Insightful letter to the editor from Hal Quinn, President and CEO of the National Mining Association.
Monthly Archives: August 2017
Metro News: Coal’s Comeback
Coal is on the rebound! Some excerpts:
“The National Mining Association reports, “From the 2nd quarter of 2016 to the same period this year, coal production rose almost 17 percent.” The biggest jump has been in the production of steel-making metallurgical coal from Central Appalachia, where 57 mines have opened (or reopened) in the last fiscal year.”
“The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that coal will move slightly back ahead of natural gas this year as the leading energy source for electricity generation (coal 32%, natural gas 31%).”
“Coal exports are on the rise, up 60% for the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year, according to EIA. European leaders may publicly denounce the Trump administration for pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord, but down at the loading docks massive amounts of coal are coming onshore.”
A much-needed study of our electrical grid is coming soon
Tony Clark, good friend and former colleague, has written an excellent article about why the DOE grid reliability study is so important.