In This Issue
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Gas
Fracking Industry Braces for a Wave of Regulation
The explosion of public attention directed at hydraulic fracturing in 2011 has led to heightened regulatory scrutiny. This year will likely see a range of new regulations rolling out at the federal, state, and local levels. Will this new oversight help clean up the industry—or choke it off?
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GasEPA Regulation of the Electricity Sector: The Sky Is Not Falling
New regulations from the EPA have created alarm in some corners of the electricity sector. A fair review of the state of the industry indicates that most stakeholders are well-positioned to comply without sacrificing reliability.
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Gas
Git-R-Done! It Is Time to Break Down the Barriers Between Natural Gas and Electric Power
The gas business and electric business have been joined at the hip for decades, despite numerous artificial barriers preventing an efficient coordination of resources. It’s past time to rethink the relationship.
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GasReduction in U.S. Carbon Emissions Attributed to Cheaper Natural Gas
Lower emissions from U.S. power plants in 2009 were driven by competitive pricing of natural gas versus coal.
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Gas
Mixed Messages
However bright the future of gas-fired power may appear to be, the industry still needs good leadership to get there. It’s not clear we’re getting it, at least from Washington.
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Gas
Saudi Arabia Makes Huge Push to Expand Gas Turbine Generation Capacity
A fast-growing population means skyrocketing electricity demand for the desert Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The government is trying to meet this demand head-on with a massive build-out of gas turbine generation capacity, but long-term success will hinge on its ability to produce reliable domestic supplies of natural gas—a problem for a country whose existence has long been tightly tethered to crude oil production.
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Gas
LCRA Moves to Replace Aging Thermal Plant as Texas Struggles with Energy Future
The Lower Colorado River Authority (LRCA) is slated to replace an aging gas-fired thermal plant outside Austin with a modern combined cycle facility. It’s an upgrade sure to be welcomed as the Texas electric market faces an increasingly murky future.
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Gas
Wärtsilä’s Latest Combustion Engine Offers New Options for Intermediate Capacity
Once primarily deployed for peaking and industrial use, gas-fired combustion engines are becoming an increasing part of the baseload fleet because of their flexibility and ease of operation. Wärtsilä’s latest engine offers a new level of power and efficiency that can compete with gas-fired combustion turbines in baseload operations.
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GasWill U.S. Natural Gas Inventories Hit Their Caps This Fall?
A mild winter and surging shale production have gas inventories at record highs. Absent major production cutbacks, the industry is facing the near-certain prospect of major amounts of gas being dumped on the market later this year.