News and Analysis
PBEF Asks U.S. EPA to go Back to Drawing Board on Proposed Carbon Rules
July 25, 2014The Partnership for a Better Energy Future (PBEF), of which OMA is a member, sent this letter this week to U.S. EPA’s Administrator Gina McCarthy laying out five high-level concerns with the proposed carbon standards for existing power plants. This letter was sent in advance of a press call with executives from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), U.S. Chamber, and other PBEF members.
The letter makes the following requests to EPA: 1) Go back to the drawing board on the proposed rule, and 2) At a minimum, expand the public outreach beyond the four scheduled hearings and extend the comment deadline by 60 days.
The five concerns expressed in the letter: 1) The rule will increase electricity prices and negatively impact the economy; 2) The method for calculating the proposed standards exceed EPA’s statutory authority; 3) EPA has failed to demonstrate that the targets and “building blocks” are technologically achievable; 4) The rule sets bad precedent for future regulation of other sectors; and 5) There has been inadequate public engagement and the agency is adhering to a rushed and arbitrary rulemaking deadline.
Large-Scale Interstate Natural Gas Pipeline Planned
July 25, 2014A major interstate natural gas transmission pipeline has been proposed that would transport product from Marcellus and Utica formations to delivery points in Ohio, Michigan and Ontario, Canada.
The ET Rover Pipeline, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, is in the pre-filing process with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
The Rover Pipeline Project as currently proposed will consist of approximately 380 miles of 36-inch and 42-inch diameter mainline pipeline, with capacity up to 3.25 billion cubic feet per day.
Here’s more information; see also map on page 4 of this document.
Ohio Energy Standards: What Elected Leaders Said This Week
July 18, 2014Following passage earlier this summer of legislation that revises Ohio’s energy standards (SB 310), state officials made comments this week hinting at things to come. SB 310 froze energy efficiency and renewable energy standards and created a panel of legislators to study the costs and benefits of the standards.
Ohio Speaker of the House William Batchelder told Hannah News Service that he expects swift action on the SB 310 study committee, implying that appointments could come as soon as September.
In responding to reporters’ questions, Governor John Kasich defended his commitment to “green energy” telling an audience of regional chamber of commerce members near Mansfield that critics of the energy standards have two years to come up with an alternative. The Columbus Dispatch reported that the governor said “If they don’t give us something that works, we go back to the old standards.”
Hands-on Opportunity to Boost Your Facility’s Energy Savings
July 11, 2014OMA members from all energy-supply territories in the state can participate in an energy work group led by OMA’s consulting energy engineering partner, Go Sustainable Energy LLC.
Access the most up-to-date information, contacts, and opportunities in Ohio in the areas of combined heat and power (CHP), waste heat recovery (WER), and energy efficiency (EE).
Plant engineers, facility staff, and others responsible for implementing and managing energy efficiency are participating in the work group. The work group meets via web-conference every other month. Read more. And click here to receive work group meeting invitations, which have detailed agendas.
Also, for a limited time, OMA members can access a no-charge CHP assessment for their facilities. Contact John Seryak, OMA’s energy engineer consultant, for details.
Ohio Natural Gas Production Doubles, in One Year
July 3, 2014Ohio’s natural gas production nearly doubled from 2012 to 2013 because of increasing activity in the Utica shale and continued development of midstream infrastructure, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) said in a release this week.
ODNR “projects all oil and gas wells in Ohio produced 8 million barrels of oil and 171 billion cubic feet of gas in 2013. Compared to 2012, Ohio’s total oil production increased by 62 percent and natural gas production increased by 97 percent. The percentage increase in natural gas production is the largest in Ohio history, and the total production is the fourth highest annual total in state history. ODNR also released production data for the first quarter of 2014. A total of 418 wells reported production of 1.9 million barrels of oil and 67 billion cubic feet of gas.”
The department noted: “The production growth depends heavily on the development of the midstream infrastructure needed to transfer the resources to market. In a little more than 24 months, a new industry developed, including 11 processing facilities and miles of new pipelines. Companies have spent or have committed more than $6 billion on midstream infrastructure.”
Member Spotlight: Cooper Tire Shares Cost Savings Projects
June 27, 2014Anthony Smith, PE & Six Sigma Black Belt – Energy Management, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, shared with members of the OMA Energy Committee this week how his company has achieved savings from energy reduction projects and process improvements. Here’s his presentation.
Manufacturers routinely share case studies in energy reduction and savings at OMA Energy Committee meetings. The next OMA Energy Committee meeting is September 18; register at My OMA.
