Obama Sets 2035 Clean Electricity Target - Planet Ark

U.S. President Barack Obama set a target for power plants to produce mostly clean electricity by 2035 -- including power from sources like clean coal and natural gas -- in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

Obama also called for investment in clean technologies and urged Congress to eliminate billions of dollars in subsidies for oil companies.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but they're doing just fine on their own," Obama said about oil company profits. "So instead of subsidizing yesterday's energy, let's invest in tomorrow's."

Such a move, which Obama has repeatedly urged since taking office in 2009, would hit U.S. operations of oil majors such as Exxon Mobil, British Petroleum and ConocoPhillips. In last year's budget Obama had called for an end to nearly $40 billion in subsidies for oil, gas and coal companies, a proposal that failed.

But while he took aim again at oil companies, Obama sought a centrist message on an issue that has sharply divided Washington, saying nuclear power and two fossil fuels, clean coal and natural gas, would be needed to meet a goal of 80 percent clean energy in less than 25 years.

"Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal, and natural gas," Obama said. "To meet this goal, we will need them all and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen."

After a comprehensive energy bill that included a cap and trade market on carbon emissions failed in the Senate, Obama said last year that climate change policy would have to be achieved in smaller chunks.

Josh Freed, the director of the clean energy program at the nonpartisan think tank Third Way, said Obama's inclusion of nuclear power and natural gas in his targets for clean energy could attract the necessary votes in Congress.

"There's a large faction of Republicans and some Democrats who don't believe we can make the transition to clean energy without including nuclear power," he said.

A group of bi-partisan senators tried last year to push a clean energy mandate that did not include nuclear, clean coal or natural gas, but the measure was not brought up for a vote, in part because it was uncertain whether there was enough support.

The power industry has been hoping for a so-called nuclear energy renaissance, but investors have been hesitant to put money in new plants that can cost up to $10 billion.

To help push investments, the Department of Energy has offered billions in loan guarantees to help build the first U.S. nuclear power plant in nearly three decades.

Capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from power plants and burying it underground before it reaches the smokestack, is the main clean coal technology.

Energy experts say clean coal will be needed in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions dramatically since the country currently gets about half of its power from the fossil fuel.

In his speech on Tuesday, Obama cast the call for more investment in clean energy research on technologies both as a way for the United States to become more energy independent and as a challenge to surpass rapidly developing countries like China and India on development of renewable

"With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015," he said.

However, some Republicans were quickly dismissive of Obama's comments on energy, saying the administration should also focus on conventional energy by loosening restrictions on drilling for domestic oil.

"Today, American families are facing the harsh realities of rising gas prices, higher electricity costs and near double-digit unemployment," said Doc Hastings, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee.

"Instead of addressing these issues head-on, the Administration has spent the past two years blocking access to America's resources that create jobs and produce more energy."

Source: World Environment News - Obama Sets 2035 Clean Electricity Target - Planet Ark

The energy report: 100% renewable energy by 2050

This new study produced through a collaboration between World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Ecofys outlines how all the world's energy can be provided cleanly, renewably and economically by 2050.

All of the world’s energy needs could be provided cleanly, renewably and economically by 2050, according to a new study by WWF. The Energy Report breaks new ground with its global scope and its consideration of total energy needs including transport, and making adequate and safe energy available to all. The Energy Report shows that in four decades we can have a world of vibrant economies and societies powered entirely by clean, cheap and renewable energy and with a vastly improved quality of life. The report shows that the aim of meeting most energy needs from renewable sources will be a challenge, especially for countries like India. The report shows that by 2050, power, transport, industrial and domestic energy needs could be met with only isolated residual uses of fossil and nuclear fuels – vastly reducing anxieties over energy security, pollution and not least, catastrophic climate change. Energy efficiency in buildings, vehicles and industry would be a key ingredient, along with an increase in the energy needs met through electric power, renewably generated and supplied through smart grids.

Date: Jan 2011

Author(s): Stephen Singer

Source: WWF

Attachments: 101223_energy_report_final_print_2.pdf

Source: The energy report: 100% renewable energy by 2050 | India Environment Portal

Pipeline infrastructure for CBM gas still not in place

Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd, a part of YKM Holdings Group, has asked the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to exempt all coal bed methane operators from seeking approval of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board for laying pipelines that will supply gas to the end users. 

In a letter to the ministry, GEECL noted that most of the CBM blocks are in areas where the pipeline infrastructure is not in place. Besides, the quantity and pressure of CBM is low and is mostly supplied in the vicinity of the block itself. The buildup of the production is slow and reaches full capacity in eight to 10 years. The upstream operator has to establish the pipelines as no other company is willing to invest in a small network of pipelines that will reach full capacity in around a decade. As a result, the developers have no option but to lay their own dedicated pipelines to monetise the gas supplies. 

The Gurgaon-based company is the operator of Raniganj (South) CBM block near Asansol in West Bengal. The company started commercial production of CBM in July 2007 and subsequently sold gas in the domestic market. However, in the absence of pipeline infrastructure the company began laying dedicated pipelines from its block. 

GEECL had applied to the petroleum ministry and PNGRB for necessary approvals for laying the pipelines. However, PNGRB informed the company that its pipeline network did not fall under the category of 'dedicated pipelines' and invited the company for a formal hearing before the Board. Till then, the company has been asked to stop any incremental activity of laying pipelines in the Durgapur area. 

In its appeal to the petroleum ministry, the company said that this action on the part of PNGRB was detrimental to the interests of GEECL and the central government and was also prejudicial to the interests of the consumers as well as against the provisions of the CBM contract, possibly resulting in flaring or wastage of CBM gas. The company, therefore, asked the ministry to consider exempting all CBM developers from seeking PNGRB's approval before laying the gas pipelines.

Source:-http://www.projectsmonitor.com/OILPIPE/pipeline-infrastructure-for-cbm-gas-still-not-in-place

Essar Oil begins production from Raniganj block

Essar Oil has commenced production of gas from its Raniganj CBM block in West Bengal. The block is expected to achieve peak output in two to three years. The block will initially produce 90,000- 100,000 cubic metres of gas per day and will touch a peak of 3.5 mmscmd by the fourth quarter of 2012. The Raniganj block has estimated resources of 4.6 tcf and recoverable resources of around 1 tcf. 

Essar Oil is investing $300 million in CBM gas production and plans to drill 500 wells over three years. The gas will be sold to fertiliser plants at $4.2 per million British Thermal Unit. 

The company's Rajmahal block in Jharkhand has estimated in-place reserves of 9.5 tcf, with a recoverable resource of 4.7 tcf. 

Last year, the company signed production sharing contracts for four CBM blocks it had won under the fourth licensing round. The government had awarded 32 CBM blocks with reserves of 62 tcf to various companies. Essar Oil's five CBM blocks (with different companies) at Jharia, Raniganj East, Raniganj South, Sohagpur West and Sohagpur East, are currently producing 0.15 mmsmcd and output is expected to reach 7.4 mmscmd by 2013.

Source:-http://www.projectsmonitor.com/MISC/essar-oil-begins-production-from-raniganj-block