Resources

The Covid-19 pandemic was a wakeup call to Americans. Most people realized we import many of the products we use every day from China and other countries. What Americans did not realize was how dependent we were/are on China and other countries for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, masks, face shields and medical  equipment. Americans lost jobs because of  businesses shutting down during the pandemic. Manufacturers were forced to shut down assembly lines because parts of their supply chain were overseas, and those facilities were also impacted by the pandemic. U.S. job losses have been in the millions. Now, more than ever Job creation is a major interest for most Americans.
Americans want to bring manufacturing and high paying jobs back to the USA. The question that follows is “Can we manufacture in
the U.S.?”

This report assesses economic progress and opportunities for growth in three sectors of the Appalachian economy that are driven by energy: the energy sector, the petrochemical sector which uses energy as its primary feedstock, and the manufacturing sector, which can use low-cost energy and petrochemical sector products as manufacturing inputs. Further, it examines the supporting public and private infrastructure required to accelerate economic growth in these sectors. Importantly, it documents the role of human capital in Appalachia and how best to develop a twenty-first century workforce.

“Forge the Future” is a private sector-led effort, launched by Chevron and Peoples Gas, to unlock the economic potential of Pennsylvania’s energy resource – in terms of GDP growth, jobs growth, and government revenues to support the needs of the state. Achieving this potential will require close collaboration between the private and public sectors, coordination within the private sector, and – above all else – a drive to practical action.

Local natural gas utilities deliver energy to many types of customers situated in homes, local businesses, and even power plants, vehicle fleets, and industrial manufacturing facilities. All are among the end users of natural gas in the United States. The commercial sector as a consuming category is broad and diverse, representing many parts of the nation’s energy economy.

In fact, the commercial sector is typically defined by what it is not: residential, manufacturing, or agriculture. Instead, the commercial sector represents all the other businesses, services, and public activities within the US economy including education, health care, public order and safety, service facilities, offices, food sales and service, hotels, retail and public assembly.

More than 5.4 million commercial customers use natural gas for space and water heating. Smaller facilities may utilize natural gas similar to a typical household. Other commercial entities like hospitals tend to have larger and complex requirements. In total, the US commercial sector accounts for nearly one-fifth of all energy use in the United States, and natural gas is a critical source.

Serving all of these segments are the nation’s natural gas utilities. Also referred in this paper as local distribution companies, natural gas utilities support commercial businesses and public establishments that are, ultimately, America’s economic engine.

This report seeks to unveil the diversity within the commercial segment of the natural gas market and shed light on the range of customers, technologies, and end-uses that serve this important backbone of the US economy.

During the past five years, U.S. oil and gas infrastructure development proceeded at a rapid pace, and many have wondered whether the trend can continue. In that light, API contracted ICF to undertake a study that investigates the amount of oil and gas infrastructure development possible in the U.S. through 2035. This report summarizes results of the study.

The report focuses on the amount of infrastructure needed for two different scenarios, a Base Case and a High Case, each of which are plausible depictions of future market conditions. While the Base Case represents a most likely scenario, the High Case is put forward to assess infrastructure development in a more robust environment that is fostered by a larger hydrocarbon resource base and more rapid advancements in E&P technology. The study assesses capital expenditures associated with and the resulting economic consequences of oil and gas infrastructure development.

The global natural gas market is undergoing a major transformation driven by new supplies coming from the United States to meet growing demand in developing economies and industry surpasses the power sector as the largest source of gas demand growth, according to the IEA’s latest market analysis and five-year forecast on natural gas.

This evolution of the role of natural gas in the global energy mix has far-reaching consequences on energy trade, air quality and carbon emissions, as well as the security of global energy supplies, according to the new report, Gas 2017.