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The Brunot Island Generating Station, a 265-megawatt natural gas power plant operated by GenOn that feeds into the electric grid in Pittsburgh during times of peak demand, photographed on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Marshall-Shadeland.
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Pandemic, war and climate change tug on different corners of Pittsburgh region's energy ecosystem

Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette

Pandemic, war and climate change tug on different corners of Pittsburgh region's energy ecosystem

In year two of the pandemic, as the recovery began to take hold and moved faster than the world was ready for, energy companies saw fuel prices increase for the first time in years. To keep the momentum going, natural gas proponents were pitching LNG as a climate solution, while renewable energy companies tried to seize momentum in federal infrastructure talks. Then Russia invaded Ukraine and the energy world turned upside down.

Membership: The energy workforce in the Pittsburgh region is 2.9% of the total workforce and responsible for 8.7% of the gross regional product. 

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Image DescriptionToby Rice(Pam Panchak/​Post-Gazette)

“LNG exports are the biggest greenhouse gas initiative on the planet. There should be more gas exported, not less.”

— Toby Rice, CEO of Downtown-based natural gas company EQT Corp.

Click here to read more. 

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Image DescriptionAurora Sharrard(Courtesy Mike Drazdzinski)

“We have to eliminate energy that we don't need to be using. Pitt will not get to carbon neutrality without that approach. No other university company or government will.”

— Aurora Sharrard, executive director of sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh

Click here to read more. 

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“There’s no perfect place to put energy projects. I never met anyone who really wants an energy project in their backyard.”

— Dan Brockett, a Penn State Extension educator

Click here to read more.

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Image DescriptionKevin Walker(Jen Barker Worley Photography)

“It is still uncommon to see people of color, women, LGBTQ, you name it — it's still uncommon to see (those) folks ascend to the top of a company like Duquesne Light. I think it's important to recognize the progress we're making and to build upon that.”

— Kevin Walker, CEO of Downtown-based Duquesne Light

Click here to read more.

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Image DescriptionKurt Klapkowski(John Heller/Post-Gazette)

“I’ve probably had five or six moments in my career where I really felt like I made a huge difference. I feel like this will definitely be another one of those situations where we leave Pennsylvania better than we found it.”

— Kurt Klapkowski, a bureau director in the state Department of Environmental Protection’s oil and gas office, on the expected federal funding to plug abandoned oil and gas wells

Click here to read more.

First Published: June 12, 2022, 9:00 a.m.

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The Brunot Island Generating Station, a 265-megawatt natural gas power plant operated by GenOn that feeds into the electric grid in Pittsburgh during times of peak demand, photographed on Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Marshall-Shadeland.  (Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette)
Toby Rice, CEO of the largest natural gas producer in the country, believes EQT Corp. could be the lowest-cost producer of hydrogen. That hydrogen would be made from the natural gas from EQT’s wells.  (Pam Panchak/​Post-Gazette)
Washington, Pa - JJessica Shirley, left, and Kurt Klapkowski, right, members of a panel of DEP representatives at a public forum at Washington and Jefferson College.  (John Heller/Post-Gazette)
Aurora Sharrard is the executive director of sustainability at the University of Pittsburgh.  (Mike Drazdzinski)
Duquesne Light picked Kevin Walker as its new president and CEO.  (Jen Barker Worley Photography)
Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette
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