coal

29May

The Real Energy Story in the U.K.

From the tone of the coverage announcing that the U.K. has gone more than 10 days without generating any electricity using coal, one would think Britain had singlehandedly turned the tide against rising global emissions. Renewable boosters and climate hawks have fallen over themselves in praise of this “accomplishment.” But what this fawning coverage has […]
15May

American Infrastructure Requires American Mining

Sound the trumpets, it’s infrastructure week again. While it remains anyone’s guess whether or not a bipartisan compromise can be brokered for a deal, the urgency for action on the nation’s crumbling infrastructure is greater than ever. The clock continues to tick. In 2017, the American Society for Civil Engineering released its most recent infrastructure […]
04Apr

A Clear Call for Action on Grid Reliability

Last Friday, Real Clear Politics hosted an event on the future of the U.S. electricity grid, or rather the challenge of maintaining grid reliability as the nation’s electricity mix undergoes dramatic change. The event, sponsored by NMA and America’s Power, brought together energy experts and officials on the frontline of the issue, including the Secretary […]
27Mar

New Report Reaffirms Electricity Markets Aren’t Adequately Valuing Reliability

A new study being pushed by renewables advocates deserves note – but not for the reason its backers claim. It is noteworthy in that it is the perfect example of just how dysfunctional our electricity markets actually are and how uninformed the energy debate has become. The study, titled “The Coal Cost Crossover,” suggests that […]
06Mar

A Most Vital Technology

What technology does Fatih Birol, director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), believe is “most vital” to reducing emissions? Wind or solar power? Nuclear energy or energy storage? It is, in fact, carbon capture. Mr. Birol made his remarks last week in a joint press conference with U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Both are adamant […]
01Mar

A Warning Not to be Ignored

How valuable is a balanced, diverse mix of energy sources? Just ask the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the grid operator that manages the electricity grid for much of the U.S. Midwest and parts of Canada. When the polar vortex hammered the Midwest at the end of January, the grid weathered the storm, but it […]
22Feb

Building a Better Future from West Virginia to India

The world’s population is racing towards 10 billion by 2050. It’s an astounding number that has huge implications for global energy use but also for material needs. As populations grow, urbanization is growing as well. A higher and higher percentage of us are living in cities. The United Nations reported last year that 55 percent […]
05Feb

A Warning to Proceed with Caution

What’s the cost of inaction to protect the fuel diversity of our grid? New York offers a hint. The Empire State may have only two coal-fired power plants remaining, but a new rule aimed at effectively eliminating coal power from the state’s grid by 2020 is already jolting markets. As Bloomberg reported, the rule hasn’t […]
30Jan

The German Misstep

Strong voter support for an all-of-the-above energy strategy in the U.S. – as identified in recent Morning Consult polling – is undoubtedly informed by experience. Just ask Xcel Energy customers dealing with record subzero temperatures this week who were asked to turn their thermostats down to 55 degrees to prevent widespread natural gas outages in the area. […]
24Jan

Balancing the Grid and Reducing Emissions with Advanced Coal Technology

Preserving the fuel diversity and affordability of our power supply while also reducing emissions is not only smart energy policy, it’s a tall order. It’s a challenge not unlike walking a tight rope, and current trends suggest we are losing our balance. The loss of fuel-secure baseload sources of power and our growing overreliance on […]