Bedfellows

While they appear at first glance to be strange bedfellows, even in California’s unpredictable regulatory milieu, the newest regulator on the five-member California Public Utilities Commission, Dian Grueneich, told an industry group Friday she is a strong advocate for both addressing global climate change and exploring clean coal power generation options. Coming from a Democrat who was appointed late last year by Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, that should not be too surprising.

Natural gas is playing an indirect, but clear role for the nation’s two largest wind power project developer/operators. They not only draw on some of the wholesale gas market’s volatility, but also on the location-scouting demands of underground gas storage facility development to find wind buyers and sites. One of the two companies is combining its wind and gas storage operations in one energy development business unit.