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The Little Engine That Might Not

The recent 11th hour agreement to avoid a rail strike was a disaster narrowly avoided. A strike would have created a debilitating logistics chokepoint, disrupting supply chains of all kinds and creating enormous headwinds for the U.S. economy. Estimates put the cost of a rail strike at almost $2 billion a day. Yet, despite this […]

Picking the Wrong Bridge

Dispatchable fuel diversity has long provided a shield to electricity consumers from fuel price spikes. But that optionality is eroding in much of the U.S. – or is already gone – as the coal fleet is pushed off the grid. Years of warnings about the potential pain to consumers should natural gas prices spike, and […]

The Next Grid Crisis is in New England

New England recognizes it has a dangerous fuel security problem on its hands. And a telling factor in that crisis is what it doesn’t have: fuel diversity in the form of coal capacity. New England’s overreliance on natural gas, constrained gas delivery system, and inability to site and build alternatives is barreling towards a completely […]

Learn from California’s Self-Imposed Crisis

Will California – the global tech capital – plunge into darkness? Broiling heat has once again pushed California’s shaky grid to the limit. Record power demand has threatened to eclipse available supply with utilities, the grid operator and the governor all pleading for citizens and businesses to curb demand to keep rolling blackouts at bay. Just […]

The U.S. Coal Solution for Europe

The European energy crisis continues to deepen, and European leaders are now scrambling to break the link between the cost of natural gas and the price of electricity. Natural gas prices are 12 times higher than at the start of 2021 and power prices have exploded in tandem. The cost to consumers is enormous and […]

Europe’s Energy Crisis Underscores the Need for Fuel Diversity

The energy crisis in Europe keeps getting worse. Months of warnings are now becoming grim reality. European power prices are now equivalent to more than $1,000 per barrel of oil. The price of natural gas is 13 times its normal seasonal price. As winter draws nearer, so does the pain of crushing energy costs. Britain […]

The Inflation Reduction Act Could Push Power Grid Reliability Into a Tailspin

Via RealClearEnergy: Marketed by its champions as the answer to America’s economic woes and energy-driven inflation, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is anything but. Its market destabilizing subsidies, additional taxes and support for further regulatory overreach could devastate the nation’s remaining coal fleet and consequently the reliability and affordability of the nation’s supply of power. […]

Inflation Reduction Act could threaten U.S. power systems

Via The Washington Times: From California to Texas to New England, America’s power grid reliability is in alarming shape. And there’s a common thread: The nation is taking apart its existing energy infrastructure far faster than it’s building reliable replacement generation. This is most apparent in the Democrats’ sweeping new climate and health care bill, […]

Halting Federal Coal Leasing During a Global Energy Crisis

Last week, a federal judge made history – in a dreadful way – by reinstating an Obama-era moratorium on federal coal leasing. Setting aside the outrageous shattering of both judicial limits and established precedent, the meritless ruling comes at a remarkable time. The U.S. is facing an energy affordability crisis, a deepening grid reliability crisis, […]

Global Coal Use is on the Rise  

While domestic energy policy continues to dominate headlines, it’s important policymakers don’t lose perspective on global energy reality. For all the talk of energy transition, the global story is one of energy addition where renewable sources of power are largely being added in addition to existing infrastructure and fuels. The world can’t pump enough oil, […]