Study Reveals Winning Strategies for
Predicted Carbon-Constrained Future
FAIRFAX, VA, November 7, 2006 – ICF International (Nasdaq: ICFI) announced today the release of its U.S.
Emission and Fuel Markets Outlook, 2006 edition. The study examines U.S. energy market dynamics
under alternative carbon dioxide (CO2) emission regulations, some form of which ICF views as inevitable. ICF’s global experience in carbon
markets and policies leads us to conclude that the United States will have to come to terms with reducing CO2 emissions.
Already volatile energy markets are heavily influenced by international oil and gas market disruptions. Given the increasing convergence of energy markets, these international disruptions will ripple across all energy commodities and emission allowance markets, including the U.S. energy market. ICF’s study shows that CO2 (or broader greenhouse gas) regulation will likely raise natural gas prices, shrink operating margins of existing coal-fired electric generators, and shift new capacity needs from predominantly coal to a diverse portfolio of generation technologies. In this turbulent market, technologies that can convert
domestic coal resources to natural gas and petroleum
products will be a vital component of an overall strategy to manage the nation’s exposure to international risks.
In U.S. environmental markets,
ICF expects the interaction of CO2 policy and energy
markets to have a particularly noticeable impact
on the profitability of new and existing fossil-fired
electric generators and, therefore, control decisions
and allowance prices. “This is not the time
for market participants to get complacent. At risk
are billions of dollars of sunk pollution control
and new capacity investments,” said John
Blaney a senior vice president at ICF. “Pursuing
plans to build new electric generation capacity
and control existing generation units without considering
the impact of potential CO2 policy on fuel, allowance,
and electric markets could be a very costly mistake,” he
added. ICF’s projections show 10 to 20 percent
of control investments made in a three-pollutant
world not being economical should a moderate CO2
policy be implemented.
ICF’s study also examines the impacts of
several of the proposed policies on energy and
environmental markets, including those on electric
generation supply over the next 25 years. “No
single generation technology available today will
simultaneously and cost effectively manage fuel
price risk and CO2 regulatory risk, and be available
in sufficient amounts to meet growing demand,” said
Chris MacCracken, a project manager at ICF. “We
forecast a mix of new capacity technologies that
varies by region and is composed of everything
from coal to nuclear to wind.” Similarly,
ICF’s study projects that a diverse portfolio
of fuels and fuel sources will be necessary to
meet growing demand, including liquefied
natural gas (LNG), petroleum, coke, coal-to-liquids, and
unconventional gas from the United States and Canada.
ICF’s study provides a comprehensive, integrated
view of coal, natural gas, oil, and U.S. allowance
markets based on more than two decades of forecasting
energy market trends as one of the nation’s
leading energy and environmental analysis firms.
For more information, visit http://www.icfi.com/emissions.
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ICF International (Nasdaq: ICFI) partners with government and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology solutions in the energy, environment, transportation, social programs, defense, and homeland security markets. The firm combines passion for its work with industry expertise and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the entire program life cycle, from analysis and design through implementation and improvement. Since 1969, ICF has been serving government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral institutions. More than 1,800 employees serve these clients worldwide. ICF’s Web site is http://www.icfi.com.
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For Immediate Release
Contact: Douglas Beck
1.703.934.3820
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