June 9th, 2023

• Stay up to date on all things energy by visiting the TEA Newsroom!
• Solar panels: An eco-disaster waiting to happen?
• API: natural gas essential for global energy needs.
• Ohio solar projects face an unclear path around local opposition.
• Right to ‘exist’: The campaign to give nature a legal status.
• Electric vehicles are not good for the economy or the environment.
• Washingtonians upset with new carbon cap-and-invest system.

Here is why you should doubt the U.S. Department Of Energy’s sudden projection of falling natural gas demand. Noted energy expert Jude Clemente clearly explains this, noting that natural gas has a very bright future.

• Today, natural gas makes up about 33% of U.S. energy and 40% of power generation.
• The U.S. is now the world’s largest producer of natural gas and has enough natural gas to supply the nation’s needs for more than 90 years.
• Over the past 15 years, natural gas use has expanded from 22% of primary energy consumption to 33% to account for the decrease in use of coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

There is no reason to think demand will drop. Renewable energy sources combined only provide about one-third of the electricity production compared to natural gas in the US, despite efforts by the Biden administration to subsidize these fledgling industries and promote them at every opportunity.

Renewables are meeting opposition all across the country. Robert Bryce, probably the world’s leading expert on this subject, has a growing list of nearly 525 solar and wind projects that have been rejected over the past decade.

The US should be producing more energy to sell to our allies rather than purchasing it from our enemies, as our Common Sense Energy Agenda explains.

Clemente also notes the world’s two “greenest” governments, Germany and California, are using much more gas than people realize — despite literally decades of trying to get off this, what has become, irreplaceable fuel. Bloomberg reports how Germany is deepening its push to expand its capacity to import liquefied natural gas.
Reuters reports how during the worst of its heat wave last September, natural gas generated over 60% of California’s electricity (for example, wildfires blocked sunlight from reaching solar panels).

Bottom Line: Predicting and pushing for the decline of natural gas consumption is merely wishful thinking on the part of Biden and his progressive acolytes at the DOE. It’s clean, affordable, reliable and abundant, and it’s here to stay.

Two gas stove protection bills suffer a major setback as House Republicans express frustration with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. It is unfortunate that internal GOP bickering may derail what would have been two good pieces of legislation.

Republicans had rightfully railed against the idea of a ban of gas stoves, saying it represents government overreach into the lives of Americans. The Energy and Commerce Committee was set to consider two bills related to gas stoves: one that would prohibit the use of federal funds to ban the devices, and another that called for blocking an Energy Department rule that institutes energy conservation standards for some consumer products — which Republicans claim would remove some gas stoves from stores.

This was their chance to put forth something tangible — that although it assuredly would have been blocked by the Senate Democrats — to show that members recognize the importance of protecting America’s consumers and energy producers.

What is most disappointing is that, in a surprise 220-206 vote, a resolution to establish the rules for a floor vote on the Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act and Save Our Stoves Act failed with 11 Republicans voting alongside Democrats. The setback was delivered by a group of GOP members  — including Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Dan Bishop, R-N.C., and Chip Roy, R-Texas  — who expressed frustration with McCarthy’s leadership.

With their actions, these lawmakers are directly telling nearly 100 million voters who list energy affordability as critical to their livelihood and well-being, “Your and your families’ lives and livelihoods do not matter.” Shame on them for allowing internal GOP politics to ruin a perfectly good opportunity to help voters in their districts.

Recent polling data backs up the public’s desire for clean, affordable, reliable energy that natural gas provides in abundance. A few takeaways from the American Energy Alliance survey last month of a thousand likely voters:

• 78% say they’re paying too much for gas.
• 59% say they’re paying too much for home heating.
• 79% want cheaper energy and 45% want it more reliable.

A plurality of voters thinks the government should focus on keeping energy affordable. This is precisely what TEA’s Common Sense Energy agenda promotes.

Bottom Line: Eleven GOP House members chose to engage in a political chess match against Speaker McCarthy rather than do something positive for consumers and the domestic energy industry. Voters should remember this when elections roll around.

A lot is going on in the world around us, but gas prices remain stable for American drivers. The national average for a gallon of gasoline inched up one cent over the past week to $3.58. Global oil prices remain low, mitigating any price increases at the pump due to increased demand here in the United States. Today’s national average is about $1.25 lower than it was a year ago, but about 50 cents higher than it was in 2021.

Hearing On Oversight Of FERC: On Tuesday, June 13, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security will have a hearing on “Oversight of FERC: Adhering to a Mission of Affordable and Reliable Energy for America.”

FERC Open Meeting: On Thursday, June 15, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold an Open Meeting of the Commission.

North American Electric Reliability Corporation Meetings: On Thursday, June 15, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation will hold an extreme cold weather grid operations, preparedness, coordination standard drafting team meeting.

“More than 4.1 million jobs are connected to the natural gas industry. Biden and Far Left Democrats want to ban gas cooking appliances in the name of “climate activism” and put millions of Americans out of work.”

 — Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), via Twitter