Posts by Avalon Energy Services
Electricity and Rock: Still Not Friends
By Evelyn Teel In a previous blog post, we discussed findings from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that the I-95 corridor is particularly at risk of grid outages in the event of a geomagnetic storm. You can read that blog post here: https://avalonenergy.us/2018/07/electricity-meet-rock/. Further research has been conducted, and a new report from the USGS…
Read MoreDistributed Energy Resources Give You Options
By Evelyn Teel In the earliest days of electricity, generation happened close to where the electricity was used. A small hydro facility might have been used to power a single factory, or a coal-fired generator might have electrified a small town. As demand for electricity grew and we developed the capability to move it over…
Read MoreTrade-offs are Inevitable: Considerations for Our Energy System
By Evelyn Teel It is easy to think of energy as simply a commodity that makes our lives easier – by fueling our cars, keeping our homes comfortable, and powering our many devices. However, what if we sought to understand the more fundamental role energy plays in our lives? How would this reframe the conversation…
Read MoreFor Baseload Energy with No Carbon Emissions, Look (Way) Down
By Evelyn Teel When discussing renewable energy, the conversation often revolves around wind and solar. These are very visible energy sources – we often see solar panels in our neighborhoods or wind turbines on hilltops. However, there are many other types of renewable energy resources operating or being developed around the world. As we try…
Read MoreWelcome Back to 1976
By Evelyn Teel and Jim McDonnell Our last blog post discussed the trend of decreasing natural gas prices in the 2010s (please find that blog post at this link: https://avalonenergy.us/2020/01/down-down-down-energy-prices-in-the-2010s/). What does the trend in natural gas prices look like if we go further back in time? To answer this question, we extended our look-back…
Read MoreDown, Down, Down: Energy Prices in the 2010s
By Evelyn Teel A previous blog post highlighted the shale gas revolution as arguably the most significant energy-related development of the previous decade (you can find the post here: https://avalonenergy.us/2019/12/shale-we-review-the-2010s/). In this article, we will discuss another trend that was significant in the 2010s – declining energy prices. Natural Gas Prices One major effect of…
Read MoreIn the News: Jeff Dowdell Talks CHP, Natural Gas, and More
By Evelyn Teel Avalon Energy Services Senior Energy Consultant Jeff Dowdell was the featured guest on the most recent Energy Sense Podcast. Check out the episode to learn about combined heat and power (CHP) – what it is, how it can reduce costs and improve efficiency, and how it improves resilience. Jeff also discusses the…
Read MoreShale We Review the 2010s?
By Evelyn Teel and Jim McDonnell With the decade coming to a close, this is a perfect opportunity to look back at how the energy market has changed over the past ten years. It has certainly been a whirlwind ride, starting shortly after the 2008 stock market crash and continuing through the Great Recession and…
Read MoreWind Power, Transmission Lines, and a Vision for a Better Electric Grid
By Evelyn Teel Wind energy is an incredible resource with incredible potential. The generation costs are low, the efficiency of turbines continues to increase, and the threat to birds continues to decline. An unfortunate irony, however, is that the places with the most prolific wind energy tend to be places with relatively little demand for…
Read MoreMaryland Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard – A Lot of Change for No Action
During this year’s legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Maryland Clean Energy Jobs Act. Maryland’s governor, Larry Hogan, then had until 30 days after the legislative session (i.e., until May 30) to sign the bill, veto the bill, or take no action. By taking no action, the bill would automatically become law. The…
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