Coal in the News

17Oct

National Mining Association Applauds Senate Vote Defeating Attack on ACE Rule

National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Rich Nolan issued this statement following today’s Senate vote rejecting an attack on the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule: “The U.S. mining industry applauds those Senators who stood by this thoughtful, legally-sound rule and rejected a clear case of political theater. The ACE rule shows that it is […]
15Oct

US Energy Reliability Gone With the Wind

Via RealClear Energy: It is too often assumed that making maximum use of renewables is the answer to addressing environmental goals.  So easy is it to buy into this assumption that intermittent wind power is pulling ahead of coal in Texas. Energy analysts forecast that wind turbines in Texas will generate about 87,000 megawatt-hours of […]
16Sep

Americans Want an Affordable, Reliable Electric Grid

Via Morning Consult: From 2007-13, I served as a commissioner on the Missouri Public Service Commission. During those six years, my fellow commissioners and I were focused on making sure our state had ample electricity around the clock. And we continuously looked for ways to ensure that electricity remained affordable throughout the state — particularly […]
12Sep

Coal Industry Staying Strong

Via The Bluefield Daily Telegraph: The 23rd Bluefield Coal Show opened Wednesday morning with CONSOL Energy President and CEO Jimmy Brock bringing a message that the coal industry will continue to see better days ahead. Brock was the keynote speaker at the traditional Media and Exhibitor Appreciation Breakfast and afterwards helped cut the ribbon for […]
03Sep

The Straining Texas Power Grid Needs Some Pricing Help from Regulators

Via TribTalk: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), July was the hottest month on record across the globe, with severe heat waves in Europe, Africa and parts of the United States boosting the overall average temperature. Alaska recorded its hottest July since record keeping began in 1925. Not surprisingly, when temperatures rise, […]
03Sep

Heatwave Sheds Light on Wind’s Limits

Via News-PressNow.com When I served on the Missouri Public Service Commission, my overriding priority was to ensure that Missouri residents didn’t experience power outages. This past winter, we learned some harsh realities about electricity generation in the face of unpredictable weather. During January’s brutal cold snap, Mid-continent Independent System Operator reported that frigid weather and […]
30Aug

Trouble in Texas Hints at Wider U.S. Power Shortages

Via The Mercury: In recent years, Texas has become a bellwether for advances in wind turbines and renewable energy. The wide-open, breezy Texas panhandle offers some of the best wind resources in the country. But some surprising shortfalls are emerging in Texas’ electricity production — and that could prove instructive for other states that are […]
29Aug

Calls to Eliminate Cheap, Plentiful Coal as a Key Energy Source Are Unrealistic

Via LifeZette: As the 2020 election draws closer [1], a number of candidates are calling for restrictive policies on the use of fossil fuels in the United States. Their overriding goal is to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions — which they see as the primary driver of rising surface temperatures over the past century. They believe that, […]
22Aug

Don’t Overlook the Challenges of Integrating Wind and Solar Power

Via The Roanoke Times: Thanks to advances in technology, the price of generating electricity from solar and wind power has fallen significantly over the past decade. And that’s been helpful for America’s economy, including sectors like high-tech manufacturing and domestic mining that have contributed to these achievements. But even as the price of generating power […]