04Jan

Barry Butterfield: Energy Diversity Still Needed

Via The Omaha World-Herald: The Nebraska Public Service Commission’s recent approval of a Keystone XL pipeline route across Nebraska has revived concerns about energy production and its environmental impact. Nevertheless, nuclear and coal still matter. In 2015, these two sources accounted for 87 percent of the energy generated in Nebraska. Nationally, they supply over half […]
03Jan

Coal Mining Remains Significant Source of Revenue for Montana

Via The Independent Record: Although coal mining and the production from coal-fired power plants has declined in Montana, taxes on coal still remain a significant source of revenue for the state, bringing in $81 million to state and local governments in 2016. A report produced for the Environmental Quality Council, which is made up of […]
03Jan

They Said Trump Couldn’t Reinvigorate Coal Industry – Did He?

Via Conservative Daily News: Experts said that President Donald Trump could not reinvigorate the coal industry with his deregulatory agenda – they were wrong. The Economist tweeted that “There is no reason to expect that Donald Trump’s decision will invigorate coal mining, as he claims it will” “Hogwash. These actions won’t save coal or help […]
03Jan

The Vortex Validation

January 3, 2018 What a year it was that just ended.  After seeing an election that embarrassed the political “experts”, we enjoyed a booming economy that embarrassed the economic experts. That gifted student of failure Casey Stengel said it best: “Nobody here knows anything.” Energy experts found their own platitudes exposed by reality.  None is […]
03Jan

Under Trump, Things Looking up for Coal Industry

Via The Free-Lance Star: THERE IS no question that the future is brighter for our nation’s coal industry. Changes in policy, regulations and markets are contributing to a stronger domestic coal industry. The U.S. economy is growing again. Global economic activity is increasing. The business prospects of other countries that use our coal for electricity, […]
03Jan

Trump’s Energy Success

Via The American Thinker: Just six months ago, the Trump administration was attacked for its “slow start.”  It was said to be “in disarray,” in “chaos,” “at war” with itself, and incapable of governing.  Now the list of successes has piled up, making it clear that, if the trend continues, President Trump will become one […]
29Dec

Planning America’s Energy Future Requires Caution, Common Sense

Via The Spectrum: The captain of the HMS Titanic, Edward John Smith, famously said, “I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern ship building has gone beyond that.” His confidence at the time was understandable, given that the general public had yet to experience a large-scale maritime catastrophe. Curiously, the more […]
21Dec

OPINION: Coal is Making a Comeback

Via The News Virginian: There is no question that the future is brighter for our nation’s coal industry. Changes in policy, regulations, and markets are contributing to a stronger domestic coal industry. The U.S. economy is growing again. Global economic activity is increasing. The business prospects of other countries that use our coal for electricity, […]
20Dec

What Could Go Wrong?

December 20, 2017 “I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern ship building has gone beyond that.” — Captain Edward John Smith, HMS Titanic “There is substantial evidence showing that …. outages caused by disruptions of fuel supply to generators appear to be virtually nonexistent.” — Joint letter to FERC from […]
20Dec

Coal Plant Shutdowns to Lower Power Reserves

Via The Houston Chronicle: The shutdown of three coal-fired and a natural gas plant will knock Texas’ summer power reserves below the recommended level, according to a report released Monday by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees 90 percent of the state’s power grid. ERCOT is charged with ensuring  that Texas has enough […]