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Fueling North America's Future
The focus of the Fueling North America's Energy Future study is to understand the potential consequences of two major developments and to offer a forum for fact-based rational discussion and debate.
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The first development is the proposed climate change and related legislation. The second is the unconventional natural gas revolution, its potential impact on the spectrum of energy choices in a carbon constrained world and its relation to the drive for renewable energy. The study will provide perspective and insight on the quandaries and challenges that power companies and energy-intensive industries face in making choices about fuel selection and future investments.
The North American revolution in unconventional natural gas ranks as the most significant energy innovation so far this century, and because of its scale, requires reassessment of expectations for energy development. It has the potential, at least, of a paradigm shift in the fueling of North America's energy future.
This report, Fueling North America's Energy Future, seeks to address the impact of the shale gale on the energy system. It aims to provide a framework for understanding the potential impact of the unconventional gas revolution, a common basis for dialogue on the issues raised by it, and a context for fitting the changed outlook for natural gas into the discussion about power generation choices and reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs).
The unconventional revolution shifts natural gas from a constrained energy resource to an abundant one. In so doing it raises many questions. This study addresses six sets of questions that are key to the energy future:
- How large is the gas resource base opened up by the shale gas revolution, and what are the financial costs and the footprint of its development?
- What factors could limit the realization of the potential of unconventional natural gas? What are the environmental issues associated with its development?
- Does this greater abundance of natural gas mean that gas prices are now on a lower and more stable trend, or is this the bottom of a cycle?
- What are the growth markets for natural gas, and in particular, what are the prospects in transportation?
- What are the growth prospects in electric power? Under what constraints—technical, economic, and political—do electric power providers operate, and how might the changed fuel supply picture affect investment decisions that utilities make and regulators approve?
- How significant a role can natural gas play in achieving reductions in GHG emissions along with such other options as nuclear energy, renewable energy, and carbon capture and storage (CCS)?
Members of Fueling North America's Future receive:
- Final report
- Compendium of additional research
Who uses the service? How? Energy producers: Oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables - To align current and planned investments with proposed policies and consumer needs
Major energy end users - To determine if the costs of achieving policy goals align with customer needs
- To evaluate vulnerability to changes in cost structure
Power and gas utilities - To determine if proposed regulation and investments will meet the customer needs
- To anticipate corollary investments
- To understand the full cost and impact of clean energy mandates
Policy makers and NGOs - To gauge industry response to the proposed initiatives if enacted
- To consider flexible options for policy development
Fueling North America's Future gives members insight into:
- New and existing gas supply options
- Renewables and energy efficiency
- Regulatory interface and fuel mix
- Non-climate environmental issues and decarbonization of fossil fuel power generation
Contact Us
For more information,
please contact:
Americas
+1 800 447-2273
Europe, Middle East & Africa
+44 (0) 1344 328 300
Asia Pacific
+44 (0) 1344 328 300
