Renewable

While infusing new funds for filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and advancing nuclear, clean coal and renewable fuels, the Bush Administration made no apologies for cutting all oil and natural gas research and development dollars out of its fiscal 2008 energy budget request. “This president has never been in favor of subsidies for the oil and gas industry,” Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman told a budget briefing Monday.

Demand for gas storage capacity in the Rockies is growing as gas demand continues to grow and the push for more renewable energy such as wind power creates a need for more back-up gas-fired generation. Xcel Energy told Colorado state regulators last week that it’s in the market for more storage space to support its gas supply portfolio.

An Idaho renewable alternative energy technology firm announced Tuesday a successful gas quality test for its system of producing biogas from dairy manure, turning it into what the company claims is another form of pipeline-quality natural gas. Officials of Intrepid Technology and Resources, Inc. in Idaho Falls, ID, officials said the firm is now prepared to make its first commercial delivery of manure-to-gas supplies to the local utility, Intermountain Gas Co.

Enbridge Gas New Brunswick, Canada, won a 20-year renewablefranchise to develop a gas distribution system for the province ofNew Brunswick. The award was made by the provincial governmentfollowing evaluation of competitive bids submitted earlier thisyear. Enbridge Gas New Brunswick is a joint venture betweenEnbridge Inc., with a 63% interest, and 28 local New Brunswickinvestors.