coal

31Mar

An Essential and Irreplaceable Industry Now and Tomorrow

Just this weekend, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reiterated the obvious: the mining industry, and its supply chain, are essential. From the minerals that are the building blocks of our world to the coal vital to manufacturing and electricity generation, mining and miners power America. DHS explicitly included mining in its list of 16 […]
25Mar

Keeping the Lights on is Essential Work

It would be difficult to find a piece of “news” coverage more out of touch with communities across our country than The Washington Post’srecent article questioning the essential nature of coal mining. From his perch in Washington, D.C., the writer brushes off coal’s contributions to the grid noting that “coal provides less than a quarter […]
23Mar

Commonsense Support for an Essential Industry

You’ve probably heard the critics by now. How dare the coal industry ask for relief to weather the COVID-19 crisis? It’s the kind of absurd question or assertion we’ve come to expect from people who simply don’t value coal jobs like others and who remain completely out of out of touch with the essential role […]
20Feb

Guidance to Get Going

It’s not every day when a notice from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is cause for excitement. Yesterday was one of those rare exceptions. The IRS finally issued guidance on the 45Q carbon capture tax credits. It was guidance the energy industry has been anticipating for two years, ever since Congress passed bipartisan legislation creating […]
13Feb

Markets Must Better Value Flexible, Dispatchable Coal Power

How valuable is a kilowatt hour of electricity? That, of course, depends greatly on when that electricity is produced and just how much it’s needed. Consider the gulf in value of excess electricity generated by solar power midday and the electricity produced by a coal plant when demand is spiking and intermittent sources of power […]
06Feb

Understanding Global Trends, Voters Want the U.S. to Lead on Coal Technology

In one of the most developed economies on earth, a place synonymous with advanced technology, coal isn’t on the way out; in fact, its role is growing. As The New York Times reported this week, Japan is building 22 new coal plants over the next five years. For Japan, advanced coal plants mean energy security […]
18Dec

Campaigning on a Platform of Job Losses and Power Outages

Presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg recently announced that if elected he will phase out coal power in the U.S. by 2030. He made this proclamation standing in the pouring rain in front of a retired coal power plant, telling the handful of people gathered that the photo-op was “one of the dumbest things we’ve ever done,” […]
27Nov

Thanksgiving in Coal Country

While media continue to look for new and exciting ways to attack this president, one that doesn’t hold water is the criticism that, despite his promises, he hasn’t delivered anything meaningful for coal country. To be clear: there are significant challenges facing today’s coal industry. Immediate action must be taken to rebalance and restore competition […]
21Nov

Breaking News: Fuel Targeting Doesn’t Work

A report issued this week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration found that U.S. carbon emissions from energy increased in 2018. You heard that right. Emissions are up, despite the near constant vilification of coal and hundreds of millions spent by activists like Michael Bloomberg. And to be clear: that’s hundreds of millions spent not […]
09Oct

Think Innovation, Not Fuel Targeting

For the better part of a decade, U.S. emissions reduction efforts have largely consisted of fuel switching from coal to natural gas. Driven by regulatory policies that singled out coal-based electricity generation as the target, the natural gas industry seized the opportunity for a PR push to brand gas generation as “clean” power.   Despite […]