News

Houston Chronicle covered FERC plans for a conference on carbon pricing mechanisms, quoting AEE's Jeff Dennis. Read excerpts below and the entire Houston Chronicle piece here (sub. req.). 

The nation’s top energy regulator is looking into what role it might play in state efforts to set a price on greenhouse gas emissions, stepping into a politically fraught arena as the federal government comes under increasing pressure to address climate change. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversees the nation’s power and natural gas markets, has set up a conference in September to discuss legal and regulatory issues around carbon pricing mechanisms that charge power plants, factories facilities and other large emitters for their emissions.

Houston Chronicle covered the decline of the oil market along with challenges, opportunities for renewable energy companies during and after the COVID-19 crisis, quoting AEE's Nat Kreamer. Read excerpts below and the entire Houston Chronicle piece here (sub. req.). 

As a sudden drop in demand decimates the oil industry, international efforts are underway to ride the lull in fossil fuel consumption to expedite the clean up of the world’s energy sector. Even as the coronavirus pandemic keeps countries under lock down, world leaders view the sudden shock to the global economy as an opportunity to reduce reliance on the crude flowing from Texas and other regions and combat climate change.

Houston Chronicle covered automakers' efforts to promote new EV options, referencing recent Super Bowl ads and the Washington Auto Show (where AEE hosted a special EV press tour) and AEE's Matt Stanberry. Read excerpts below and the entire Houston Chronicle piece here. 

With slumping global sales and fading government subsidies, the electric vehicle market might appear to be stumbling before it ever really got started. Just don’t try telling that to auto manufacturers, who are only increasing their commitment to a technology that for now occupies a small fraction of a world market dominated by gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. Witness the Super Bowl.

This Houston Chronicle article looks at the newly released Brattle Group Report, which estimates the costs of the current administration's coal bailout at $34 billion. AEE with funding from a coalition commissioned the report. Link to the full article here. Link to The Brattle Group Report here. Excerpts below:

The Houston Chronicle reported: While governor of Texas, Rick Perry was approached by a group of power executives who warned that unless state regulators took steps to raise electricity rates, power plants across the state would close and regular blackouts could follow.

The Houston Chronicle reviewed facts surrounding the Dept. of Energy's proposed grid resiliency rule that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was expected to rule on by Dec. 11 to meet Sec. Perry's fast-track schedule. The story subhead noted, "Critics call Perry's proposal raising coal, nuclear plants' rates a bailout."