Downeast LNG Inc. (DELNG) has received authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy to export liquefied natural gas to free trade agreement (FTA) countries from its terminal proposed for Washington County, ME. Downeast also is seeking authority to export to non-FTA countries (see Daily GPI, Oct. 24, 2014). DELNG made its pre-filing request at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the Robbinston, ME, project last summer (see Daily GPI, July 23, 2014).

The California Energy Commission (CEC) on Monday laid out a roadmap for increasing energy efficiency in existing commercial and residential buildings in the state. Collectively, those structures represent more than half of the annual natural gas load in the state, along with 70% of the electrical consumption. A plan with five goals and strategies for achieving them was unveiled to accelerate improvements in energy performance in existing building stock to support Gov. Jerry Brown’s goal of doubling the state’s progress in building efficiencies. The plan calls for both public- and private-sector financial assistance for property owners to achieve increased energy savings.