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Articles by Jon Bowman
2026 Election Results Could Signal Changes in Utility Regulation
The November 3 election saw the materialization of the anticipated “Blue Tsunami”, with Democrats achieving sizable majorities in both the House and Senate, as well as winning gubernatorial races in several key battleground states. While these developments have clear implications for national policy, there are also many potential impacts on the utility regulatory environments in several jurisdictions which should not be overlooked.
Georgia PSC Shocker: A Possible Canary in the Coal Mine
Rising utility costs and debates over energy policy amid surging data center demand are becoming increasingly prominent public flashpoints in the United States. Tuesday’s Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) elections offer a striking example: Democrats Alicia M. Johnson and Peter Hubbard scored decisive victories over Republican incumbents Tim Echols and Fitz Johnson.
Electric Utility Regulation & Wildfire Mitigation
Energy By Eric Wright | October 2, 2024 There are two seasons for electric utilities in the western United States: Wildfire Season, and Wildfire-Prep Season. Previously viewed as singular disasters, wildfires are now considered chronic inevitabilities to be anticipated, mitigated, and regulated.
Energy Infrastructure at Risk as Hurricane Season Intensifies
We are well into hurricane season, and early indications suggest this could be one of the more eventful years for tropical-storm activity in the Atlantic. Forming on June 28th, Hurricane Beryl was the earliest-forming Category 5 hurricane ever recorded, and a below-average August in terms of cyclone activity has given way to a very active September.
The Implications of Libya’s Oil Production Outage
Energy By Mitch Jennings | August 27, 2024 Yesterday, Libya’s eastern government announced all oilfields in the country will be shut and production and exports will stop. Libya’s National Oil Corp (NOC) has not confirmed the stoppage, but the Waha Oil Company said it will start to cut production and that production could stop completely due to protests and pressure. This shutdown is the latest in a string of events related to control over the country’s political and economic resources.
PNM Seeks to Reverse Recent Setbacks with Ambitious Rate Case Filing
Energy By Jon Bowman | August 26, 2024 In early 2023, the outlook for PNM (New Mexico’s largest electric utility) seemed to be exceptionally favorable. Per a change in the New Mexico constitution, PNM’s regulating body – the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) – had just seen three new commissioners appointed by the governor after transitioning from an elected body, which had previously rejected PNM’s proposed $4.3B merger with Avangrid in a scathing decision.
CAISO Curtailments Rise as Prices Fall
California ISO (CAISO) has developed an extensive renewable energy infrastructure, positioning itself not only at the forefront of the industry but also among the first to address challenges associated with a reliance on intermittent resources. One of these challenges is curtailments, a form of energy loss that occurs when power plants generate more energy than the grid demands (or transmission allows) – often resulting in a loss of solar and wind production in regions likeCAISO and ERCOT.
Major Chinese Oil Demand Forecasts Could Be Too Bullish
For the last decade, global oil demand growth has been driven by China, but outlooks differ on whether this dynamic will be maintained going forward. Chinese demand growth forecasts have a 0.5-MMb/d spread between the most bullish and bearish views, with the IEA and OPEC expecting strong growth to continue, while China’s largest national oil company, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), is much more bearish.
Arizona's Utility Regulatory Environment: Improving or False Dawn?
The Arizona utility regulatory environment has long been seen as one of the most difficult in the country for investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to navigate.
Iranian Sanctions and OPEC Guidance Grow 2024 Oil Risks
In recent weeks, U.S. Senior Advisor for Energy and Investment Amos Hochstein has said the U.S. will begin stricter enforcement of sanctions on Iran to bring down the country’s oil production. While Iran now produces ~4% of global supply, it accounts for 13% of OPEC production.
CO2 Pipelines Struggle to Navigate Regulatory Risk
Last month, Navigator CO2Ventures officially ended their Heartland Greenway CO2pipeline project due to regulatory hurdles and political opposition. Navigator’s proposal was vying to be one of the first long-haul CO2pipelines in the U.S. built for transporting industrial emissions to dedicated geologic sequestration. Though similar projects remain in active development, they are meeting similar obstacles as the Heartland Greenway.
San Juan Basin Full of Private Operators and Pricing Sensitivity
The San Juan basin, located near the Four Corners area, is a basin in which activity was historically driven by larger, public players. However, around 2020, the last of the large, public operators exited the basin, selling assets to smaller, private operators that are typically more price sensitive. In aggregate, drilling activity in the San Juan is sensitive to both oil and gas prices. However, individual operators carry exposure to single commodity price risk.
Texas Voters Approve Proposition 7 to Create New Texas Energy Fund
Texas voters have officially approved Proposition 7, the Creation of State Energy Fund Amendment, with early returns showing approximately 65% of voters supporting the measure.According to the bill, the passage of Proposition 7 will result in the creation of the Texas Energy Fund (TEF), a ~$10 billion resource to be administered by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to issue low interest loans and grants to the developers of a targeted subset of generation and backup resources.
June 2023 Carbon Capture Update: Two U.S. Regions Lead CCUS Development
North America is host to the majority of global carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects, with the U.S. Gulf Coast and Midwest regions particularly attracting investment. In addition to tracking recent CCUS news, this month’s Carbon Capture Update highlights some factors contributing to these regions becoming CCUS hot spots.
U.S. Judge Orders Enbridge Line 5 Closure, What’s Next?
Following years of disagreement, a federal court ordered Enbridge Inc. on June 17th to shut down Line 5 pipeline going through the Bad River Reservation within three years. The court also ordered Enbridge to provide the reservation with compensation of $5.2 million USD and a portion of the pipeline’s profits.
EPA Proposes Carbon Capture Mandate, but 45Q Will Still Drive CCUS Investment
This is the second Insight in a series covering the U.S. EPA’s historic carbon emissions standards for the power sector. The U.S. EPA’s historic proposal in May to establish strict carbon limits on the power sector is centered largely on mandating deployments of carbon capture with utilization or sequestration (CCUS) on existing fossil fuel-fired power plants.
PNM-Avangrid Merger Delayed due to New Mexico Supreme Court Decision
On May 15th, the New Mexico Supreme Court denied a request that would have suspended the pending appeal of a Public Regulation Commission (PRC) decision blocking the proposed merger between Avangrid and PNM and remanded the case back to the PRC for reconsideration. In the pending court case, Avangrid (an Iberdrola subsidiary) and PNM (the largest public utility in New Mexico) argue that the 2021 PRC decision was wrongly decided and that the proposed merger should be allowed to go forward.
Increasing Uinta Oil Production Abuts Infrastructure Capacity
As oil prices climbed to record highs following the Covid-19 Pandemic, production in the Uinta Basin rebounded in force, with production increasing 20% between January 2021 and May 2022. BTUpreviously notedthe region’s historically muted activity; however, record-high horizontal rig counts, improved well performance, and basin consolidation suggests the Uinta is on an expansionary path.
Hydropower on the Decline due to US Western Drought
A prolonged western drought, coupled with low runoff conditions, has threatened the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System. With some of its largest reservoirs reaching critically low conditions, the US Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has released anemergency operations planthat focuses on increased water retention with reduced outflows during the upcoming water years.
Identifying the Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Communities
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) put forth measures that will undoubtedly accelerate the US’ buildout of wind, solar, storage, and emerging technologies. While both the production tax credit (PTC) and investment tax credit (ITC) were expanded, projects that meet certain requirements are eligible for adders to their tax credits. In upcoming Insights, we will focus on one of those adders that provides projects an additional 10% credit: energy communities.
FactSet Research : High-Profile Intervenors Seek to Shake Up FERC's Gas Pipeline Approval Criteria
High-Profile Intervenors Seek to Shake Up FERC's Gas Pipeline Approval Criteria Energy By Jon Bowman| September 16, 2022 With the close of the public comment period having come on May 25th, the much awaited announcement of the final form of FERC's pending policy guidance would seem to be imminent.
Fuel Mixes Around the US Continue to Shift
This summer has put the power grid to the test with heat waves stretching from California to New England and everywhere in between. Temperatures that have been growing more extreme and unpredictable were met with a grid that has never been more intermittent. Over the last five years, US wind and solar generation has grown from 7% to nearly 15% at the start of this summer. But what do the years ahead look like?
The Inflation Reduction Act and Enhanced Oil Recovery
The passage in August of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes $369 billion over ten years to expand the use of electric vehicles, jump-start renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and develop newer energy sources, like clean hydrogen. The bill targets energy security and climate change with a goal of reducing emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.
FactSet Research : EPA Rule Change Could Have Wide-Ranging Consequences for Natural Gas Markets
EPA Rule Change Could Have Wide-Ranging Consequences for Natural Gas Markets Energy By Jon Bowman| August 16, 2022 In February 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a change to its regulatory regime for gas-fired turbines under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP)-a framework in place since 2004. At first glance, this announcement would seem to be a minor update to a highly technical rule.
Battery Buildout in ERCOT to Deliver a Shock
Energy By Joseph Warner | March 17, 2022 While the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)’s grid stands apart from other Independent System Operators (ISOs) in the United States for its energy-only wholesale electricity market, it’s still subject to similar requirements to maintain adequate reserve margins to support the reliability of the grid.
Five Charts Explaining the Global Impact of Sanctions on Russian Energy Exports
Global energy prices have soared over the last two weeks as events unfolded at the Russia-Ukraine border. One major development has been the economic sanctions imposed on Russia and, just this week, the U.S. announced a ban on U.S. imports of Russian oil, natural gas, and coal. Here are five charts highlighting the significance of Russia in global energy markets. Russia is one of the largest global producers of both oil and gas.
FactSet Research : REX Flows into the Rockies in January—A Fluke or a Sign of Things to Come? | MarketScreener
REX Flows into the Rockies in January-A Fluke or a Sign of Things to Come? Economics By Jon Bowman| February 23, 2022 January 2022 marked a potentially major shift in the Western U.S. winter flow dynamics. For the first month ever, average net flows on the Rocky Mountain Express (REX) natural gas pipeline were to the West-flowing from the midcontinent into the Rockies.
The Witcher TV Show May Include Geralt's Iconic Bathtub Scene
by Jon Bowman – on Jul 20, 2019 in TV News The first season of Netflix’s The Witcher will include numerous Easter eggs for longtime fans of the series of books and games, including a nod to a certain bathtub scene from The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. The Witcher’s showrunner promises plenty of details drawn from both the games and books in The Witcher canon.
Respawn Explains Why Jedi: Fallen Order Doesn't Have An Alien Hero
by Jon Bowman – on Jul 08, 2019 in Game News Stig Asmussen, director of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, comments on Respawn Entertainment’s decision to tell the story of Cal Kestis, instead of featuring an alien hero. Despite a vast amount of alien races to choose from, Asmussen feels confident in the decision to tell a new, human story in the Star Wars universe. After an impressive showing at E3 2019, fans have begun to express concerns about the next Star Wars game.
Pokemon Sword & Shield Producer Issues Statement on National Dex Controversy
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 29, 2019 in Game News Pokémon Sword & Shield producer Junichi Masuda took to the official Pokémon website to issue a statement regarding the controversy surrounding the upcoming games’ National Pokédex. Despite the outcry from fans, Game Freak does not plan on changing its position. During the week of E3 2019, Masuda delivered the news that it won’t be possible to "catch 'em all" in Pokémon Sword & Shield.
Stadia's Best Feature Is Infinite Name Changes
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 24, 2019 in Game News According to a spokesperson from Google, players on Google Stadia will be able to change their online handles whenever they want. Google’s foray into cloud-based gaming will include this feature out of the box when Stadia hits shelves later this year. The ability to change usernames on a whim may not seem like the greatest feature for a system, but it’s a feature that gamers have consistently desired.
Nintendo Switch Mini Design Revealed Via Accessory Leak?
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 19, 2019 in Game News A new Nintendo Switch console has yet to be officially announced, but a gaming accessory website has listed several accessories specifically for a Switch Mini on its website. The website also showcases a potential design for the next version of the Nintendo Switch. Rumors of new versions of the Nintendo Switch have been swirling for months, but Nintendo has yet to release any concrete info.
Amazon Game Studios Lays off Dozens During E3 2019
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 15, 2019 in Game News Amid all the revelry of E3 2019, Amazon Game Studios laid off dozens of employees as the convention came to a close. The annual gaming convention saw many studios announcing their latest upcoming games, including such highlights as a new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, an Avengers game from Square Enix, and the news that Nintendo is already at work on a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
E3 Banner Reveals Platforms For Marvel's Avengers
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 09, 2019 in Game News A billboard advertising Square Enix’s Marvel’s Avengers revealed surprising information about the platforms that the game will launch ahead of Square Enix’s E3 2019 presentation. Sometimes, E3 leaks can come in the most unexpected places. Information on the team-up between Square Enix and Marvel has been scarce leading up to Square’s presentation. The game was first teased back in December of 2017 as Avengers Project, but little else has been discussed.
PS5 And Xbox Scarlett Need to be Backward Compatible with Controllers
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 05, 2019 in Game News E3 2019 is approaching and while games are on the mind, the whispers of the next console generation grow louder. Sony has bowed out of E3, but has already sowed the next generation’s seed with a PlayStation 5 announcement. Microsoft will have a chance to steal E3 with their latest project: Xbox Scarlett. With new systems comes a familiar question: what becomes of the old?
Jumanji: The Video Game is Coming in November
by Jon Bowman – on Jun 04, 2019 in Game News Publisher Outright Games announced via a teaser trailer that Jumanji: The Video Game, an officially licensed game based on the movie franchise, will be releasing in November on all major platforms. Jumanji 3 is set to release this December on the big screen, but that now won’t be the only screen that the Jumanji franchise is featured on.
There's A Lot Of Pokémon News On The Way
by Jon Bowman – on May 28, 2019 in Game News The Pokémon Company announced that it will be hosting the Pokémon2019 Press Conferencefrom Tokyo, Japan today, Tuesday, May 28, focusing on providing news on several different topics that the company indicated would be of interest to fans.
Professor Broman Interview - How GuardianCon Is Gathering Gamers To Help Save The World
Ben Bowman has made a name for himself as Professor Broman in the Twitch community. He started streaming while working as an in-home care provider. Now, Professor Broman streams full-time and has amassed over 650,000 followers. Bowman has used his platform as a means to help others and has given him an opportunity to co-create an annual charity event called GuardianCon that brings gamers together and helps raise funds for St Jude Children’s hospital.
Kulve Taroth Elder Dragon Shimmers In Monster Hunter World Update
Monster Hunter World's Spring Blossom Event may be coming to a close, but hot on its heels is a new, terrifying foe. On April 19th, the Siege of Kulve Taroth begins. This new limited-time quest tasks hunters to team up and track down the golden Kulve Taroth Elder Dragon for all the glory and loot. For this Elder Dragon hunt, Capcom is introducing a Siege quest, which allows more collaboration than ever. Up to 16 hunters can team up in the same Gathering Hub to hunt down the same Kulve Taroth.
From Mod To Phenomenon - A Short History Of Battle Royale
When the phrase “battle royale” is used in games, there are two titles that clearly come to mind: PUBG and Fortnite. These two games have taken the concept of the battle royale and turned it into one of the hottest genres in recent years. But how did these two games come about? Let’s take a look back and see the stories of how these games came to be and how they have changed the current landscape of video games.
Homecoming Marks New Beginning For Gwent
Marcin Iwiński, the co-founder and joint CEO of CD Projekt Red, announced that they will spend the next six months focusing on Gwent Homecoming, a development cycle that will end the beta period for Gwent and move into a full-fledged launch. Along with two major updates planned for April and May, Gwent Homecoming will conclude with the launch of Thronebreaker, a new single-player campaign that ties even further into the story of the Witcher world.
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
www.GameInformer.com
Game Informer is your source for the latest in video game news, reviews, previews, podcasts, gamer culture, and features about Microsoft Xbox One, Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Switch, Wii U, 3DS, DS, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, PSVR, virtual reality, iOS, Android, Flash, and Next Generation consoles
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