The Natural Gas Story Could Be The Energy Story Of 2018 - 2019 -- October 16, 2018

Link here over at Argus.

A House of Commons select committee will carry out an inquiry into whether the UK has enough gas storage after events last winter heightened concerns about supply security, its chair Rachel Reeves said today.

The cross-party Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) select committee will take evidence on 31 October to assess whether the government has the "necessary measures" in place to cope with a repeat of last March's gas deficit warning, Labour MP Reeves said.

"Following the closure of Rough there have been issues over our ability to ensure supply in the winter," she said at the Energy UK Annual Conference 2018.

The UK issued its first gas balancing alert in seven years on 1 March, as cold weather and supply disruptions left the system short.

While the system balanced without market intervention, it led to a record NBP prompt price spike and prompted calls from industrial users for a government review including subsidies for new and existing storage facilities.

The UK government said Rough being available at the time would have made little difference to supply security and maintained the UK benefits from diverse supply sources.

Meanwhile, over at oilprice.com:

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EVs -- Rambling

I spoke about driverless cars with an individual in Starbucks this morning whose business was trucking/logistics. He was not convinced of their usefulness. At one time I was not convinced either but I am a convert. Driverless cars are a bigger deal than most people think, I think.

On the other hand, he thought that EVs had now become "accepted." He came to that conclusion when the top three (GM, Ford, FiatChrysler) and/or the top four (add Mercedes) came on board and embraced EVs. I did not pursue the conversation.

I'm not convinced.

I don't think folks understand all the obstacles before EVs can go mainstream.

Something like 40 to 50% of Americans do not live in their own single unit home. In the short term, single unit homes are where EVs will be charged. Almost half of all Americans would be resistant to buying an EV simply because they don't live in their own home. Then we get to range, range anxiety, charging availability when away from home, and time to fully charge an EV.