Renewable energy capacities will more than triple and
demand for natural gas will grow 2 percent annually through
2036, according to the latest Energy Market Perspective
(EMP) released by consulting firm Black & Veatch.
The EMP report -- prepared every six months -- is a
25-year prognosis of the North American energy market and is
designed as a framework for making sense of the complex
energy market. At a briefing Wednesday morning in
Washington, D.C., Robert Patrylak, Managing Director of
Black & Veatch's EMP, said that utilities and facilities are
"adapting to a new normal," especially as new energy
regulations come into play.
"Organizations are trying to make decisions in a very
uncertain future of energy regulation," he said.
According to the EMP, the tripling of renewable energy
(an addition of more than 100,000 MW of generation) will be
driven largely by wind. Patrylak said the push to natural
gas will be a result of reserve additions, differed electric
market growth and the increased availability of shale gas.
Along with a growth in renewable and natural gas demand,
the EMP also showed the potential retirement of 61,500 MW of
coal by 2020, driven by new EPA air quality requirements.
This highlights the need for electricity generators and
distributers to focus on renewable energy, especially as
coal becomes less reliable in the future.
The EMP is available from Black & Veatch by subscription.
For more:
-see the
release