Developer seeks city approval to replace Crawford power plant in Little Village
Chicago’s Little Village is home to a retired coal-fired power plant. Future use of the space is being planned by Hilco Redevelopment Partners with the approval of the City Council. Hilco plans to convert it into a distribution center and they believe the jobs created would benefit the city. (more…)
Natural gas prices spike on cold weather and lowest early season supply in 15 years
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. (more…)
Are Smart Thermostats Worth The Investment?
With technology advancing so quickly these days, there are many options for consumers to make daily tasks more efficient. Whether homeowners are building a new space or upgrading amenities, it has become popular to use a digital thermostat. Programmable thermostats are more common and have proven useful but smart thermostats are on the rise. (more…)
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,756 Bcf as of Friday, December 25, 2015, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 58 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 532 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 448 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,308 Bcf. At 3,756 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
Estimated Storage withdrawal of 53 Bcf – 57 Bcf
Versus
Actual 58 Bcf
The US Energy Information Administration is expected to estimate a natural gas storage withdrawal of between 53 Bcf and 57 Bcf for the reporting week that ended December 25, according to a consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts. EIA plans to announce its storage report at 10:30 am EDT Thursday. A withdrawal within expectations would be well above the 26-Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2014 but well below the 95-Bcf fiveyear average withdrawal. The wider range of analysts’ expectations for this week was for a withdrawal of 39 Bcf to 71 Bcf. Last week, EIA reported a 32 Bcf withdrawal, which lowered inventories to 3.846 Tcf, which was 561 Bcf, or about 17%, above the year-ago inventory of 3.253 Tcf, and 411 Bcf, or about 12%, more than the five-year average of 3.403 Tcf. “Regionally, the largest withdrawals are expected from the East and Midwest regions, each of which saw average temperatures drop 7 degrees compared to the previous week to 51 and 40 degrees F respectively,” according to the Weekly Storage Report published by Platts unit Bentek Energy
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,814 Bcf as of Friday, December 18, 2015, according to EIA estimates. This represents a net decline of 32 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 561 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 411 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,403 Bcf. At 3,814 Bcf, total working gas is above the five-year historical range.
EIA to estimate 22-Bcf storage withdrawal
Vs
Actual was 32 Bcf
A consensus of analysts surveyed by Platts expects the US Energy Information Administration on Thursday will estimate a natural gas storage withdrawal of between 20 Bcf and 24 Bcf for the reporting week that ended December 18. EIA plans to announce its storage report at 10:30 a.m. EST Thursday. Above-normal temperatures blanketing the eastern half of the US this December prompted most analysts to call for a drawdown of almost 100 Bcf below the five-year average for this week. Withdrawal within expectations would be less than the 52 Bcf withdrawal reported at this time in 2014 and substantially less than the 121 Bcf five-year average withdrawal, according to EIA data. The wider range of analysts’ expectations call for a withdrawal of 15 Bcf to 30 Bcf. Last week, EIA reported a 34-Bcf withdrawal that decreased inventories to 3.846 Tcf, which was 541 Bcf, or 16.4%, more than the year-ago inventory of 3.305 Tcf, but 322 Bcf, or 9.1%, more than the five-year average of 3.524 Tcf
Solar Panel Luddites
Woodland, North Carolina rejected a proposal to rezone land just outside its borders for the use of a solar farm. Three solar farms have already been approved in the area, but local residents are not impressed. The council defeated the motion for the rezoning of an area on US Highway 258 for an additional solar farm after a public comment period, where members of the town could give their opinions.
Retired science teacher (?) Jane Mann sighted rising risk of cancer deaths in the area (despite reports showing cancer rates in NC fell over the 2008 to 2012 period) as that no one could tell her solar panels were not causing the cancer.
She’s also concerned photosynthesis would slow due to solar panels stopping plants from growing in solar farm fields. “I want to know what’s going to happen. I want information. Enough is enough. I don’t see the profit for the town,” Mann said at the meeting, according to The Roanoke-Chowan News Herald.
“People come with hidden agendas. Until we can find if anything is going to damage this community, we shouldn’t sign any paper,” she added. Bobby Mann (it’s not clear if he’s related to Jane), said that he was worried local communities would dry up. “You’re killing your town,” he said. “All the young people are going to move out.”
He also argued that solar farms would suck up all the energy from the Sun, and new businesses would not come to Woodland. (Editors Note – If he’s that wrong about something so basic, he should not have a say in anything).
The area just outside Woodland is a popular spot for solar farm developers, because it has an electrical substation, which means the panels can be hooked up to the national grid. While construction has started on one of the three farms that have already been approved for the area, it’s unlikely this forth one will get the go-ahead.
Unfortunately, this dislike of solar is not new. The New York Times reported in 2011 that when Oradell, New Jersey began putting up solar panels on power poles, many residents were unhappy. “I hate them,” Eric Olsen told The New York Times. “It’s just an eyesore.”
Other residents were also reported as calling the panels “ugly” or “hideous”, and said they were worried about their property value declining because of it.
However, these panels pushed New Jersey closer to their renewable energy target, which is one of the highest in the US. As of earlier this year, New Jersey also approved a bill that requires the state to get at least 80 percent of all its energy from renewable sources by 2050.
And not all New Jersey residents have been against these changes, with some seeing the panels as a badge of pride representing their switch to clean energy.
Hopefully, with increased exposure and better education, we can outline the positives of having solar panels installed in both big cities and country towns. We don’t want another fiasco like this Wind Turbine Syndrome travesty.
Quoted from: http://www.sciencealert.com/us-town-rejects-solar-farm-amid-worries-it-would-suck-up-all-the-energy-from-the-sun
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer in the states of Illinois, Michigan and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM and Index, Fixed pricing.