In 2008 and again in 2010, MJB&A managed the production, budget and release of a collaborative report entitled Benchmarking Air Emissions of the 100 Largest Electric Power Producers in the United States. The report compares air pollutant emissions (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and carbon dioxide) from the 100 largest U.S. electric producers.
Case Studies
Analysis of U.S. Coal Plant Retirements
In 2010, MJB&A completed a report for a major natural gas transmission company of coal-fired electricity generating units (EGUs) in several different geographic regions and their potential for retirement and/or to repower with natural gas. This analysis developed an indicative model of future coal-fired power plant repowerings and retirements based on a range of operational and market variables including plant operating characteristics and electricity market parameters.
Border Emissions Monitoring Program
Upwards of four million trucks enter the U.S. each year through various southern port crossings in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Scientific studies at congested US-Mexico border crossings suggest that cross-border truck emissions are contributing to air pollution problems in border communities. Officials expect the problem to become increasingly severe and widespread when the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is fully implemented. Signed in 1992, NAFTA calls for more open trade between the US and Mexico.
Diesel Emission Reductions through Electrification of New England Produce Center TRUs
MJB&A acted as project manager to a New England Produce Center (NEPC) Transportation Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Electrification Project led by the Chelsea Collaborative, a community-based organization. NEPC, located in Chelsea, MA, is the second largest produce market in the U.S., and is the hub for virtually all produce deliveries in and out of New England.
Electric Sector Reliability Report
In August 2010, MJB&A and the Analysis Group completed a report reviewing the impact on power plant operations of proposed EPA rules to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and other hazardous air pollutants.
Benchmarking Electric Utility Energy Efficiency Portfolios in the U.S.
MJB&A authored a report that examines and compares the energy efficiency expenditures and energy savings of a diverse set of 50 electric utility ratepayer-funded energy efficiency portfolios in the United States while highlighting the challenges that face this and similar efforts. Given the current shortcomings of publicly available data, this report should be viewed as an opening statement in an ongoing dialogue over the importance of comparing energy efficiency portfolios and the process for doing so.
Genset Locomotive Repower Project - CSX Transportation
In December of 2007, CSX Transportation, in cooperation with PSEG Fossil LLC and NESCAUM, began a project to modernize three conventional switch locomotives to a more efficient and less polluting design. Each locomotive engine was replaced with two smaller power packs, each equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). These locomotives are now cleaner, quieter, and more energy efficient than the vast majority of their peers and are among the first commercial units in the US to meet EPA’s Tier 4 Locomotive PM standards.
M/S Mount Washington Repower Project
M.J. Bradley & Associates assisted the Winnipesaukee Flagship Corporation during the bid evaluation process for repowering the excursion vessel Mt. Washington with funding from EPA 2009 DERA. The new CAT engines are EPA Tier 2 Marine compliant, and significantly quieter than the old engines.
Natural Gas Infrastructure in the Southeastern U.S.
MJB&A performed a high-level evaluation of the natural gas infrastructure in the Southeast. The report examines supply dynamics, pipeline infrastructure, storage capacity, and import facilities that are available to serve the region. We concluded that there is substantial existing pipeline and production capacity for natural gas to play an expanded role in the region’s energy mix. The recent pipeline construction activity in both the Southeast and neighboring states has added substantial capacity to the system as well as greater diversity of supplies.
Price Volatility of Natural Gas Markets
In December 2010, MJB&A completed a report on natural gas price volatility. This research report gleaned lessons from other markets to determine (1) whether increased exposure to natural gas prices, due to higher consumption, is likely to have a negative impact on the U.S. economy as compared to other regions of the world, and (2) how natural gas price volatility compares to volatility in other commodities and other natural gas-consuming regions of the world: the United States, Europe, and Asia, which account for one-third, one-fifth, and one-sixth of total global consumption.