September 8th, 2023

• Stay up to date on all things energy by visiting the TEA Newsroom.
• Natural Gas CARES: It is the world’s Cleanest, Affordable, Reliable Energy Source.
• Why wind, solar power are running out of juice.
• Buffett’s green cash washes over West Virginia coal country.
• Billionaire who made a killing on Chinese solar panels wants Biden to dump tariffs.
• Biden admin quietly reverses Trump-era rule, bans transporting fossil fuels by train.
• Editorial: Electric vehicles run on natural gas.
• A Biden-approved energy firm has deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

Natural gas is a green energy source. That is a fact — and in two states it is the law.

TEA believes so strongly in this principle that we have a new page on our web site that we encourage policy makers and staffers to visit to learn more about its benefits.

Ohio was the first state to pass legislation recognizing this as law. Gov. DeWine signed the measure on Jan. 6.

Tennessee followed suit a few months later. We urge Congress and other individual states to embrace this legislation as those two states have done.

TEA, since its inception nearly four years ago, has advocated to recognize that natural gas is a green fuel source.

In fact, it is the first of the 8 steps in our often referenced Common Sense Energy Agenda.

Why it matters:
American Natural Gas CARES: It is America’s Clean, Affordable, Reliable Energy Source that improves the environment while securing American energy independence. It is the green bridge to a future of alternative sources of affordable, clean, and reliable energy.

Why Natural Gas is Green:

• Natural gas burns cleaner and has fewer emissions than other fuels.
• America leads the world in CO2 reduction and natural gas is responsible for 61 percent of carbon dioxide reductions in U.S. electricity generation.
• Increased use of natural gas — both domestically and through exports to our allies — will benefit the global environment because U.S. natural gas production is cleaner and safer than foreign sources like Russia and Iran.

What does the Ohio legislation mean:
The amendment is a designation that recognizes natural gas is a green energy source. Through natural gas, Ohio has enough supply to power our economy and homes for generations with clean, affordable energy.

Who’s next?:

The top five natural gas-producing states and their percentage share of total U.S. natural gas production in 2021 were: Texas, 24.6%; Pennsylvania, 21.8%; Louisiana, 9.9%; West Virginia, 7.4% and Oklahoma, 6.7%.

Bottom Line:  We encourage legislators in energy rich states to examine Ohio’s Natural Gas is Green law and consider following its lead to a clean, green, energy future.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies for green energy, yet renewable developers now want utility rate-payers in New York and other states to bail them out, as this Wall Street Journal editorial points out.

How in the world can anyone think that renewables will provide cheaper energy than fossil fuels when renewable energy developers can’t even cover their own costs?

• President Biden already has $20 billion available in his green bank for so-called clean energy projects.
• Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, whose agency oversees the $27 billion green bank, called it a way to “tackle the climate crisis and reshape the economy” at the same time.

According to a report late last month by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, large offshore wind developers are asking for an average 48% price adjustment in their contracts to cover rising costs. The Alliance for Clean Energy NY is also requesting an average 64% price increase on 86 solar and wind projects.

That is just plain ridiculous.

As the WSJ piece states: Green energy developers are blaming Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for increasing demand for renewable energy and its components. But the real culprits are government mandates and subsidies, which they lobbied for. Developers also blame rising interest rates for increasing project costs.

How much more can Uncle Sam afford to give to these unchecked and unreliable schemes? And by Uncle Sam, let’s be clear. We really mean the American people, already struggling with rising costs for food and fuel in an inflationary period. It’s their money being funneled to these developers.

Hard working Americans, you’d better hold onto those savings, if you have any.

The green energy crunch and bailout are coming as the Green New Deal crowd continues to push an agenda that most of us do not agree with nor want. Leaders from President Biden to state governors and local mayors need to cease and desist with these costly and heavy-handed tactics.

Bottom Line: Renewable proponents need to hear this message loud and clear:  wind, solar and EVs are all welcome in the market, but they must stand on their own, not propped up by billions in taxpayers’ dollars topped off with bailouts.

As we approach summer’s end, gas prices are proving to be more stubborn than hot temperatures. The national average for a gallon of gasoline is essentially unchanged from one week ago today, down 1 cent to $3.80. Interestingly, this week is the first time since February that 2023 averages were higher than 2022. as you can see in the chart below from AAA.

Hearing On Power In American Homes: On Wednesday, September 13, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security will have a hearing called “Keeping the Lights On: Enhancing Reliability and Efficiency to Power American Homes.”

Hearing On Critical Minerals List: On Wednesday, September 13, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will have a hearing on the methodology and structure of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Critical Minerals List.

“It’s all political. You’re seeing constant fear mongering over this climate crisis. The first thing you’re seeing is trying to drum up fear to get people to embrace very unpopular policies.”

— Chuck DeVore, VP, Texas Public Policy Foundation on Fox News