)).

Fossil Fuels 52

Fossil Fuels Regulations Waste Technology 52

Legal Planet

DECEMBER 11, 2023

After a landmark 2022—a record $54 billion committed to climate spending and legislation that codified the state’s goals of carbon neutrality by 2045 and 90 percent clean electricity by 2035—a significantly gloomier budget forecast gave rise to fears that California’s climate programs would take a hit.

Law 251

Law Clean Energy Fossil Fuels 2030 251

PA Environment Daily

MAY 17, 2024

He was appointed as a mediator by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to work with the environmental community and industry to establish better regulations for water quality monitoring in areas impacted by coal ash. He has publicly called for investments in clean energy, green technologies, and environmental research.

Climate Change 120

Climate Change Fossil Fuels Clean Energy 2006 120

Union of Concerned Scientists

OCTOBER 24, 2023

A global transition to electric transportation is underway and momentum is growing. Even in California, where a tradition of stringent regulation has pushed the industry to innovate over the past 50 years, automakers are selling EVs at levels well above sales requirements. 4 electric vehicle and the VW Tiguan gasoline vehicle.

Electricity 321

Electricity Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Recycling 321

Union of Concerned Scientists

AUGUST 31, 2022

At any point in the summer, extreme heat could trigger electricity supply shortages and rotating power outages. In reality, a big heat wave could lead to electricity supply shortages and rotating power outages during any summer month, but September is when it’s most likely. How well has California’s grid been performing this summer?

Solar Power 252

Solar Power Fossil Fuels Electricity 2020 252

Union of Concerned Scientists

APRIL 20, 2023

This is despite the clean energy progress the power sector has experienced to date—and despite the groundwork laid for more progress from leading states, as well as the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). And more gas is slated to come. So what follows from that obligation?

Clean Air Act 192

Clean Air Act Fossil Fuels Carbon Emissions Clean Energy 192

Enviromental Defense

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

In this year’s edition of World Energy Outlook , the International Energy Agency showed that with the rapid roll out of renewable energy technologies, the demand for fossil fuels – gas, coal and oil – will peak this decade. The IEA is a global body of leading experts on energy modelling and analysis.

Fossil Fuels 92

Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Greenhouse Government 92

PA Environment Daily

MARCH 13, 2024

Under PACER, 70% of the revenue will be directed back to Pennsylvania residents as a rebate on their electric bill – more than any other cap-and-invest program in the nation – resulting in long-term, price relief on energy costs. The benefits of PACER will be passed on directly to Pennsylvania consumers. That’s why Gov.

Electricity 117

Electricity Natural Gas Clean Energy Renewable Energy 117

Union of Concerned Scientists

MARCH 16, 2022

They just released their 2022 “Annual Energy Outlook” (AEO), which is a big deal: it tells us where electricity is headed over the next 30 years. It’s widely viewed as the “gold standard” for energy projections, even though there’s much debate in the energy community about the validity of the assumptions behind these projections.

Natural Gas 265

Natural Gas Renewable Energy Climate Change Electricity 265

Union of Concerned Scientists

MAY 25, 2023

With an outsized credit for the lowest-carbon tier, the incentive’s aim is clear: Drive deployment of hydrogen production technologies that will be needed by, and aligned with , the nation’s overall clean energy transition. How do biomethane, lifecycle carbon accounting, and the tax credit interact?

Fossil Fuels 181

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Clean Energy Carbon Emissions 181

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 14, 2023

Winter is once again here, bringing great festivities and respite via holidays, but also great worries to energy regulators, grid operators, and communities about dangerous winter storms that can spread across large parts of the United States and negatively affect electric grid reliability.

Electricity 276

Electricity Fossil Fuels 2011 2014 276

Enviromental Defense

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

In order to ensure a safe and stable future, we need more clean energy, not more fossil power. Respected bodies like the International Energy Agency have been clear – there is no room for new fossil fuel infrastructure if we want to hold warming to 1.5

Nitrogen Oxides 116

Nitrogen Oxides Fossil Fuels Air Pollution Electricity 116

Union of Concerned Scientists

SEPTEMBER 23, 2022

An ambitious law that promises to accelerate the state’s clean energy transition, CEJA provides a detailed framework for greater utility transparency and accountability to update electricity distribution infrastructure to ensure a clean energy future.

Clean Energy 192

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels 2012 Law 192

PA Environment Daily

JUNE 29, 2022

Department of Energy issued a Request For Information (RFI) to inform a $500 million program funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to place clean energy demonstration projects on current or former mine lands across America. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. million acres in the United States.

Clean Energy 52

Clean Energy Fossil Fuels Renewable Energy Law 52

Union of Concerned Scientists

DECEMBER 20, 2022

US ratepayers very likely will pay even more for electricity and heating this winter compared to the already-expensive winter of 2021-2022. The US Energy Information Administration is forecasting the wholesale price of gas to reach its highest level since the winter of 2009-2010 in inflation-adjusted terms.

Fossil Fuels 278

Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Electricity Natural Gas 278