Solar

An administrative law judge’s (ALJ) recent recommendation that Minnesota rely on solar power rather than natural gas to meet growing demand for electricity capacity was based on flawed assumptions, according to the state’s Department of Commerce, which concluded that one of three “superior” proposed gas projects be chosen.

The outlook for natural gas has never been brighter, but in many areas — including North America, Europe and the entire southern hemisphere — using solar energy to generate electricity could become cost-competitive or even gain a cost advantage over gas-fired generation by 2025, according to a report by Boston-based Lux Research.

The decision comes after a competitive bidding process for the coal-dominated utilities.

Similar to green energy options like solar and wind, Texas retail electricity customers of Direct Energy now can opt to buy electricity generated solely from natural gas-fueled power plants.

As the Pine Ridge fire along the Western Slope in Colorado was put out Thursday and the more than 100 natural gas wells in the Piceance Basin brought back online, a new fire northwest of De Beque, CO, called the Third Water Spring fire, caused Encana Corp. to shut in some of its other gas wells in the area.

Even though the Pine Ridge fire in western Colorado near the Piceance Basin was deemed less aggressive and more than 25% contained over the weekend, natural gas operators indicated that they will keep their well operations shut for the foreseeable future and are working closely with local authorities and the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which are overseeing the fire-fighting efforts.

Revisiting his initiative to repeal the $4 billion in subsidies that taxpayers provide the oil and gas industry each year, President Obama on Thursday reiterated part of his State of the Union address that there’s only one real path forward for America’s future: an “all of the above” approach that develops every source of energy available.

Wind and solar projects now being approved in California are mostly above the state’s market price referent (MPR), which is supposed to keep them cost-effective, a state regulator told an energy conference in San Francisco Monday.

Utility customer purported savings of more than $1.1 billion, development of North America’s largest thin-film solar power installation in operation and contributions of more than $16 million to nonprofit organizations and families in need are the highlights of last year’s operations at San Diego-based Sempra Energy, which recently published its first corporate responsibility report. “Powering the Every Day” focused on the energy holding company’s efforts in sustainability, such as environmental stewardship, employee development, diversity and philanthropy. Efforts to lower environmental impacts of energy operations, such as reducing generation plant emissions and increasing renewable energy and energy efficiency programs were outlined in the report, which is available at www.sempra.com under “Corporate Responsibility.”