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Georgia Needs a 21st Century Electricity Grid

Electric transmission lines

In order to keep Georgia’s electricity grid modern and capable for consumers and businesses asking for interconnectivity, more energy management, more electric vehicle charging, more robust protection from emerging cyber-threats, we must make investments today.

Our grid has served us well, but we have to start making investments now to have the grid we want in the future. If we don’t, it will mean longer response times, costlier outages, and poorer service; and that adds up for a family and businesses’ bottom line.

Read more – Insider Advantage

Amendment 1 Good for State’s Economy

Amendment 1

Saturday is just a few days away, and whether you’re headed to the big game or not, don’t forget to get out and vote! On the ballot, this year is an amendment to the Louisiana Constitution. By voting yes, you can help make sure there is continued investment in Louisiana, create jobs and cut through all the political red tape.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits states from regulating interstate commerce, but some parish tax assessors have started taxing property destined for the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) in its Guide to the 2019 Constitutional Amendments said those local assessors are taxing that property based on their interpretation of the state constitution and interstate rulings. However, PAR said neither the Louisiana Supreme Court nor the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in the issue.

The amendment would prohibit property taxes on raw materials, goods, commodities and articles stored for maintenance if destined for the OCS. That is the area in U.S. waters that is 200 miles beyond the state jurisdiction, which for Louisiana is three miles.

Read more – American Press

Oklahoma Saves $8 Billion in Gas

The Oklahoma City skyline at dusk

Consumer Energy Alliance released a report on the $8 billion that Oklahoma residents have saved between 2006 and 2016. These numbers can be attributed to the use of oil and natural gas in the state.

“The state’s families and businesses understand what energy affords them and work hard to meet in the middle when it comes to development. We hope the state’s leaders and its communities continue to see the value the energy industry brings to the state and their local cities.”

Read more – Daily Energy Insider

How Much is N.J.’s Clean Energy Plan Going to Cost Us?

Woman Teleworking

The clean energy goals set by the state of New Jersey irresponsibly do not analyze the rate impact for residential, commercial and industrial electricity customers. CEA’s Mike Butler explains,

“That’s a risky proposition for New Jersey’s families and businesses because the state’s Energy Master Plan (EMP) currently follows the wish lists of extreme energy activists instead of asking what the cost is…So when the RMI is preparing economic modeling that doesn’t include a cost analysis for customers, be they residential or commercial, we have to wonder what they don’t want us to know.”

Read more – NJ.com

South Carolinians Saved More Than $6.4 Billion Thanks to Low-Priced Fuel

Friends grilling

Consumer Energy Alliance Examines Energy Production’s Benefits to South Carolina’s Families, Small Businesses and Industries in New Report

Columbia, SC. — South Carolina families and businesses saved more than $6.4 billion thanks to low-priced natural gas, and another $4.9 billion at the gasoline pump, owing to a combination of increased energy production and strong, safe infrastructure to deliver it, according to a new report from Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA).

The report, “South Carolinians Benefit from Affordable Energy and Pipeline Infrastructure,” found that residential energy users saved more than $1.6 billion while commercial and industrial users saved more than $4.7 billion from natural gas. This is in addition to the $4.9 billion in savings consumers realized filling up their cars and trucks when compared to 2008 gasoline and diesel prices. Considering more than 19.6 million people flocked to Myrtle Beach alone in 2017, reliable access to transportation fuel is essential to counties like Horry, which depend on a majority of those visitors to drive there. Tourism numbers were up, but it wasn’t long ago that county officials were enticing visitors with gas cards to come to the iconic coastal city when gas prices leapt to an unsustainable level.

The analysis details how the state was able to save despite having no significant in-state energy production. These savings are important to South Carolina, which is experiencing both economic and population growth. The state is also crossed by two of the largest interstate pipelines that start in the Gulf Coast and supply much of the region’s fuel, as well as the 25 percent of the state’s households who rely on natural gas for home heating.

CEA’s analysis also found that in 2015, the oil and gas industry contributed almost 67,600 jobs and more than $2.8 billion in wages to the Palmetto State, and more than $5.2 billion to the state’s economy.

Additional highlights from the report include:

  • Despite no significant onshore crude production, 90 percent of petroleum consumed in South Carolina is used for automotive transport and 1 in 20 homes statewide use petroleum products such as propane for heating during the winter;
  • The state’s electric power generators have nearly tripled their natural gas use in the last 10 years and now account for almost half of South Carolina’s total natural gas consumption;
  • On average, each resident of South Carolina spent $3,776 to meet their energy needs in 2017. With 15.4 percent of the state’s population living at or below the poverty line, this translates to more than 30 percent of their income going toward energy expenses.

“The anti-development policies that a few of our local officials are proposing come as we are reaping the benefits of low-priced energy and gasoline. Don’t forget, just a few weeks ago the situation in Saudi Arabia pushed prices up 5 percent. That little blip forced gas prices up $0.21 across the state,” said CEA South Carolina State Director Katon Dawson. “We have a unique opportunity to not only bring production to our state and increase revenue through royalties, we have the opportunity to generate jobs and increase proprietors’ income, capital for property owners and indirect business taxes. These are opportunities our state can’t afford to lose because of a few loud anti-development groups. It is also important to remember that we can have sensible energy production and continue South Carolina’s leading stewardship of our environment. Those who say we can’t have both are not paying attention or are being disingenuous.”

To view the report, click here.

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About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) brings together families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers and manufacturers to support America’s energy future. With more than 500,000 members nationwide, our mission is to help ensure stable prices and energy security for households across the country. We believe energy development is something that touches everyone in our nation, and thus it is necessary for all of us to actively engage in the conversation about how we develop our diverse energy resources and energy’s importance to the economy. Learn more at ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org.

Contact:
Emily Haggstrom
P: 720-582-0242
ehaggstrom@consumerenergyalliance.org

Sharp Opinions on Gas Pipeline from N.J. to Long Island

New York City Manhattan at Night

The need for pipeline approval and expansion is key to getting New Yorkers the affordable energy they need.

New Yorkers pay some of the highest residential electricity rates in the country, and they will get only worse if there isn’t a swift and drastic change in environmental policy.

Read more – Newsday

Oklahoma Saved More Than $8 Billion Thanks to Low-Priced Fuel

The Oklahoma City skyline at dusk

Oklahoma City, OK — Oklahoma families and businesses saved more than $8 billion thanks to low-priced natural gas, created by a combination of increased energy production and strong, safe infrastructure to deliver it, according to a report from Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA).

The report, “Oil and Natural Gas Energize Oklahoma,” found that residential energy users saved more than $2.6 billion while commercial and industrial users saved almost $5.5 billion from natural gas over the period from 2006-2016. These savings are significant to a state that has been dubbed by the Energy Information Agency as the most significant trading hub for crude oil in North America. The state is also the fifth-largest shale gas producer in the country.

The analysis details how Oklahoma’s refineries are interconnected to the nation’s larger pipeline network, with several critical pipeline systems terminating there. There is no doubt that the energy industry is a big driver of the state’s economy. Even during the recent decline in oil and gas prices at the beginning of this decade, when the unemployment rate lingered around 7 percent, the sector continued to be responsible for most of the Sooner State’s economic growth.

CEA’s analysis also found that in 2016, the oil and gas industry provided more than 399,000 jobs statewide and generated $39.5 billion in value-added to the gross domestic product.

Additional highlights from the report include:

  • The oil and gas industry is responsible for one in six jobs in Oklahoma and accounting for $1 out of every $5 in gross state product
  • Oklahoma is one of the nation’s top five petroleum-producing states, and its refineries account for almost 3 percent of the nation’s total refining capacity.
  • On average, each Oklahoma resident spent $3,969 for their energy needs in 2017. For those living at or below the poverty line, this translates to almost 32 percent of their income going toward energy expenses

“Until Houston’s prominence in international oil exploration began, Oklahoma and more specifically, Tulsa, used to be known as the oil capital of the world, and to this day continues to remind people of its significance as the epicenter for international benchmark pricing for oil. The energy industry in the state is intricately tied to this nation’s past and its future, spoken about both socially and in classic literature,” said CEA Mid-Continent Director Wyatt Boutwell. “The state’s families and businesses understand what energy affords them and work hard to meet in the middle when it comes to development. We hope the state’s leaders and its communities continue to see the value the energy industry brings to the state and their local cities.”

To view the report, click here.

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About Consumer Energy Alliance
Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) brings together families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers and manufacturers to support America’s energy future. With more than 500,000 members nationwide, our mission is to help ensure stable prices and energy security for households across the country. We believe energy development is something that touches everyone in our nation, and thus it is necessary for all of us to actively engage in the conversation about how we develop our diverse energy resources and energy’s importance to the economy. Learn more at ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org.

Contact:
Emily Haggstrom
P: 720-582-0242
ehaggstrom@consumerenergyalliance.org

 

What’s Your Solution for Always Having the Latest Technology?

technology

Every year Apple, Samsung, Google and Huawei, along with other smartphone companies are continually developing and selling their latest technology. Much of what is being developed is under cloak and veil to make sure competitors don’t get the latest edge on new software and hardware updates these companies are making. If the changes are big enough, sleek enough, or different enough it pushes consumers to feel like they need to upgrade, whether it’s out of social pressure or for the love of advanced technology.

Individuals across the country (and the world) do this so often that now we can purchase plans from our cell-service providers that allow us to lease and sell back our phones before we ever pay them off. This has enabled us to always have the latest and greatest technology without ever really breaking the bank. Mobile device owners typically update their phones every 18-24 months, according to both the Motley Fool and DeviceAtlas, a leading provider of device data intelligence. This is an alarming trend if you consider that bankmycell.com estimates that 5.13 billion people have mobile devices in 2019 or roughly 66.5% of the world’s population. What’s more, of the world’s 7.7 billion people, there are now more than 8.9 billion mobile connections, which include everything from your cell phone, tablet and other similar devices.

These other devices are also included in the ever-changing technology that companies are constantly upgrading. As you may know, our laptops, cellphones, smartwatches, cameras and gaming systems are all heavily reliant on manufactured components that are often sourced from all over the world from metal pieces and glass to batteries and microchips. The ever-evolving tech industry is reliant on the ability to produce advanced technology quickly and at a rate in which they know consumers are willing to leave an old device behind to upgrade to the newest device or system.  While the lifespan for a smartphone is roughly 2-4 years, while computers are often replaced every 4-6 years. Though gaming consoles have seemingly been consistent, only being replaced every 5-7 years, these same systems are being strategically shifted to a system that will be upgraded similarly to cell phones, forcing gamers to switch if they want the latest and greatest games, speed, and graphics, said Napier Lopez at The Next Web.

These technology improvements and enhancements rely heavily on petroleum byproducts, hard rock mining materials (lithium, gold, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, beryllium, tantalum, coltan and silver) and fuel (oil, gas, diesel and bunker fuel) to manufacture components and build the products that will eventually be transported to markets around the world.

Don’t forget, these are the things that are needed for LCD screens, casing, game discs, processors and batteries, which make these devices more innovative and efficient. These upgrades require more lightweight materials that are heat resistant and maximize processing speeds which require all of these materials. To realize these efficiencies, it is essential that companies have access to affordable energy which is being produced through our country’s Shale Revolution and the mining we take for granted.

The manufacturing process for metals can also get costly, from heat-intensive processes like casting and metal forming to electricity that runs the machines used in cutting and assembly. When energy prices go up, so too does the cost of manufacturing.

We must be able to have thoughtful and balanced discussions surrounding energy policy. Anti-energy activists have worked to lead policymakers to believe that by cutting off energy development to only carbon-free sources that we’ll rid the need for extractive industries, but that is not true. Energy is not just for fueling your car or heating and cooling your home. It’s the foundation of many of the products and the advancements we’ve been able to make in technology. Without abundant and affordable oil and gas, as well as access to minerals, we would not be able to see the functional changes to both hardware and software that have occurred in technology or access new products without these industries.

Long Island Liberals Wake Up to How Green Extremism Hurts Constituents

Senior citizen keeping warm by the fire

Six Long Island Democratic state senators are now calling for “emergency” approval of the Williams pipeline after learning how blocking this vital infrastructure is negatively impacting their constituents.

“‘A gas shortage threatens the Long Island region,’ bleat six Long Island state senators, all Democrats, in a letter pleading for approval of a pipeline proposed to fix the problem — belatedly admitting that the policies they’ve long favored don’t work for their own constituents.

But now Winter Is Coming. The Democratic county executives of Nassau and Suffolk have belatedly called for the pipeline to go through, and joined the business community in pleading for support of the six senators.

Hence their belated plea for approval of the pipeline: ‘National Grid’s moratorium has already impacted thousands of our constituents,’ they complain — as if their own policies hadn’t forced the moratorium.

But just this one. ‘This is the last gas pipeline that will merit your review as our state transitions to a renewable-energy economy,’ they write. Guess any other part of New York (like Westchester) that faces similar issues is just plumb out of luck. What a pathetic pack of hypocrites.”

Read more – New York Post

Consumer Group Finds West Virginia’s Emissions Declined Despite Oil and Gas Boom

Clouds Over Mountain Forest

CHARLESTON, WV — Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) today released its West Virginia Emissions Brief which showcases the significant emissions reductions and environmental improvements made across the state. This brief further demonstrates that states can reap the rewards of energy production while practicing sound environmental stewardship simultaneously.

The government data analyzed by CEA shows that even though West Virginia is the seventh-largest gas producer in the country and one of the largest consumers of energy per capita, statewide emissions have still fallen by as much as 94 percent since 1990. While world leaders flocked to the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City last week to discuss the necessary steps the world needs to take to reduce emissions, they need only look as far as the United States. West Virginia is proof positive that an energy-producing state can make massive environmental improvements at the same time, thanks to the use of world-leading technological breakthroughs in safe energy production that protects our environment.

CEA found that from 1990 to 2017, West Virginia’s emissions of pollutants have decreased across the board:

  • 74 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx)
  • 94 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2)
  • 64 percent reduction in carbon monoxide (CO)

Here’s a heartening fact: Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in West Virginia declined by nine percent from 1990 to 2016, even as West Virginia’s oil and gas production has surged by more than 700 percent since 2008.

West Virginia’s energy sector is a key factor in the state’s economic growth. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that West Virginia had the highest rate of economic growth in the country during the first quarter of 2019. Moreover, the state ranked sixth-best nationwide for the cost of doing business in 2019, and a crucial factor in that calculation was its affordable energy rates.

“West Virginia’s economy is dependent on both a healthy environment and affordable energy prices,” said Chris Ventura, CEA State Director – West Virginia. “This report demonstrates that West Virginians can have both. We are thrilled that data from both the Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization show that common-sense policymaking by our elected officials has led to a nation-leading business environment without compromising West Virginia’s environment. West Virginians should be proud of the progress their state has made and very excited for the future to come.”

This brief follows CEA’s Powering West Virginia report, which found that natural gas production in the state has saved West Virginia’s energy consumers nearly $4.3 billion over a decade. Since 2010, West Virginia’s core shale-related industry has employed nearly 12,000 West Virginians.

To view the brief, click here.

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About Consumer Energy Alliance

Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) is the leading consumer advocate for energy, bringing together families, farmers, small businesses, distributors, producers, and manufacturers to support America’s environmentally sustainable energy future. With more than 550,000 members nationwide, our mission is to help ensure stable prices and energy security for households and businesses across the country. CEA works daily to encourage people across the nation to seek sensible, realistic, and environmentally responsible solutions to meet our energy needs. Learn more at ConsumerEnergyAlliance.org.

Contact:
Emily Haggstrom
P: 720-582-0242
ehaggstrom@consumerenergyalliance.org

 

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