A team of scientists developed the first global map of chronic oil slicks in the world’s oceans, and found that more than 90% come from humans – significantly more than previously reported.
oil and gas Stories June 16
oil and gas Stories June 7
The first of 11 8.6 megawatt (MW) turbines has been installed at the world’s largest floating wind farm, off the Norwegian coast. Hywind Tampen is also Norway’s first offshore wind farm – and it will power offshore oil and gas platforms.
oil and gas Stories May 24
Major US and European oil and gas companies are failing to meet the bare minimum of their promises to reach net zero by 2050 in order to align with the Paris Agreement, according to a new study released today.
oil and gas Stories February 3
The European Commission wants to label nuclear and gas as ‘green’ – and many say that’s greenwashing
The European Commission wants to label some natural gas and nuclear power plants as sustainable, calling them “transitional” sources of energy in rules proposed yesterday. But that label comes with strings attached, and many, from environmental groups to countries, call the proposal a greenwash.
oil and gas Stories January 18
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has forecast in its January Short-Term Energy Outlook that rising electricity generation from clean energy such as solar and wind will reduce generation from fossil fuel-fired power plants over the next two years.
oil and gas Stories January 16
Oil giant BP claims the use of its BP pulse electric vehicle chargers is “on the cusp” of being more profitable for the company than filling up an internal combustion-powered car with gas. Once that happens, it could mark a major turning point for EVs and “big oil”.
oil and gas Stories January 5
Fossil fuel heating is bad for the environment and super expensive right now: Three Democratic legislators wrote a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today asking them to protect consumers from unfairly high energy costs. Geothermal heating is fantastic, but it’s not yet widely available – and it’s still financially out of reach for many. Enter Swedish energy giant Vattenfall with high-temperature heat pumps that can easily replace gas boilers.
oil and gas Stories November 24, 2021
Between 2022 and 2025, 27.3 gigawatts (GW) of new natural gas-fired capacity is scheduled to come online in the US, boosting its existing capacity of 489.1 GW as of August 2021, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Here’s where it’s headed.
oil and gas Stories November 18, 2021
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held a lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday for oil and gas drilling rights. Why did the Biden administration hold an auction for fossil fuel drilling, on the heels of COP26, where countries agreed to “phase down” fossil fuels?
oil and gas Stories November 12, 2021
The COP26, aka the United Nations Climate Change Conference UK 2021, has officially finished in Glasgow. But the final agreement has not yet been put in place, and that will likely come over the weekend. Here’s Electrek‘s daily roundup of the key happenings at the world’s most important summit ever.
oil and gas Stories October 29, 2021
The French oil mastodon TotalEnergies is making amends – and doubtless seeking to make a buck from renewables as well – by installing fast-charging stands for EV cars at its gas stations along France’s highway system.
oil and gas Stories October 28, 2021
Opinion: Joe Manchin wants the world to drive coal-fueled Model Ts
In case people to the left of, say, Mitt Romney (Republican, UT) or Susan Collins (Republican, ME) needed an additional reason to despise coal-addict Joe Manchin (For Rent, WV), the most dependably conservative-abetting senator gave it to them this week in comments mocking sustainable and clean air proposals while defending billionaires from higher taxes to fund those proposals.
oil and gas Stories September 30, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- Fossil fuel lobbyists are using Facebook ads to try to thwart crucial climate-change initiatives.
- GM says it will source 100% clean energy for its US sites by 2025.
- SolarReviews launches a new solar calculator that doesn’t require you to sign up.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories September 9, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- 6.1 GW of global offshore wind was installed in 2020, down slightly from a record 6.24 GW in 2019.
- More than half of the world’s fossil fuels have to stay buried to slow global warming.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories August 31, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- Hurricane Ida will affect the price of gas for ICE-car drivers across the US.
- Were widespread power outages from Hurricane Ida avoidable?
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories August 30, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The end of leaded gas use globally will prevent more than 1.2 million premature deaths.
- Electrifying transport could add $47 billion annually to the US Southeast’s economy.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories August 6, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- From 2019 to 2020, petroleum consumption decreased in every energy-consuming sector.
- 25 fossil fuel giants used Facebook ads to fight President Joe Biden’s clean energy plan.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories July 19, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The US produced more petroleum and natural gas than any other country in 2020.
- Average US solar construction costs continued to fall in 2019.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories June 23, 2021
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) just signed into law SB 1128/HB 919, “Preemption Over Restriction of Utility Services,” which was pushed through the legislature. It prevents local governments from deciding which energy path they want to take. In other words, Florida towns and cities are now unable to switch to 100% clean energy because they can’t ban fossil fuels.
oil and gas Stories June 18, 2021
Maine has become the first US state to pass statewide legislation to divest from fossil fuels. LD 99, “An Act To Require the State To Divest Itself of Assets Invested in the Fossil Fuel Industry,” was signed late Wednesday by Governor Janet Mills (D-ME). A divestment plan is now required by 2026.
oil and gas Stories June 15, 2021
Texas has been hit by a heatwave, and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has asked residents to reduce electricity use until Friday because demand is up, but power supply is down. ERCOT stated yesterday, “Generator owners have reported approximately 11,000 MW [megawatts] of generation is on forced outage for repairs; of that, approximately 8,000 MW is thermal, and the rest is intermittent resources.” “Thermal” power in Texas largely refers to natural gas-fired power plants, which make up around 50% of annual energy production in Texas.
oil and gas Stories June 14, 2021
A Dutch court ruled that Shell’s emissions targets aren’t “concrete.” This is what the oil giant must do in order to achieve a viable plan to reduce emissions and meet clean energy targets.
oil and gas Stories June 3, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- ExxonMobil and Chevron suffer shareholder rebellions over a lack of strategy for emissions reduction.
- Here’s the latest US Electric Power Monthly report, and what renewables are projected to do.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories June 2, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The US Department of the Interior suspends oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
- Danish wind giant Ørsted bumps up its clean energy target to reach 50 GW of installed capacity by 2030.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories May 26, 2021
A court in the Netherlands today ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its carbon emissions by 45% by 2030 from 2019 levels. Previous to the ruling, Shell’s emissions reduction target was 20% by 2030.
It’s the first time activists have taken a major energy company to court to get it to overhaul its climate strategy, and they were successful.
oil and gas Stories April 28, 2021
Update April 28, 5:24 p.m. ET: The US Senate has voted 52-42 to reinstate regulations on methane emissions, a harmful greenhouse gas that traps 84 times more atmospheric heat than carbon dioxide. The Senate voted on a Congressional Review Act resolution led by senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Angus King (I-ME), and Ed Markey (D-MA). Or, as King put it, “a repeal of a repeal.”
This is a hugely impactful decision that should result in immediate emissions reduction in the US.
oil and gas Stories April 13, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The Navajo Nation will build two more solar farms that will create jobs, revenue, and electricity.
- Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan includes funds for capping oil wells, but who should pay?
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories April 2, 2021
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- The first-generation Irene Vorrink wind farm is coming down. What happens next?
- The SEC rules that Chevron must allow a shareholder proposal asking for a transparent account of how a net-zero by 2050 scenario will affect its operations and performance.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
oil and gas Stories December 4, 2020
Japan plans to phase out sales of new gasoline-powered vehicles by the mid-2030s, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
The plan is not yet finalized (expect more info by the end of the year), and will still allow for sales of conventional gas-powered hybrids. So this is a step forward, but resembles China’s recently announced gas car ban that doesn’t actually ban gas cars.
oil and gas Stories November 24, 2020
Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC’s Mad Money, cofounder of the Street, and former stockbroker and hedge fund manager, spoke with Katherine Ross, correspondent at the Street, earlier today. Here’s what Cramer had to say to Ross about Joe Biden, Janet Yellen being chosen for secretary of the treasury, green energy, General Electric, and Big Oil.
oil and gas Stories November 23, 2020
The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a ban on Friday of ships’ use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic waters after July 1, 2024. However, since it includes exemptions and waivers — loopholes — a complete HFO ban would only come into effect in mid-2029.
oil and gas Stories November 17, 2020
Donald Trump’s administration is bulldozing through a last-minute gas and oil drilling-rights auction in Alaska’s 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Biden vowed to block oil exploration in the largest national wildlife refuge in the country.
oil and gas Stories October 27, 2020
China plans to require that all new cars sold after 2035 be eco-friendly “new energy vehicles” according to Nikkei Asia. The plans were announced in a future road map for new energy vehicles and will be regulated under China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The specifics of the plan state that as of 2035, 50% of new cars sold in the country will be either electric, plug-in hybrid, or fuel cell vehicles, and 50% of new cars will be conventional hybrids, which still run entirely on gasoline.
oil and gas Stories October 19, 2020
Chevron Corp (CVX.N) and Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), the two largest US energy firms, have increased their share of campaign donations to Democrats in 2020, according to the latest filings.
oil and gas Stories September 30, 2020
- Royal Dutch Shell will cut up to 9,000 jobs by 2022 due to the pandemic and lack of oil demand.
- Turntide’s Smart Motor System has the potential to reduce global electricity consumption by 25%.
- Sustainable technology company Furrion launches a solar cooler that also packs a charging station.
- Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and your bank account — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card.
oil and gas Stories September 21, 2020
Norway announced today that it will finance 16.8 billion kroner (US$1.8 billion) out of an estimated total investment of 25.1 billion kroner for the world’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.
The project is named Longship after the Viking ships.
oil and gas Stories September 14, 2020
BP stated in a forecast published today that oil may have reached its peak due to the pandemic and that renewables will take the place of fossil fuels.
oil and gas Stories August 10, 2020
The Japanese MV Wakashio, owned by the Nagashiki Shipping Company and operated by Mitsui OSK Line, has spilled oil off the Mauritius coast after hitting a reef near the Blue Bay Marine Park on July 25. This is Mauritius’ first oil spill, a country with a population of 1.3 million people.
oil and gas Stories August 6, 2020
US court rules Dakota Access Pipeline can stay open for now
The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled yesterday that the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) does not have to be shut and drained, as per a lower court order on July 6. It’s able to keep operating for now. The three-judge panel said they did not have the “findings necessary” to shut it down.
oil and gas Stories August 5, 2020
In its first corporate sustainability report, the federally owned utility Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) says it’s on track to reduce emissions by 70% below 2005 levels by 2030.
But on Monday, Donald Trump fired two members of its board of directors, including its chair, on the grounds that it’s hiring low-cost foreign labor. The TVA says that’s not true. So what’s really going on?
oil and gas Stories July 10, 2020
Starting this month, a one-time upfront registration fee of $100 will be charged for 2020 model year plug-in vehicles in California. That will be followed by an annual registration fee of up to $175 based on the vehicle’s value. The Golden State is by far the biggest market for electric vehicles in the United States.
oil and gas Stories July 9, 2020
On July 6, the US District Court for the District of Columbia ordered the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) shut down. The court said it should be drained by August 5 and the government would conduct a rigorous environmental review.
But its owner, Energy Transfer LP, a Dallas-based company run by billionaire Kelcy Warren, refuses to do so. In fact, it’s accepting requests for oil space on the pipeline in August.
oil and gas Stories July 7, 2020
British Gas has ordered 1,000 of the new Vauxhall electric Vivaro-e vans for its engineers — the largest EV order for a commercial fleet in the UK. They’ll arrive over the next 12 months.
oil and gas Stories July 6, 2020
Dominion Energy Inc. and Duke Energy Corp. are canceling the $8 billion, 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The natural gas pipeline was to run 600 miles from West Virginia, through Virginia, to eastern North Carolina.
Duke Energy Corp has a net zero by 2050 goal in accordance with the Paris Accords. However, the reason for killing the pipeline is not environmental; it’s because of anticipated legal delays driving up costs.
oil and gas Stories June 15, 2020
A research team at DeSmog has debunked the messaging of an organization that calls itself the “Transportation Fairness Alliance.” It proclaims itself to be in favor of “competitive and equitable transportation,” but it’s actually a powerful, anti-EV, pro-fossil-fuel lobbying group.
oil and gas Stories June 8, 2020
Oil giant BP will cut 15% of its workforce, Reuters exclusively reports today. This is a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy, and also CEO Bernard Looney’s plan to shift the fossil-fuel company to green energy, it said today.
oil and gas Stories June 5, 2020
Russian President Vladimir Putin of Russia declared a state of emergency in a region of northern Siberia after a huge oil spill last week turned a river crimson. It is threatening significant damage to the Arctic region.
oil and gas Stories May 28, 2020
What do you think of when you think of Houston and energy? Oil and gas, probably. But did you know that Houston buys more green energy than any other city in the US?
