13Feb

A Timely Reminder of the Essential Value of Coal Power

Via The Exponent Telegram: Weather can be unforgiving. And the nation’s latest turn with the “polar vortex” was a reminder of just how merciless it can be. With temperatures across much of the country dipping well-below zero, our energy systems, particularly the electricity grid, were pushed to the limit. Once again, coal power plants came […]
11Feb

Power Grid Serving 65 Million May Be at Risk in East, Midwest

Via The Hill: Electricity is the most important and convenient way to consume energy. Without it, we’d literally be living in the “Dark Ages.” However, we often forget that it takes energy to make energy. With the electricity generation mix changing dramatically in recent years, this is no simple task.  There is no more disputing […]
07Feb

Trump Actions Speak Louder than SOTU Silence — Industry

Via E&E:  President Trump did not mention his favorite “beautiful, clean” industry during the State of the Union, but coal boosters dismissed the idea they have been forgotten. “It does not bother us at all,” said Bob Murray, CEO of Murray Energy Corp. and perhaps coal’s most vociferous Trump champion. Trump mentioned coal exactly once […]
06Feb

Weaning Texas Off Coal Tough for Renewables Alone, Analysis Shows

Via The Houston Chronicles: Texas faces several challenges in replacing the electricity generated by coal with wind and solar sources alone, a study from consulting firm Wood Mackenzie found. Due to the proximity coal plants have to big electricity markets and temporal patterns of renewable energy sources, large amounts of energy storage would be required […]
05Feb

A Warning to Proceed with Caution

What’s the cost of inaction to protect the fuel diversity of our grid? New York offers a hint. The Empire State may have only two coal-fired power plants remaining, but a new rule aimed at effectively eliminating coal power from the state’s grid by 2020 is already jolting markets. As Bloomberg reported, the rule hasn’t […]
05Feb

American Voters Support Government Action on Key Mining Priorities

Via NMA: As the president prepares to deliver his second State of the Union address, U.S. voters want to see government action on a number of issues key to the mining industry – from encouraging domestic mining to prioritizing investment in advanced coal technologies – according to polling conducted by Morning Consult for the National Mining Association […]
04Feb

America Blessed with an Extraordinary Opportunity

Via Fosters.com: To the Editor: If you had to capture the remarkable changes in U.S. energy production in one word, that word would be “technology.” From technological advances driving the shale revolution in oil and natural gas to dramatic declines in the cost of solar and wind power to the design of advanced reactors for […]
04Feb

America Needs Advanced Technologies to Meet Future Energy Needs

Via Morning Consult: Here’s something to ponder: What will America’s energy landscape look like in 2050? Some are calling for a “deep electrification” of the U.S. economy, including the widespread deployment of electric vehicles and heat pumps. But the combination of EVs with a growing number of data centers and other digital infrastructure could mean […]
01Feb

America Should Better Utilize Advanced Coal

Via Forbes: Lest we forget: “Advancing the development of clean coal technologies is an important part of President Obama’s strategy to develop every source of American energy and ensure the United States leads the world in the global clean energy race and continues to take advantage of domestic resources here at home,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Steven […]
30Jan

The German Misstep

Strong voter support for an all-of-the-above energy strategy in the U.S. – as identified in recent Morning Consult polling – is undoubtedly informed by experience. Just ask Xcel Energy customers dealing with record subzero temperatures this week who were asked to turn their thermostats down to 55 degrees to prevent widespread natural gas outages in the area. […]