31May

NERC: ERCOT, CAISO Face Summer Reliability Concerns

Via RTO Insider: NERC said Wednesday its annual summer reliability assessment indicates ERCOT and CAISO will face operational challenges and potential reliability concerns this summer, thanks to the two ISOs’ respective loss of baseload generation and lack of fuel assurance. According to the agency’s summer assessment, ERCOT faces a generation shortfall “due in part” to […]
30May

Breaking: World Still Cares about Affordable, Reliable, Secure Energy

The New York Times reported this week on an environmental group’s analysis that shows banks are still (gasp!) investing in coal mining and new coal plants. Despite efforts from activists to green-shame financial institutions into walking away from coal, investment in 2017 from U.S. banks alone was up nearly $3 billion from 2016. Global demand […]
22May

When Playing to the Crowd Prevents Progress

May 22, 2018 It’s easy to get confused by the news these days. On a daily basis we see green rhetoric eclipsing the stated purpose of environmental crowd. Take New York’s Gov. Cuomo, for example. Even as he is greening-up his creds for a potential presidential run with commitments around reducing New York’s carbon emissions, […]
14May

Analysis Paralysis

May 14, 2018 Due, in part, to a winter that only begrudgingly and belatedly yielded to spring, this month’s EIA Short-term Energy Outlook now predicts higher coal production for the year than it predicted just last month: 751 million short tons, up from 740 MMST predicted in April. What does this tell you? When it […]
14May

‘Who Turned Off the Lights?’

Via The Washington Times: Is anyone paying any attention to the crisis that is going on in our electric power markets? Over the past six months at least four major nuclear power plants have been slated for shutdown, including the last one in operation in California. Meanwhile, dozens of coal plants have been shuttered as […]
14May

Interests Widen in Legal Fight Over Coal-export Terminal

Via Kentucky.com: Six Western states and national industry groups have lined up against Washington state in a legal battle over its decision to reject permits for a massive proposed coal-export terminal on the Columbia River. Wyoming, Montana, Kansas, Utah, South Dakota and Nebraska filed a joint amicus brief, arguing in support of project backers and […]
11May

Countries In and Around the Middle East are Adding Coal-fired Power Plants

Via The U.S. Energy Information Administration: Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, based on trade press and company press releases Planned coal-fired capacity additions from a number of countries in and around the Middle East will add 41 gigawatts (GW) of new electric generating capacity over the next decade, based on announced projects and projects currently in […]
10May

Study Notes How Policymakers Can Prevent Coal Plants From Closing Prematurely

Via The Heartland Institute:  A new Policy Study by Isaac Orr, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment and a former Heartland research fellow for energy policy, and Frederick D. Palmer, The Heartland Institute’s senior fellow for energy and climate, outlines a “straightforward roadmap” for lawmakers to save coal-fired power plants from […]
10May

Blowing Hot Air in the Energy Market Discussion

May 10, 2018 To pick a winner for clumsiest quote of last week would be tough. Some votes might go to Elon Musk berating “bonehead” questions from analysts who were simply doing their jobs. Others might choose former Mayor Giuliani conjuring the image of himself as a knight charging to Ivanka Trump’s rescue during his […]
04May

Coal Industry, Farmers, Refiners Join Lawsuit to Stop Washington from Blocking Export Terminal

Via The Washington Examiner: The coal industry, farmers and refiners are pushing back against the state of Washington’s “illegal” efforts to block the construction of a major export terminal that would increase energy exports to Asian markets. “Washington state’s actions are an illegal effort to interfere and obstruct interstate and foreign commerce of an essential […]