How Extreme Cold Turned Into a U.S. Energy Crisis
Over the past several days, extraordinary cold weather in the US from a polar vortex caused record temperatures across the country. Electricity and heating fuel costs skyrocketed while energy demand hit record levels. Millions of customers dealt with blackouts for the first time in a decade. Gas lines seized, wind turbines froze, and oil wells shut in. Across the grid in Texas, all energy sources had problems with some reasons still unknown. Texas’s emergency state will allow for more resources to become available and ensure residences, medical facilities, and related consumers are the priority to receive fuel first. The energy market in Texas is one of the most competitive in the US and power providers have to be prepared for extreme events such as this one. If not, they are set up for failure. Texas and Washington policy makers may need to review their system and make some changes to ensure a similar crisis is prevented or handled better.
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. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-15/how-extreme-cold-turned-into-a-u-s-energy-crisis-quicktake
DOE EIA WEEKLY GAS STORAGE REPORT
Working gas in storage was 2,881 Bcf as of Friday, January 22, 2021, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 128 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 78 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 244 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,637 Bcf. At 2,881 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,009 Bcf as of Friday, January 15, 2021, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 187 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 36 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 198 Bcf above the five-year average of 2,811 Bcf. At 3,009 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,574 Bcf as of Friday, December 18, 2020, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 152 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 278 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 218 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,356 Bcf. At 3,574 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
Peoples Gas is spending billions to replace miles of aging pipe below Chicago by 2040. But will natural gas be obsolete before it’s complete?
In 2011, Peoples Gas began to replace 2,000 miles of pipelines below Chicago. Originally estimated to take 20 years and cost $2.6 billion, it is now projected to continue until 2040 and cost $7.7 billion. Interruptions have occurred due to “budget overruns, delays and charges of mismanagement”.
Many believe the project should be reviewed. By the time of completion, both gas and electric are anticipated to be very different from the systems we have now. Replacements are necessary to lower leaks and halt possible explosions as some pipes date back to the 1800s. However, costs have been passed along to customers. While Peoples has tried to keep those amounts down and minimize disruption in each neighborhood, consumers worry about paying their bills.
The Citizens Utility Board believes the focus should be on more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient alternatives such as electric-powered heat pumps. They want Peoples and the ICC to target and repair problem areas while pursuing their renewable energy goals.
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. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-peoples-gas-pipeline-replacement-renewable-energy-20201222-i6er5w2abjeazg34ywajhfvg7q-story.html
Virtual Power Plant
We have all been on Zoom calls instead of meeting in person. Our computers, cameras, and nearly everything takes electricity.
Virtual power plants do NOT generate electricity but, they do aggregate the generation of various sources and allow the power to be traded or sold.
A virtual power plant does 2 things. It gathers up demand from real solar panels, wind turbines, or other installed generation sources. It then allows that demand to be sold, tracked, and paid.
Its use is being explored. Consider the home or business that has solar PV generation that can shut down some equipment (think of turning off your AC). Then the solar power you would’ve used to run your AC system can be sold into the market.
A virtual power plant is a marketplace where those with generation can sell some of their production. And you won’t need a Zoom meeting to get it done.
This is an interesting way to allow free-market powers to address power market demand and supply.
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. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/virtual-power-plant-market
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,848 Bcf as of Friday, December 4, 2020, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 91 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 309 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 260 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,588 Bcf. At 3,848 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,939 Bcf as of Friday, November 27, 2020, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net decrease of 1 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 343 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 290 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,649 Bcf. At 3,939 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
DOE EIA Weekly Gas Storage Report
Working gas in storage was 3,958 Bcf as of Friday, November 13, 2020, according to EIA estimates.
This represents a net increase of 31 Bcf from the previous week. Stocks were 293 Bcf higher than last year at this time and 231 Bcf above the five-year average of 3,727 Bcf. At 3,958 Bcf, total working gas is within the five-year historical range.
An $11 trillion global hydrogen energy boom is coming.
Long ago, oil and coal were discovered as useful when burned. This started us down the path of building a carbon and fossil-fueled economic world. Carbon is released when fossil fuels combust. Carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are known greenhouse gases.
Hydrogen is not naturally occurring like coal and oil. No dinosaurs died and decomposed into hydrogen. Remember that water is oxygen with two hydrogen atoms (H20). So, hydrogen exists in large quantities and can be readily separated from water and natural gas.
Like any fuel, storage issues must be addressed along with economic considerations. Just as technology investments caused wind and solar to become the power generation choice over coal and gas-fired generation. Technology has advanced to the point that a hydrogen energy cycle (extraction, storage, combustion, and conversion to electricity) is economic. The hydrogen option is becoming especially advantageous to countries that don’t have fossil fuels to extract. Fortunately, they have water and access to natural gas as alternatives to create hydrogen.
As electricity usage grows (powering cars, trucks, etc.) and climate change is addressed, alternatives to the carbon power cycle are needed. Technology has already made wind and solar the power generating choice for many. Hydrogen seems poised to add to the solution.
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. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 7 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations.
Additional Information: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/01/how-salt-caverns-may-trigger-11-trillion-hydrogen-energy-boom-.html