South Carolina Emissions Fell 89 Percent as States across the Nation Prove They Don’t Need Paris Accord to Make a Difference

December 10, 2019

Columbia, SC. – Given that South Carolina remains one of the nation’s largest energy consumers, the fact that statewide emissions fell by 89 percent since 1990 is an incredibly noteworthy and positive feat, according to a Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) analysis released today.

This historic and underreported trend comes as organizations and outlets continue to disregard the significant work that has been done across the country, and in South Carolina, to reduce emissions and shepherd continued environmental stewardship. This analysis demonstrates that we can have energy production, expanded pipeline infrastructure, and create sound environmental stewardship at the same time.

This number is noteworthy as the state has no significant production, but where more than 65 percent of the state’s energy needs are met by oil and natural gas. In addition, over the last decade, the state’s consumption of natural gas-powered electricity has quadrupled, and the power sector accounted for nearly half of that.

From 1990 to 2017, South Carolina’s emissions of key pollutants have decreased across the board, with a:

59 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx),
89 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide (SO2), and;
48 percent reduction in volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

Additionally, from 1990 to 2016, South Carolina’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions declined by 12 percent.

Moreover, while South Carolina’s emissions of key pollutants and carbon dioxide were decreasing, the state saw a marked increase in manufacturing along with the anticipated growth of another 64 manufacturers looking to expand into the state.

“South Carolina continues to not only attract a record amount of tourists, but it is setting the bar as a leader in business growth and development with 64 manufacturers expanding into the state,” said Katon Dawson, CEA South Carolina State Director. “With the current energy outlook on the table, access to additional supplies and revenue, South Carolina is uniquely poised for continuous growth in our economy, population and energy security. We hope our policymakers see the opportunities for more low-cost fuel and all of the hard work that has been done to improve our environment through new technology and efficiencies. We especially hope that they don’t cast all of this off at the hands of extreme activist organizations.”

This analysis follows CEA’s Energy Savings Report for South Carolina, which found that families, small business and manufacturers across the state saved more than $6.4 billion thanks to low-cost energy, and another $4.9 billion at the gasoline pump, owing to a combination of increased energy production and strong, safe infrastructure to deliver it over the past decade. The analysis details how the state was able to save despite having no significant in-state energy production.

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.

To view the analysis, 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.

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

CEA Applauds Finding That Line 3 Replacement Will Add No Risk to Lake Superior

December 9, 2019

Revised Environmental Study Reinforces the Clear Need to Support Minnesota’s Energy Future with Line 3 Replacement

Minneapolis, MN – Minnesota regulators today issued a revised Environmental Impact Statement that confirms that the $2.6 billion replacement of Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline will not add risk to Lake Superior, an important step forward for the most-studied pipeline project in the state’s history.

It also reinforces what most Minnesotans know – that the state must move forward to support a safe, reliable and low-cost energy future for future generations. Polling continues to show that the majority of voters favor the project that will help Modernize Minnesota infrastructure in a safe, environmentally responsible way.

With the issuing of the findings, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) opened a public comment period that ends on Jan. 16, 2020. The revised report is work undertaken by the Minnesota Department of Commerce at the MPUC’s request, subsequent to an order by the Minnesota Court of Appeals to carry out additional spill modeling.

“The finding that the replacement of Line 3 won’t add risk to Lake Superior is a victory for Minnesota’s farmers, families and local businesses because it demonstrates, once again, that safety and environmental protection have been foremost in the development of the Line 3 replacement project,” Consumer Energy Alliance Midwest Executive Director Chris Ventura said.

“This is the most technologically advanced pipeline Minnesota has ever seen. The additional modeling, included in the 13,500-page Environmental Impact Statement, shows that Lake Superior will be environmentally secure,” Ventura said, noting that Enbridge has immediate disaster response plans and capabilities in place already for the current Line 3 pipeline.

“The Line 3 replacement permitting process has taken four years and is the most comprehensive pipeline review in Minnesota’s history. Any further delays risk a $2.6 billion investment into the state, thousands of jobs and the opportunity to Modernize Minnesota with reliable, affordable energy,” he said.

“We encourage Minnesotans to speak out and support the Line 3 replacement project during the public comment period. We need to ensure the critical energy infrastructure we rely on can keep providing safe, affordable energy to our communities,” Ventura said.

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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 meeting our energy needs.

Contact:
Bryson Hull
P: 202-657-2855
bhull@consumerenergyalliance.org

Gas and Solar Together Benefit Pittsburgh Airport

December 8, 2019

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto recently trashed investments in shale as putting money into “a 19th-century industry that costs us the opportunity to bring 21st-century industry to this region.” CEA Mid-Atlantic Executive Director Mike Butler counterargues that the airport’s microgrid is an ingenious solution and demonstrates exactly how wrong Peduto’s pronouncement is.

The microgrid shows how an inclusive vision — one that does not exclude one energy source to benefit the other — contributes to solving problems.

Too often, reliable and inexpensive natural resources like natural gas are vilified by certain interests, including those who view the use of natural gas as competition to the growth of renewable energy use.

Pittsburgh International Airport’s ambitious plan is proof positive that such a viewpoint is shortsighted and flat-out wrong. To make headway on our environmental challenges while preserving the strength of our economy and our energy independence, we need renewable and traditional energy working together.

Here’s to their long and happy marriage in Pittsburgh.

Climate Change: Hyped Media Coverage Offers No Solutions

December 2, 2019

Panic over climate change, while tweeting from your computer, in your heated home does nothing to help solve the problem. Extreme weather alarmists claim that any electrical use is cause to label people “denialists” in the war on climate change.

“But the fact is, there is nothing scientific about the media hype that ignorantly attributes every noteworthy weather event, and many socioeconomic events as well, to “climate change.””

We are well aware that climate change is very real. We don’t deny that human activity has brought more carbon dioxide than before we showed up on the planet. Despite the U.S. pullout of the Paris Agreement, real time solutions, and real time statistics have shown that our reduction in CO2 levels is making a difference.

Who’d Have Thought It’d be So Important to be Thankful for Energy?

November 28, 2019

This Thanksgiving, over 55 million people have plans to travel 50 miles or more by air or automobile, according to AAA. That’s 1.6 million more travelers compared to last year – a 2.9% increase. It’s safe to say that participating in Thanksgiving means we’re all consuming a lot of energy to make sure that we can enjoy consuming turkey, stuffing, yams and pie surrounded by friends and family. But have you ever actually considered just how much energy goes into making this national holiday possible for the hundreds of millions of Americans throughout the country? Well, you don’t have to, because we did.

Food

Around 45 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. While cook times vary, on average, it takes 4-5 hours in the oven to cook through a mid-sized turkey. Set at around 350 degrees, that’s about 8 kWh of electricity for one bird. Now multiply that by over 45 million, and that’s a whole lot of energy for one dish. Unfortunately, the energy needed to get this food on the table does not start and end in the kitchen – that doesn’t even dent the surface.

Energy is required to harvest crops, keep livestock and transport all facets of food cultivation so that consumers have access to products all across the country at our local grocery stores. From the energy needed to run plows and tractors, to operating the machinery at processing centers, and fuel required for the trucks and trains used in transportation, the food industry would not be able to feed this country every day, let alone on a national holiday centered on the dinner table, without energy.

Travel

With over 55 million people traveling 50 miles or more on the roads and in the air this Thanksgiving holiday to get to their destination, nothing is more important than filling up the tank or buying an airline ticket without breaking the bank. Let’s take a look at these 55 million travelers and the impact of their energy consumption. We also have some travel saving tips here.

Cars

If you’re looking at 2019 fuel standards, the average vehicle gets 25 miles to the gallon, and for a minimum of 50 miles, that’s roughly 2 gallons per vehicle. Yet, we know that most vehicle owners in the U.S. keep their cars approximately 11 years, which means that the average vehicle out on the road today gets more like 22 miles to the gallon. So at that average, for roughly 50 miles, that’s 2.27 gallons per vehicle. Multiply that by the 49.3 million people traveling by vehicle, and that’s 111,911,000 gallons of gasoline used over the holiday at a minimum – enough to fill almost 170 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Planes

If we’re talking about flights, the amount of energy can get pretty hefty, and with 4.45 million people expected to fly we’ve gathered up the numbers to give you an idea. Let’s use a 737 aircraft as an example. These planes can hold about 189 passengers, divide that by the 4.45 million air travelers that are expected to fly this Thanksgiving, and that’s 23,545 airplanes taking to the skies. Now, each of these bad boys uses 850 gallons of jet fuel an hour. With the average flight duration clocked at 3 hours, that’s 2,550 gallons of jet fuel for one flight. Now, multiply that by the number of planes, and you’re looking at 60,039,683 gallons of jet fuel – enough fuel to fill 4.3 U.S. flagged oil tanker ships carrying a total of 1.4 million barrels of oil just to travel for some turkey and family time.

Even without all of this math, it’s easy to see just how vital energy is to our ability to come together with our families and friends over the holidays to enjoy some delicious food.

So, this Thanksgiving, whether you’re traveling or staying home, cooking a turkey or a casserole, let’s all be thankful for all of the energy development and the accompanying infrastructure we have in place to fuel our lives and allow us to surround ourselves with family, friends and food.

Net Metering Rules Need Update in Wyoming – Lawmakers Reject Bills

November 27, 2019

Net metering allows solar panel users to be credited for the electricity they add to the grid. Several states continue to look at updating their policies, ensuring that as the industry changes, so do the rules. To offset net metering, cost-shifting is utilized to shift the power grid costs to customers that do not have solar panels. For those that can’t afford the solar panels, and the incentives to getting solar panels; they ultimately pay the price for those that can afford it. Prompting states to revise their net metering policies, is key to balancing these prices.

Ross told Daily Energy Insider that, “We want to make sure everything is being fairly allocated — while we are continuing to incentivize people to have the ability to offset their energy use and grow solar,” he said. “That’s the needle we try to thread and we think there’s middle ground on those discussions.”

With Cold Weather Approaching, Are You Prepared for the Heat of Your Energy Bill?

November 25, 2019

Considering temperatures around the country are dropping, and winter storms are brewing, we wanted to make sure you’re prepared. For tips on winterizing your car, home, and health, check out this blog. In the meantime, here a few ideas on how to cut down that bill now.

Check for air leaks coming from windows and doors, and plug them up. If you have time and a hardware store nearby this is the opportunity to run out and get caulk to stop air leaks in windows. Sound stripping for doors can also help to reduce drafts. If you’d prefer something easy, just roll up a towel and place it at the foot of the door. Quick window fix? Close those blinds to help keep the heat in.
Reach out to your local utility company to see if they provide winterizing services.
Read this Wired article on long term fixes.
Consider getting a SMART thermostat.
Turn down the heat to a manageable level find a warm blanket and put on some warm socks and a sweatshirt instead!

If you do go outside, try to stay warm and dry in this winter weather. Of course, you could always train your body to survive in freezing temperatures; but we don’t really recommend that.

Stop untangling those holiday lights, use an eel for decoration!

Farmers are food producers, and coming full circle, many are looking at how to manage food waste

Forget the 30 under 30 in entertainment, we’re digging the 30 under 30 in energy!

An oldie, but a goodie – a goldie, if you will

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5It’s easy to want a green deal, but paying for it – not so much

4Technology and renewables are joining forces – Part 1

3Technology and renewables are joining forces – Part 2

2Technology and renewables are joining forces – Part 3

1Plastic Coke bottles are going fully recyclable

Food

Travel

Cars

Planes

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