Three years ago, Democrats in Congress launched an investigation into how oil and gas companies have deceived the public about the industry’s role in climate change. Lawmakers released the results of their probe last week in a 65-page report. Here are three big things it revealed:
- Companies know natural gas isn’t a clean “bridge” fuel
Fossil fuel companies have pushed the idea of natural gas as a “bridge” fuel that can ease the transition from coal to clean energy. But a comment on a draft for a 2017 speech by a BP executive shows the company knew gas wasn’t a clean choice. “Once built, gas locks in future emissions above a level consistent with 2 degrees,” the comment read, according to the congressional investigation.
“This is the first evidence I’ve seen of them acknowledging internally, at the highest levels, that they know this — natural gas is a climate disaster — and yet, they still promote it,” Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, told Grist.
- Fossil fuels influenced universities’ climate research
Advocates have long condemned universities for accepting fossil fuel industry funding, especially when it was used to power climate research. The report details just how far some companies went to push their priorities, like when BP requested Princeton University emphasize carbon capture in a report detailing national decarbonization strategies.
BP also had a spreadsheet ranking how the university research it funded fit its priorities, and touted the “value” it got out of its relationship with Princeton while recommending cutting its spending with other schools that it wasn’t as satisfied with.
- Carbon capture isn’t the priority that fossil fuel companies’ advertisements might suggest
Companies claim natural gas will be viable in a clean energy future if its emissions are captured, and that biofuels can help reduce emissions, too. But the report reveals they’ve only devoted a small portion of their investments to these lower-carbon technologies, and plan only modest increases in the coming years. An internal presentation by BP even noted that “despite its importance and ambition to meet decarbonization goals, CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage) has stalled and its deployment is very limited.”
Still, these companies are rolling out advertising campaigns to convince the public that carbon capture is viable, with ExxonMobil even pushing a “Kids series” of carbon capture ads that “humanize” the company.
More clean energy news
🔥 Gas stove dangers: A new study finds using a gas stove on average accounts for 75% of people’s exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant also found in car exhaust and other sources, which can trigger asthma attacks. (Guardian)
🕵️ Undercover flaring: Oil and gas producers are installing “enclosed combustors” that hide flaring of unwanted natural gas, making it harder for scientists to detect greenhouse gas emissions and hold major emitters accountable. (Guardian)
🤝 Oversight overlooked: An investigation finds a major gap in pipeline oversight, as federal regulators leave monitoring of pipeline construction largely to private inspectors paid by developers. (Politico)
🔌 Tesla’s tempered disruption: Experts say Tesla’s firing of its supercharger team is unlikely to cause a major disruption within the charging industry, though other companies will have to step up production as more EV models adopt Tesla’s charging standards. (The Information, New York Times)
⚡ Utility industry intervention: The U.S. EPA’s new power plant emissions rules include reliability provisions that the Edison Electric Institute, a utility trade group that criticized the regulations, had pushed. (E&E News)
🎢 On a gasoline roller coaster: While global demand for gasoline is still growing, analysts expect the rate of growth to slow by more than half this year as electric vehicle sales surge in the U.S., Europe and China. (Reuters, Canary Media)
🌽 Are biofuels really clean? As the Biden administration seeks to incentivize ethanol-based aviation fuel, some analysts are skeptical it will help with reducing emissions. (Canary Media)
🌊 Seaweed of possibilities: Three Energy Department-funded research projects investigate whether seaweed can be mined for minerals critical to clean energy projects. (Hakai)
📢 We want to hear from you! Send us your questions, comments, and story tips by replying to this email.
💸 Support our work: The Energy News Network is powered by support from readers like you. If you like Energy News Weekly, share it with a friend! Or give today and help us keep our news open and accessible for all.
📧 Want more energy news? Sign up for our daily digests.