Category
When it comes to creditworthiness, electric utilities generally enjoy investment-grade ratings that make financing easier for these capital-intensive companies. But the popularity of residential rooftop solar systems is threatening to eventually put those favorable ratings at risk. So warns Fitch, one of the three major ratings agencies. (Read more)
Continue readingEnergy isn’t a marquee event at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. But the topic will have its moment in the spotlight Wednesday night when the man dubbed the “king of energy” by Donald Trump will take to the podium at Quicken Loans Arena. Harold Hamm, who like Trump has made billions of dollars in his career, sees the candidate as someone who will rally behind independent oil and gas producers such as himself as they try to regain their footing in a glutted market. (Read more)
Continue readingThe year 2015 is turning out to be a tough act to follow for new investments in clean energy in the U.S. and around the world. A report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance reveals that financing for solar, wind and other alternatives to fossil fuels in 2016 is down substantially from last year, when a record $348.5 billion was dedicated to projects. (Read More)
Continue reading
A $1.5 billion deal between Southern Company and Kinder Morgan this week is one more sign of the growing importance of natural gas to electric power generation in the U.S. Atlanta-based Southern Company, the second-largest utility company in the U.S. in terms of customer base, agreed to pay cash to Kinder Morgan for a 50% equity interest in the Southern Natural Gas (SNG) pipeline system. (Read More)
Continue reading
With gasoline prices so low, it’s no surprise that U.S. motorists are driving a lot more this summer. In all, more than 43 million Americans planned to travel by one means or another over the Independence Day weekend, the highest volume ever for the holiday, the motor club AAA estimates. (Read more)
Continue readingThe U.S. wind energy industry is the fastest-growing new source of electricity in the country. But it’s not resting on its laurels, especially in an election year. Hence the launch of American Wind Action, a group that will promote the benefits of wind energy to the public as voters consider whom to elect for the White House, Congress, state legislatures and other offices where public policy is made. (Read more)
Continue reading
Exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas stand to benefit substantially from the $5.4 billion expansion of the Panama Canal, which will lead to much shorter travel time and much lower costs for shipments from the Gulf Coast to big markets in Asia and South America. (Read More)
Continue reading
As he follows the Solar Impulse 2 on its historic flight around the world, the CEO of one of the project’s partners, Ulrich Spiesshofer, draws similarities between the challenges facing the aircraft and those confronting companies navigating changes in energy consumption, like his. “We need to make sure that we demonstrate to the world with projects like this that we continue to stretch the limits,” Spiesshofer, the chief executive of ABB, a multinational maker of electricity grids and robots, said during a visit to Washington the other day. “This project is absolutely stretching the limits.” (Read more)
Continue reading
The CEO of the biggest electric utility in the U.S. gave a wide-ranging talk the other day on a transformation taking place in her industry, as power providers move increasingly to cleaner forms of generation. But one topic was missing as Duke Energy’s Lynn Good delivered her formal remarks at an energy conference in Washington: nuclear energy. (Read more)
Continue reading
Eight months in her new job as head of a start-up at General Electric hasn’t spoiled Maryrose Sylvester’s positive attitude about tackling the challenges she faces. “One of the things about being a good business leader is you have to be incredibly optimistic and paranoid at the same time. I’m both of those things,” says the president and CEO of GE’s new division Current, laughing at GE’s office in Washington the other day (Read more)
Continue reading
Recent Tweets by Bill Loveless
