Environmentally

California’s headlong rush toward an eventual renewable portfolio standard (RPS) goal of 33% of the state’s power coming from environmentally clean resources by 2020 could greatly expand the market from natural gas-fired power generation, according to Steve Hoffmann, senior vice president with NRG Energy Inc. Diversifying electric generation fuels may expand, not lessen, the influence of gas in the next five to 10 years, he said from his perspective running NRG’s western operations.

Backing up the reputation that Colorado is an environmentally conscious state, Gov. Bill Ritter last week signed into law House Bill 1281 and Senate Bill 100 — two centerpieces of Colorado’s New Energy Economy legislative agenda — at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Technology Center south of Boulder.

Backing up the reputation that Colorado is an environmentally conscious state, Gov. Bill Ritter this week signed into law House Bill 1281 and Senate Bill 100 — two centerpieces of Colorado’s New Energy Economy legislative agenda — at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Technology Center south of Boulder.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week issued a series of rulings that would pave the way for new pipeline and expansion projects proposed by Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG), Southern Natural Gas (Sonat), East Tennessee Natural Gas, Texas Eastern Transmission (Tetco) and Petal Gas Storage LLC.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thursday issued a series of rulings that would pave the way for new pipeline and expansion projects proposed by Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG), Southern Natural Gas (Sonat), East Tennessee Natural Gas, Texas Eastern Transmission (Tetco) and Petal Gas Storage LLC.

Stating that the local distribution company (LDC) story from the buyer’s perspective is one of “growth and more growth,” Nick Stavropoulos, president of KeySpan Energy Delivery New England, said that at the end of the day, LDCs will “remain the key link” to the natural gas customer, ensuring reliable gas service.

Canada’s newly appointed natural resources minister is considering ending a ban against drilling in one of the nation’s most environmentally-sensitive spots, the Queen Charlotte Islands area offshore of British Columbia. Herb Dhaliwal pledged to keep an open mind — and hinted at adopting an encouraging attitude toward industry expansion in British Columbia — after an introductory meeting in Calgary with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Dhaliwal said he will be “very interested” to see the forthcoming report of a review panel that has been reconsidering Canada’s 30-year-old West Coast drilling moratorium since last summer.

New York should add at least 10,000 MW of new, more efficient and environmentally-friendly generation capacity within five years, the Business Council of New York State Inc. (BCNYS) recently told the state’s energy planning board. BCNYS believes that additional capacity should be the focus of New York’s revised energy plan, according to Council President Daniel Walsh. BCNYS is made up of thousands of member firms, including hundreds of chambers of commerce and professional and trade associations.

New York should add at least 10,000 MW of new, more efficient and environmentally-friendly generation capacity within five years, the Business Council of New York State Inc. (BCNYS) recently told the state’s energy planning board. BCNYS believes that additional capacity should be the focus of New York’s revised energy plan, according to Council President Daniel Walsh. BCNYS is made up of thousands of member firms, including hundreds of chambers of commerce and professional and trade associations.