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Mandating Higher Electricity Rates

It’s no secret that consumers across the country – particularly in the midst of an economic crisis – can’t afford to pay more for electricity. But higher electricity costs are coming as states, utilities and potentially the federal government push increasingly ambitious plans to rapidly move away from baseload power. Duke Energy’s recently announced Integrated […]

RGGI Will Not Benefit Pennsylvania

Via The Patriot-News: Gov. Tom Wolf is unlawfully scheming to circumvent the Pennsylvania General Assembly and, by his own estimates, impose a $2.36 billion tax on fossil fuel fired electric generation plants in Pennsylvania over the next 10 years. Governor Wolf’s goal is for Pennsylvania to join the 10-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) – […]

Letter: Department of Energy Innovations Prime North Dakota Energy Industry for Growth

Via The Bismarck Tribune: North Dakota is a land of almost limitless potential due to its abundant natural resources. As the nation’s number six overall energy producer, and the second-largest crude oil producer in the nation, North Dakota depends on robust oil, gas, and coal industries to maintain a healthy economy. The Trump administration’s policies […]

The World Still Desperately Needs Coal

Energy poverty and energy access remain the foremost energy challenges for much of the world. Great progress has been made over the past decade: the United Nations reports that the number of people without access to electricity has declined from 1.2 billion in 2010 to 789 million in 2018. But a new report finds that […]

The More Expensive, Less Reliable Solution

In the wake of California’s rolling blackouts, there has been a deluge of explanations, excuses and suggested remedies for what went wrong and what needs to happen to ensure there isn’t a repeat. There are calls for demand response, a nationally integrated super grid, an over-build of renewables and energy storage on an unprecedented scale. […]

When Warnings Become Blackouts

This was not part of the plan. In fact, some might wonder if there was a plan. In the midst of a heatwave, California can’t keep the power on. To ensure the grid for the entire Western U.S. doesn’t collapse, California’s grid operator has been forced to cutoff power for millions of people for hours […]

Electricity Affordability is Underpinned by Dispatchable Fuel Diversity

With the economy still reeling from the pandemic, U.S. electricity demand is down this summer. And while coal generation continues to play an essential role in meeting demand across the country, especially on scorching summer days, coal generation has borne the brunt of unique near-term market conditions. However, analysts are already predicting a bounce back […]

Eighty-Five Percent of Americans are Concerned by Rising Electricity Rates

The numbers couldn’t be clearer. In recent polling conducted by Morning Consult, an overwhelming majority of Americans – 85 percent of registered voters – expressed concern at rising electricity prices. According to the most recent Energy Information Administration data, the largest number of regulated utilities filed to change rates in 2018 since 1983. More Americans […]

It’s Time to Sunset Federal Tax Credits for Wind and Solar

Via Inside Sources: A decade ago, more than 50 percent of the electricity consumed in the United States came from coal-fired generating plants.  But by 2016, coal’s No. 1 status had been replaced by natural gas. At the same time, the deployment of renewable energy sources has grown dramatically in recent years and now accounts […]