CNBC: Trump May Have Just Opened Door to $17 Billion Worth of Energy Projects

By easing the approval process for infrastructure programs, President Donald Trump may have resurrected a number of other oil and gas projects that were languishing.

Trump signed executive orders Tuesday advancing both the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline, based on approvals. Trump separately signed an order requiring pipeline builders to use American steel. Additionally, he signed orders expediting environmental review and approval processes for high-priority infrastructure projects.

"There [are] other executive orders that speed up the environmental review process, and I believe that will open up the door to these other stalled projects going through," said Daniel Clifton, head of policy research at Strategas.

Clifton said there are about 10 other energy projects, totaling $7 billion, that were turned down or held up since the Obama administration rejected the estimated $10 billion Keystone XL Pipeline in November 2015.

Union of Concerned Scientists: What Will U.S. Energy Leadership Look Like at Rick Perry’s Department of Energy?

There’s a clear trend in the president-elect’s cabinet appointments -- many of them are opposed to the agencies they would lead.

Some have demonstrated opposition to the particular agency and/or its mission in a professional capacity. Others have stated a desire to see the agency disappear altogether, suggesting the institution has no value.

Rick Perry’s appointment to head the Department of Energy (DOE) is certainly consistent with this trend; in a 2011 presidential debate he famously forgot the name of the agency he would abolish. And now he’s been nominated to lead it.

Why does it matter, and what should we expect?

Greentech Lead: Energy Storage Tech Set to Grow in Emerging Markets: World Bank Group

Energy storage technology will become more accessible in emerging markets in the coming decade, enabling a significant scale-up of renewable energy as a clean source of electricity generation, says new research from World Bank Group.

The report commissioned by the IFC and the World Bank-administered Energy Sector Management Assistance Program projects a 40-fold increase in developing countries’ stationary energy storage capacity by 2025, with more than 80 gigawatts expected to be added over that time period to today’s 2 GW of installed electricity storage capacity.

“Energy storage technology will be critical in the expansion of renewable energy in remote and rural areas that lack grid infrastructure or reliable electricity supplies,” said IFC executive vice president and CEO Philippe Le Houérou.

“By dramatically expanding the capacity to store energy, these technologies will help countries meet their renewable energy targets, support the demand for clean energy, and help bring electricity to the 1.2 billion people who currently lack access,” Le Houérou added.

Business Wire: Alevo Set to Deliver First GridBank Providing Ancillary Services to PJM

Alevo Group today announced that its first GridBank storage unit has been cleared for shipping and installation after completing an extensive factory acceptance testing process at Parker Hannifin’s Energy Grid-Tie Division. Alevo and Parker Hannifin have collectively conducted a series of validation and application tests on the 2 MW/1 MWh unit to verify the GridBank’s performance based on safety, power, thermal stability, communications, response rates and ability to deliver specific applications.

“We have been testing the GridBank in conjunction with Alevo since August and are satisfied the unit operates as per its design intent,” explained Jim Hoelscher, general manager of Parker Hannifin’s Energy Grid-Tie Division in Charlotte. “Parker has conducted a series of robust tests as part of a jointly developed factory acceptance test program and initial results confirm the Alevo GridBank capabilities, including its high power, among other attributes. We are excited to see the field performance and proud to have played a key role in this historic milestone.”