No matter one’s opinion of the results of the presidential election the underlying question remains for the country, what is a prudent energy policy for both the near and long-term future in the United States. Rhetoric aside, from “Drill Baby Drill”, “I am not against fracking”, “No gasoline cars after 2035”, “Gas stoves are a major health threat”, and let’s not forget “No more gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers”, the reality is there is a need for consensus on how to balance sensible energy development.
Given the election results, global big oil will likely dominate the fossil fuel spotlight 'till the end of the decade. Elon Musk, the Mr. Tesla of our century, will likely dominate the electric car market for the next four years and possibly with the cooperation of the new Trump administration prevent less expensive EV imports into the United States, Controlling the market. Subsidies and incentives for alternative green energy projects on the federal level will most likely be substantially reduced or delayed. It is imperative to recognize that the extraordinary electricity demands resulting from; Artificial Intelligence, Data control centers, electric vehicles, home computers, devices, and electric appliance conversion exceed current electric generation capacity nationwide. New electric generation power is required.
As previous advanced global is local and there is now a true revival of opportunity for additional development natural gas production of the Marcellus/Utica Appalachian Basin. Unfortunately, the linkage of natural gas to oil has squandered the recognition of the value and strategic importance of natural gas under our feet. Pennsylvania is not Texas. It is imperative that we un-couple Pennsylvania's natural gas from the so-called dirty fossil fuel, oil.
Pennsylvania leaders on the state level need to admit wind and solar generation can only be supplemental, incremental, and gradual. Platitudes of the green wave will not keep the lights on, home computers connected, the electric vehicle or cell phone charged. In Pennsylvania, it is “clean” natural gas that can provide reliable, available, and affordable energy to meet the enormous projected power demands of the next ten years. Governor Shapiro's support for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative RGGI, or his modified version, does not support Pennsylvania's energy independence and resilience. It would turn our state from an electricity exporter to a power importer from other states in the PJM grid. PJM is forecasting not having enough power to meet demand in the next several years, due to critical plant shutdowns without adequate replacement.
Electricity costs are projected to rise. The big conglomerate utilities will control and dominate consumer pricing. PJM is projecting substantial increases in 2025 to consumers throughout the state. Politician's promises of lower electric pricing by going green have no realistic economic basis for the foreseeable future. The need for increased electric generation will require pipelines and generation plant approval for natural gas, along with new and expanded improvements to the electric transmission grid. These projects most likely will require lengthy government bureaucratic permit reviews and be opposed; and delayed by various environmental and special interest groups, all re-enforced by the inevitable, “not in my backyard”, concerns.
The demand for timely power could propel development within the Marcellus and Utica basin of microgrid electric generation powered by natural gas. This could lead locally to a new wave of unconventional well development in the Allegheny River Valley and surrounding areas. The result: big global interests may have to rely on small local solutions to keep everything electrically charged and powered.
Perhaps with a local prudent energy plan, we could all win. Stay plugged in for more.
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