Fairbanks News Miner: EPA Clamps Down On Woodstoves

With record Arctic temperatures hovering heavily over most of the Lower 48 this week, and our EPA supervisors condemning woodstoves, we recall two 'global warming' experiences: Copenhagen Business School Professor Dr. Bjørn Lomborg giving remarks in Alaska in 2008, and a related Earth Day story.  Our studied readers might be interested in this invitation to hear Dr. Lomborg speak in Florida.  We attended one of these Oxford Club conferences in Vancouver and highly recommend it–especially with Lomborg's contribution this year.  -dh

All of our readers should consider attending Friday's Alaska Support Industry Alliance's annual "Meet Alaska" Conference.  Many of our readers will be in the room Friday, including one of our Australian friends investigating Alaska oil & gas related business opportunities.  Here are the details.   -dh

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (NGP Photo) TOMORROW will Lisa Murkowski, Brookings Institute, U.S. Senator, domestic production, Alaska, bluepring for the nation's energy policy, Dave Harbour Photodiscuss the future of U.S. energy trade and its implications for the economy and national security as part of the Brookings Institution’s Energy Security Initiative.

For our Washington readers, tomorrow's Brookings meeting with Murkowski will begin at 9 am, 1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW.  More information: Robert Dillon, 202-224-6977.

The recent dramatic increase in domestic production from all sources of energy has resulted in major changes in U.S. energy trade and provided new opportunities for the economy and job creation. The 2014 Annual Energy Outlook from the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects domestic oil production to nearly double from 2008 levels to 9.6 million barrels per day by 2019.

Globe & Mail.  Why Obama will Continue Dithering On Keystone XL
Calgary Herald.  Harper puts Northern Gateway at top of agenda.

Murkowski, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, will share her views on how the United States can best benefit from this reversal in energy scarcity. Murkowski will also release a white paper on energy exports –

A Signal to the World: Renovating the Architecture of U.S. Energy Exports – at the event as part of her blueprint for the nation’s energy policy, Energy 20/20: A Vision for America’s Energy Future.

The event will be live webcasted on Brookings’ website. 

Today's Energy Tomorrow Stories.

InsideEdge Natural Gas Market Notes by Paul Corby.  Even with a lower than expected withdrawal on Friday, the market couldn’t sustain any momentum to the downside. After immediately selling off on some quick profit-taking, it quickly recovered and bounced back to pre EIA data levels and has maintained the firmness coming into the new week. 

Today's American Energy Alliance Headlines.

Today’s weather when we want it to be and climate change when we don’t. 

The Guardian (1/3/14) reports: “Some commentators have remarked on what they describe as the 'irony'of researchers studying the impact of a warming planet themselves being impeded by heavy ice. With some even suggesting that the situation is itself evidence that global warming is exaggerated. In fact, the local weather patterns that brought about the rapid build up of ice that trapped the Academik Shokalskiy tell us very little about global warming. This is weather, not climate. Regionally, climate change can vary markedly across the Earth so to detect human influences on the climate system climate scientists must consider the Earth as a whole. What is clear is that the impact of climate change on ice at both poles is complex.”

Bright Bulb Award:

“The Baucus plan, as far as I’m hearing is not going anywhere, it may as well go with Senator Baucus to China.”– Travis Fisher, IER 

33 times as many F-150s as Volts sold. The subsidy needs to be bigger.

The Wall Street Journal (1/3/14) reports: “The Obama administration, as part of its publicly funded rescues of GM and Chrysler, now majority owned by Italy's Fiat SpA, pushed Detroit to focus on smaller, more efficient vehicles and plug-in electric cars that use little or no petroleum. But as gas prices drifted lower last year, U.S. consumers trading old vehicles for new favored pricey pickup trucks, SUVs and luxury cars. Ford, for example, boosted sales of its F-150 pickup by 8.4% in December over a year ago, while sales of its subcompact Fiesta and compact Focus cars plunged by 20% and 31% respectively. For the 32nd year in a row, Ford's F-series was the best-selling model line in the U.S., delivering 763,403 vehicles. By comparison, Ford sold just 35,210 of its C-Max hybrid models last year, while GM sold just 23,094 plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volts.”

Of course, 60 Minutes failed to mention they were part of the machine that hyped Cleantech.

60 Minutes (1/5/14) reports: “About a decade ago, the smart people who funded the Internet turned their attention to the energy sector, rallying tech engineers to invent ways to get us off fossil fuels, devise powerful solar panels, clean cars, and futuristic batteries. The idea got a catchy name: ‘Cleantech.’ Silicon Valley got Washington excited about it. President Bush was an early supporter, but the federal purse strings truly loosened under President Obama.  Hoping to create innovation and jobs, he committed north of a $100 billion in loans, grants and tax breaks to Cleantech.  But instead of breakthroughs, the sector suffered a string of expensive tax-funded flops. Suddenly Cleantech was a dirty word.”

Some people just get it. 

The Wall Street Journal (1/2/14) reports: “In August, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a new ethanol mandate, though it exempted one lucky refinery in Louisiana, out of 143 nationwide. That refinery happens to be under the patronage of Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, up for re-election this year. Congressional Democrats advanced measures in 2013 to pile new taxes on fossil fuel companies. This, as the Energy Department continued to absorb the losses of Solyndra, A123 Systems, and other taxpayer-funded green-energy firms, some of which are owned by political donors to Mr. Obama.”

Note to Greenies: Mess with Mickey Mouse and Sophia the First and you will get NOWHERE with my kids.

The Daily Caller (1/3/14) reports: “Environmentalists have begun a war on Mickey Mouse. The liberal group CREDO started an online petition to tell Radio Disney to stop its “Rocking in Ohio” roadshow because of its positive message on oil and gas drilling. The CREDO Mobilize petition orders Radio Disney to halt its pro-drilling roadshow, done in partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association as part of the group’s education outreach effort. ‘Immediately halt your road show promoting oil and gas extraction and pipelines to kids, and sever your partnership with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association,’ reads the petition. ‘Radio Disney should not — under the guise of teaching kids ‘science’ — promote dirty energy that that gives kids asthma, pollutes our air and water, and fuels climate change.’”

Yes, let's let the Oracle tell us what energy sources to use. Never mind what customers want and the market demands.

The Post Bulletin (1/2/14) reports: “A judge's ruling this week could expand the use of solar power over natural gas in Minnesota, including the construction of solar farms in several southeastern Minnesota cities. Administrative Law Judge Eric Lipman was reviewing whether Xcel Energy should invest in natural gas generators or solar power arrays. He concluded Tuesday that solar was the better deal for Xcel customers and the state…Xcel and three other energy companies had submitted proposals that mainly involved using natural gas to generate power. Xcel said it disagrees with some of Lipman's findings and will file a response, which the utility commission will consider before taking a vote.”