Energy transition

Replacing natural gas with hydrogen could cause “rate shock” for consumers in the absence of new incentives or subsidies to offset the costs of blending it into the gas system, according to the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). “The Alberta government may want to consider supports for customers such as credits, tax rebates or subsidies,” an…

Airlines see the idea of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through alternative fuels as a positive, but an eight-fold increase in fuel cost may stand in the way of landing on net-zero targets on time.  Last year, the Biden administration targeted commercial aviation for reducing emissions, and  set a domestic production goal of 3 billion…

Private equity giant EIG is gaining a bigger foothold in the world’s natural gas and oil projects after clinching an estimated $4.8 billion agreement to acquire a 25% stake in Repsol SA’s new upstream company. Repsol Upstream, 70% weighted to natural gas, has been formed as the supermajor’s exploration and production (E&P) company. It would…

Already leading the United States in most electric vehicles (EV) registered, California had more than 1,900 medium- and heavy-duty zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) on the state’s roads as of July, according to regulators.  In the fall of 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order (EO) requiring all new vehicle sales be ZEVs by 2035,…

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request to the California Energy Commission (CEC) to shoot for more “ambitious” climate goals, the regulator last week adopted a planning goal to develop 25 GW of offshore wind by 2045.  In its latest report, Offshore Wind Energy Development off the California Coast, CEC said that the “preliminary planning goals are…

The European Commission (EC) has approved a huge hydrogen initiative that would be financed by 15 European Union (EU) countries and 35 companies as it continues to diversify its energy supplies.  Under the plan, EU member states would work on 41 “important projects of common interest” (IPCEI) to create a hydrogen hub. The IPCEI Hy2Tech…

Vanguard Renewables, a renewable natural gas (RNG) producer with projects across New England, said it has been acquired by BlackRock Real Assets.  A source familiar with the deal told NGI that BlackRock purchased the RNG producer from Vision Ridge Partners for $700 million. The investment could help Vanguard Renewables develop its plans to bring more…

Joining other major municipalities across the country, the Washington, DC, City Council has unanimously voted to ban the use of fossil fuels, including natural gas, in new construction by the end of 2026.  Bill 24-420 (B24-420), aka the Clean Energy DC Building Code Amendment Act of 2022, would require the mayor, currently Muriel Bowser, to…

Editor’s Note: NGI’s Mexico Gas Price Index, a leader tracking Mexico natural gas market reform, is offering the following column by Eduardo Prud’homme as part of a regular series on understanding this process. The decision by Mexico’s Energy Ministry (Sener) to require users to source imported gas from state companies upends a long process of…