Thanks to the Freeport Journal Standard (IL) for carrying my op-ed in which I show that past history reveals the limitations of natural gas and renewables, especially in times of extreme weather events, and that an “all of the above strategy” when it comes to generating electricity is the preferable energy policy.
Monthly Archives: April 2019
My View: Clean energy plan would test limits of Illinois power grid
Thanks to the Rockford Register Star (IL) for carrying my op-ed where I opine that states’ clean energy goals, such as ones proposed in Illinois, do not account for the high costs of a renewables-only policy nor the intermittency issues of renewable energy.
My Turn: R.I. faces high costs, energy disruption
Thanks to the Providence Journal (RI), which carries my op-ed in which I write that Rhode Island faces a lack of energy reliability and high costs due to an over-reliance on natural gas.
In The News Today….4.29.19
In the news today…
Energy Policy:
- E&E Energywire reports the Interior Department’s efforts to expand development of federal oil, gas and coal have suffered some recent courtroom setbacks.
- E&E Daily reports Democrats are expected to push for more renewable energy development on federal lands during a House Natural Resources oversight hearing tomorrow where the Trump administration’s energy policies are expected to take center stage.
Coal:
- Oilprice.com reports a wave of clean energy policies in states is killing coal.
- The Washington Examiner reports the Trump administration could be turning away from coal in Appalachia.
- E&E Greenwire reports there is uncertainty around the future of MATS, with some believing it could be withdrawn in its entirety.
- E&E Greenwire reports the Brayton Point Power Station in Massachusetts had its cooling towers demolished this weekend; the site will be turned into a multi-use facility mainly dedicated to supporting offshore wind farms.
- E&E News PM reports Sen. Cory Booker calls for not only reauthorizing the Abandoned Mine Land fee but also doubling the rates coal companies pay for every ton of coal mined.
- E&E Energywire reports an alternative to coal which involves turning trash into a fuel opened last month, and EPA has set a 30 percent limit on how much of the new fuel can be used as a supplement to coal.
- The Washington Examiner reports Energy Secretary Rick Perry says switching the nation to 100 percent renewable energy would lead to permanent black outs without more reliable power plants.
- NorthcentralPA.com reports Pennsylvania lawmakers on Friday announced the re-organization of the Legislative Coal Caucus, a bipartisan, bicameral legislative caucus that focuses on supporting and enhancing Pennsylvania’s coal mining industry.
- The Sun Times reports Powder River Basin coal demand could fall between 1 to 3 percent per year, according to one of the basin’s largest producers, Arch Coal.
- KTWO and the Casper Star Tribune report Wyoming governor Mark Gordon has serious reservations about the potential early retirement of units at two Wyoming coal-fired power plants due to the loss of jobs and the discouragement it brings to clean coal technology development.
- Bloomberg reports federal judges have repeatedly gotten in the way of President Trump’s “energy dominance” policy to bolster fossil fuels such as coal.
- S&P Global reports a PacifiCorp study confirms that coal is being pushed out of the market, and the company presented analysis showing customers could save money if four units were retired early.
Minerals:
- WKBN reports the Pennsylvania Winner Development Company will use a federal grant to see if rare earth elements can be cost-effectively extracted from coal ash.
- DesignNews reports a new copper-based material could be used to replace more expensive precious metals like silver and gold in next-generation and printed electronics.
EPA:
- PoliticoPro, InsideEPA and E&E Greenwire report a federal court faulted EPA for omitting questions from a list companies must answer to keep chemical identities “confidential” under the updated Toxic Substances Control Act.
- PoliticoPro and InsideEPA report EPA plans to allow Texas to shield the state’s power plants, refineries and other industrial plants from civil penalties for pollution emitted during malfunctions.
World News:
- E&E Energywire reports German energy company RWE won’t invest in new coal-fired power stations as “new coal-fired power stations no longer have a place in [its] future-oriented strategy”.
In The News Today….4.26.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- E&E Greenwire reports three Democrats running for Kentucky governor debated over the future of Appalachian coal.
- The Salt Lake Tribune reports the resumption of coal leasing on federal lands requires an environmental review.
- Solar Magazine reports the Navajo Nation is preparing to switch from coal-powered energy to solar energy, using the coal power plants and mines as locations for new solar energy-fueled power systems.
- Ars Technica reports the dangers of switching to natural gas for energy purposes, as methane leaks would not be safer than coal emissions.
- Inside Climate News reports efforts to save coal plants are failing as economics point to renewable energy as the best option.
- WUWM reports the Milwaukee County Board voted against allowing We Energies’ Oak Creek power plant to raise its daily maximum discharge of mercury into Lake Michigan.
- Politico reports Wisconsin’s We Energies is the latest utility to leave a group that lobbied on behalf of coal-burning utilities against Obama-era air regulations.
- S&P Global reports the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has rejected a Vectren proposal to build a natural gas-fired facility to replace three coal-fired power plants.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting and Argus report a new economic analysis says customers could save about $248 million over 20 years if PacificCorp retires four of its Wyoming coal units by 2022.
- Billings Gazette reports the ‘Save Colstrip’ plan falls through on the last day the Montana legislature is in session.
- The Casper Star Tribune reports Powder River Basin coal demand could fall between 1 to 3 percent per year according to Arch Coal.
- Argus reports coal-fired generation in the US fell by 2.3 percent in February as natural gas continues to grow.
- S&P Global reports PJM Interconnection initiated the process to develop a regional or sub-regional approach to pricing carbon emissions into its wholesale power markets.
EPA:
- E&E Greenwire reports the comments for the proposed WOTUS rule are filled with datasets previously ignored by the Trump administration.
- InsideEPA reports EPA is expected to “fix” several problems in its proposal to ease new source review (NSR) permitting rule for coal plants, which is now being split from the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule.
In The News Today….4.24.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- Wyoming Public Media reports President Trump’s push for more energy development on federal lands suffered a setback last week when a federal judge ruled that his administration didn’t look at environmental impacts before lifting an Obama-era freeze on new coal leases.
- The Casper Star Tribune reports the ruling that the Trump administration illegally lifted the moratorium on coal leasing leaves open what will happen next with the coal program review.
- Phys.org reports the shift from coal to gas is better for the environment, citing a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
- Argus reports the first quarter production in Powder River basin fell by 12.9 percent, led by declines at properties with higher heat-content coal.
- PoliticoPro reports sixteen environmental groups argue that the president’s executive orders which change states’ authority under the Clean Water Act can only be changed by Congress.
- Associated Press reports Former EPA chief Scott Pruitt has likely failed in his efforts to block the closure of several coal-fired plants in Indiana.
- S&P Global reports coal producer Ramaco has won an important legal victory in Wyoming after a Wyoming District Court judge ruled that the company’s proposed Brook Mining mine be allowed to extract coal beneath surface land near Sheridan.
Minerals:
- Reuters reports German carmaker BMW will buy cobalt, a key component for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, directly from mines in Australia and Morocco to ensure they are not produced by child labor, an executive said on Tuesday.
- E&E Energywire reports uranium companies and electric utilities are in a lobbying face off over a proposal to protect American uranium miners by mandating trade quotas.
EPA:
- E&E Greenwire reports the clarification on the scope of the Clean Water Act relating to groundwater dispersions may cause more confusion in the short term, and will likely remain so until the Supreme Court gives a ruling.
Energy:
- Argus reports Nevada doubled its renewable energy mandate as Gov. Steve Sisolak signed into law SB 358.
Climate:
- InsideEPA reports Virginia air regulators have finalized a regulation that imposes a declining cap on carbon emissions from state utilities and is intended to allow trading with RGGI cap-and-trade programs; Gov. Ralph Northam has until May 3 to issue any veto.
- Vox reports the US bears the most responsibility for carbon emissions, having the largest cumulative CO2 emissions since 1750.
Media Alert!
Thanks to the The Tribune-Democrat (PA) and the Deseret News (UT) for carrying my op-ed in which I contend that the coal is necessary for generating electricity due to its reliability as a stable, baseload power generator.
In The News Today….4.23.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- E&E Energywire reports the ruling by Judge Brian Morris ordering the Interior Department to make an environmental analysis before lifting a coal leasing moratorium puts the Trump administration’s attempts to bolster coal in jeopardy.
- Mountain West News Bureau reports Trump’s energy agenda faces a setback in the wake of a federal judge’s ruling on coal leasing.
- The Billings Gazette reports the Colstrip power plant faces an uncertain future as Washington state edges closer to banning coal by 2025.
- Utility Dive reports Nevada passed a bill that would require the state to generate 50 percent of its energy from renewable resources by 2030 and 100 percent of its energy carbon-free by 2050.
- E&E Greenwire reports Scott Pruitt has joined RailPoint Solutions LLC, which appeared to be tied to Sunrise Coal LLC, in a bid to stop the closure of coal plants in Indiana.
- Reuters reports the Indiana Chamber of Commerce on Monday rejected a plea from former EPA chief Scott Pruitt to back legislation that would keep aging coal-fired power plants online because it would raise electricity rates for local businesses and homeowners.
- Bridge Magazine carries an interview with CEO Gerry Anderson, who discusses DTE Energy’s transition from coal to natural gas and renewables.
- The Eastern New Mexico News carries an op-ed by Jim Constantopolous, a geology professor at Eastern New Mexico University, in which he argues that out-of-market subsidies and mandates for wind and solar power are upending electricity markets and jeopardizing baseload, coal generation, the foundation of the grid.
Climate:
- Energy News Network reports even if Gov. Ralph Northam vetoes the bill that would halt Virginia’s link to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the General Assembly would still have power over the program through the power of the purse.
- KIRO Seattle reports Washington State has passed a 100 percent clean energy bill, which now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk; the bill would eliminate coal power by 2025 and transition to 100 percent clean and renewable energy by 2045.
EPA:
- E&E News PM reports Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) is urging EPA to halt its efforts to undo mercury emissions regulations for the power sector, adding a Republican voice to a chorus of opposition to the proposal.
- InsideEPA reports a selection from comments submitted to EPA on its proposal to eliminate the legal underpinning of MATS for power plants.
- PoliticoPro reports Rep. Francis Rooney wrote a letter to EPA urging it to keep the MATS rule in place due to risk to health benefits.
- InsideEPA reports industry and local government groups are bringing forward lawsuits to preserve or expand the current bar on EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers implementing their 215 CWA jurisdiction rule in certain states, pushing back from new Democratic governors who have withdrawn from similar suits.
World News:
- E&E Climatewire reports China’s move to boost coal won’t result in many new power plants because of greater profitability in the renewable energy sector.
In The News Today….4.22.19
In the news today and from the weekend…
Coal:
- The New York Times reports a federal judge ruled that the Interior Department acted illegally when it sought to lift an Obama-era moratorium on coal mining on public lands.
- E&E Energywire reports the Trump administration must make an environmental analysis before it can lift the Obama-era moratorium on coal leasing on public lands.
- The San Francisco Chronicle reports Montana state regulators have given final approval to a 70 million ton expansion of a southeastern coal mine, the Rosebud mine, that provides fuel to the Colstrip power plant.
- The Commercial Property Executive reports coal-fired power plants are coming to an end because the cost of renewables has dropped below the cost of coal-fired generation.
- CNN reports Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is still planning to visit Kentucky to talk to coal miners despite being uninvited by Rep. Andy Barr.
- Idaho State Journal carries an op-ed in which they state electricity from coal is on the decline and argue there are cleaner and less expensive sources of energy.
- The Cap Times carries a letter to the editor in which the author argues that Madison Gas and Electric should move away from coal and towards renewables.
- InsideEPA reports new research which suggests coal energy is becoming increasingly uncompetitive with renewable power.
EPA:
- InsideEPA reports industries are urging for greater narrowing of the Clean Water Act jurisdiction standard by placing new limits on regulating “traditional navigable waters”. NMA is mentioned.
- InsideEPA reports mounting evidence that carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is becoming increasingly advanced, which poses a problem for the EPA’s attempt to no longer base its greenhouse gas targets for new coal plants on CCS with partial capture. NMA’s comments are quoted.
- E&E Greenwire reports former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt registered with the Indiana Lobby Registration Commission as a self-employed consultant with RailPoint Solutions LLC, where he will lobby on energy and natural resources issues.
Climate:
- The Washington Post reports an Alabama plant is among the first carbon capture projects to begin sucking carbon dioxide out of the air.
- Axios reports a new study from the University of Chicago which finds that renewable energy mandates raise the price of electricity significantly, up to 17 percent after 12 years.
- S&P Global Platts reports the Virginia State Air Pollution Control Board approved a regulation to reduce and cap carbon dioxide emissions from large fossil fuel-fired power plants.
- The Associated Press reports Americans burned a record amount of energy in 2018, with a 10 percent jump in consumption.
In The News Today….4.19.19
Good Friday morning!
I’ve been out of pocket for a few days, so I haven’t been able to post. It’s good to be back online!
In the news today…
Coal:
- The Columbus Dispatch reports an advisory board which oversees Ohio’s coal-mining reclamation fund will look into a reinsurance policy to help shoulder the financial burden should one of the largest permit holders abandon its mine.
- Public News Service reports the RECLAIM Act will give coal communities $1 billion to clean up abandoned mines and boost local economies.
- Utility Dive reports the Sierra Club wants Arkansas regulators to direct SWEPCO to update and refile its IRP to include an economic analysis of shuttering the Dolet Hills coal plant.
- InsideEPA reports Republicans see no advantage to a coal visit with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; the previously offered invitation was taken back by Rep. Andy Barr.
- The Hill and Grist report the Mueller report reveals Russian social media accounts targeted U.S. division over the coal industry as part of its effort to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
- Bloomberg reports global coal markets are up but American miners are still losing due to the competition with natural gas in the U.S.
- The Indianapolis Star reports former U.S. EPA head Scott Pruitt has registered as an energy lobbyist in Indiana as fossil fuel companies seek to block the planned closure of coal plants.
- MiBiz reports a proposed settlement between Consumers Energy and environmental groups would move up the closure of a large coal plant in Michigan.
- Argus reports environmental groups are suing the Interior Department in hopes of blocking Alton Coal Development from expanding its coal mine in Utah.
EPA:
- E&E News PM reports a coalition of 21 attorneys general submitted comments urging EPA not to withdraw the legal justification for its limits on power plant mercury emissions.
- InsideEPA reports a former EPA air chief warns environmentalists and Democratic states that they lack legal standing to challenge the rollback on MATS because they cannot show any injury from undoing the finding.
Utilities Warn of Threat to U.S. Power Grid
Thanks to the Rockland County Times (NY) for publishing my op-ed in which I argue that since the United States has massive energy demands, it makes sense to keep all options on the table. Alongside natural gas, wind, and solar, the U.S. must retain the sturdiest forms of electricity generation—coal and nuclear.
Wisconsin Faces Challenges Posed By Clean Energy
Thanks to The Capital Times for carrying my new op-ed in which I explain that Wisconsin’s new clean energy plan is not feasible as it will drive costs exponentially high and negatively impact grid reliability.
In The News Today….4.12.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- The Indianapolis Star reports Energy Policy Network is fighting to keep coal plants open across state lines.
- Argus reports the Illinois Department of Natural Resources approved a mining permit for Hallador Energy subsidiary Sunrise Coal’s proposed Bulldog coal mine.
- Argus reports US thermal coal producer B&W Resources plans to open a new mine in Kentucky in coming weeks.
- Argus reports the Western Coal Traffic League is trying to force the US Surface Transportation Board to act on a long-pending review of an index used to measure diesel fuel costs.
- The Washington Examiner reports the Global Energy Institute launched polling that found, among other things, that a majority of Americans prefer investments in new innovative energy technologies to mandates like those in the Green New Deal and that 79 percent of voters support President Trump’s executive order from Wednesday concerning states’ ability to oppose energy infrastructure.
- The Casper Star Tribune reports according to Moody’s Investor Service, the Powder River Basin’s coal production will continue to decline.
- The Augusta Free Press and Argus report bipartisan legislation to revitalize coal country by giving communities the funds they need to clean up abandoned mine lands, the RECLAIM Act, was introduced Tuesday.
Mining:
- Reuters reports Rio Tinto will join a World Bank initiative intended to help developing countries sustainably mine lithium, cobalt and other minerals critical to the global electrification trend.
- PoliticoPro reports two mining companies, Ur-Energy USA and Energy Fuels Resources, have contended that the imports are pushing U.S. uranium production to the brink of collapse, potentially creating a national security risk that would undermine the military.
EPA:
- InsideEPA reports state regulators say EPA’s proposed Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction rule will leave them with uncertain and potentially costly burdens to regulate water bodies that the rule would leave to state discretion, including dealing with losses in federal funding and duplicating federal programs that would be cut back under a narrow reading of the CWA.
White House:
- The Washington Examiner reports President Trump’s executive order restricting states’ rights is counter to previous policies allowing states to determine the curbing of greenhouse gases.
- The Washington Post reports President Trump’s executive orders concerning the Clean Water Act want to cut the states out in order to build more pipelines.
Department of the Interior:
- PoliticoPro, The Hill and the Washington Examiner report the Senate confirmed David Bernhardt to serve as Secretary of the Interior.
In The News Today….4.10.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- McClatchy reports on Tuesday’s hearing, which centered on a proposed ban on mountaintop removal mining until a health study can be conducted. Opponents to the ban warned that coal production across Appalachia could be shuttered by such action.
- Washington Examiner reports coal-fired plants kept electricity on during cold snaps, but also argues that all power supplies are stretched by extreme cold and suggests the answer is to increase transmission lines across states.
- Utility Dive reports three coal-related bills passed in Montana, from setting wages at plants through the end of generation activity to transition aids to providing low-interest loans for coal-fired generation.
- The Champaign News-Gazette reports Sunrise Coal is one permit closer to opening the Bulldog Mine in eastern Illinois. Sunrise Coal still requires a permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Mining:
- E&E Greenwire provides a background of ‘Mine 9’, the upcoming movie about coal miners trapped in an Appalachian mine.
Clean Water Act:
- InsideEPA reports President Trump will issue an executive order to have EPA “review and update” its policies governing state reviews of federal projects under section 401 of the Clean Water Act with the aim to reduce delays in permitting and development of energy infrastructure projects.
- E&E Daily reports Republican senators reintroduced a bill which limit the time states have to review Clean Water Act permits and limit states’ ability to block Clean Water Act permits.
- PoliticoPro reports President Trump aims to curtail states’ power to block new energy projects under the Clean Water Act.
- The Wall Street Journal reports Trump will sign two executive orders aimed at blunting the ability of environmental activists and state regulators to use the Clean Water Act to obstruct energy projects.
Carbon Capture and Storage:
- InsideEPA reports the Trump administration is planning to support carbon capture and storage more widely as an alternative to policies which cut greenhouse gas emissions.
World News:
- The New York Times reports the state of affairs in the Jiu Valley of Romania, once a thriving coal town.
- Utility Dive reports worldwide energy demand surged last year, with natural gas accounting for 45% of the rise and renewables increasing by 4% to a total of 25% of global output for 2018. Coal’s overall place has declined but demand for coal has risen slightly for two years.
- The Wall Street Journal reports on China’s dependence on coal and air quality concerns.
In The News Today….4.9.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- Marketplace reports Murray Energy is currently in federal court in a case centered on rights concerning reporting safety problems in mines due to comments by their CEO, Bob Murray.
- RenewEconomy reports Hawaiian Electric is preparing for the end of fossil fuels on the islands by beginning its second phase of its renewable energy resource procurement plan centered on solar power. The plan is to retire fossil fuel plants on Maui and Oahu in the next five years.
- Billings Gazette reports Montana House lawmakers heard the first arguments on Monday about a plan committing NorthWestern Energy customers to paying the utility $75 million as it looks to buy the Colstrip Power Plant.
- The Missoulian carries an editorial in which the author argues that attempts to save Colstrip should be abandoned as “coal power has been eclipsed in every way by solar, wind, hydro and cheap natural gas.”
- The Biloxi Sun Herald reports Rep. John Yarmouth is reviving a study previously scrapped by the Trump administration and attempting to halt all new mountaintop coal removal mining permits until the potential health effects can be assessed.
Carbon Capture:
- McClatchy reports the White House will begin promoting carbon capture and storage technology.
- E&E Daily reports Rep. Kathy Castor, chairwoman of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, hasn’t ruled out nuclear power or carbon capture technology as potential climate solutions, calling for a “balance”.
Mining:
- E&E Daily reports lawmakers have introduced a string of new legislation, including measures to streamline permitting and introduce funds to research ways of extracting rare earth metals from coal and coal byproducts.
- WVNews reports the opening of Mine 9, a movie about a coal mine entrapment, opening Friday in select states. It will open nationwide starting next week.
- The State Journal reports on the 2019 West Virginia Mine Drainage Task Force Symposium, which was attended by hundreds of mining specialists and included a presentation on the extraction of rare earth elements.
- WDIO reports Michigan Technological University will be bringing back a mining engineering program, a department whose roots go back to the 1800s.
World News:
- E&E Climatewire reports young German activists have staged weekly “school strikes” to demand more ambitious plans for curbing greenhouse gas emissions, including moving forward the timeline for Germany to phase out coal-fired power plants.
A Rush to Renewables Overlooks Practical Concerns
Thanks to Morning Consult for publishing my new piece on the risks of relying too heavily on renewable energy, and why America’s energy markets should follow a smart middle path, one that fully values reliability and resilience.
We still need baseload generation like coal and nuclear when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Moving to an energy future with more renewables is fine, but we can’t lose sight of the real goal–reliable and affordable energy.
‘Unprecedented’: Energy operator in daily fight to keep lights on in Australia
One of my favorite blogs, Not a Lot of People Know That, never fails to bring some sanity to the Climate Change Debate. Today it carries a cautionary tale entitled ‘Unprecedented’: Energy operator in daily fight to keep lights on in Australia. It describes that the problems caused by an increasing level of wind and solar power have forced the power system to change faster than expected and that it was failing to keep up. Apparently, the grid is holding up but only because the energy market operator is intervening on a daily basis to keep the lights on.
This is one of the problems with relying too heavily on one source of energy, especially when that form of energy (renewables like wind and solar) only generates electricity intermittently. Wind and solar are becoming a more important part of our energy mix, but moving too fast, too soon is a recipe for disaster. It’s much better to have an “all of the above” strategy when is comes to energy policy in the United States.
In The News Today….4.8.19
In the news today and from the weekend…
Coal:
- Bloomberg and E&E Daily report Rep. John Yarmuth is again introducing a bill to stop new or expanded mountaintop removal coal mining until the Department of Health and Human Services studies its impact on human health. The hearing will be held tomorrow.
- WTVQ reports Quest Energy is opening two coal mines in Pike County, Kentucky.
- Utility Dive reports Indiana has advanced a bill that would pause utility procurement of new generation resources in a bid to save coal power plants.
- Argus reports West Virginia coal producers are being hurt by limited access to export terminals.
- E&E Climatewire and NPR report the Navajo Nation has a long history with coal but is now moving away from it as its last coal power plants are on the verge of closing.
- WRAL reports Arizona’s largest electricity utility plans to test whether a coal-fired plant can instead be fueled by wood chips.
- The Casper Star Tribune reports Wyoming coal is likely declining faster than had been expected.
- The Hill carries an op-ed stating protecting coal or nuclear plants with further subsidies will generate no public benefit and should be abandoned.
Carbon Technology:
- PoliticoPro and The Hill report a bipartisan group of senators asked the Appropriations Committee to include the “highest possible levels” of funding for carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies.
- The Washington Post reports three major fossil fuel firms have invested in a startup that’s developing technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Minerals:
- The Washington Post and Reuters report U.S. officials will meet with auto and lithium mining executives next month as the government works toward a national electric vehicle supply chain strategy.
- PoliticoPro reports a bipartisan group of senators re-introduced the “Rare Earth Element Advanced Coal Technologies Act” to allow for the development of technology capable of extracting rare earth elements from coal and coal byproducts.
- High Country News reports increasing demand for copper used in electric vehicle batteries is driving a mining resurgence in Nevada, including through foreign investors such as Russia.
EPA:
- PoliticoPro reports the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has again given the Trump administration more time to finish repealing and replacing the Clean Power Plan; the EPA will have well into the summer to produce a rule.
Mining:
- The Times Leader reports a Pennsylvania reclamation project to convert former coal mining sites into warehouses.
World News:
In The News Today….4.5.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- Utility Dive reports Arizona Public Service (APS) is studying the feasibility of generating power by burning forest biomass at one of its coal units in order to reduce wildfire potential.
- E&E Energywire reports industry CEOs’ inclinations to move away from coal and into green energy.
- E&E Greenwire reports metallurgical coal mines is the new impetus in the coal industry, but also warns that met coal has been a risky bet in the past.
- Argus reports the East Kentucky Power Cooperative expects demand for its electricity to increase through 2033, but coal-fired generation and consumption will mostly decline.
- Argus reports Contura Energy lowered its 2019 export expectations as seaborne prices continue to slide.
- Argus reports White Stallion Energy’s Eagle River Coal affiliate has applied for a permit to expand its No. 1 mine in Illinois.
- Bloomberg reports Royal Dutch Shell Plc agreed to sell LNG to a Japanese utility at prices that include a link to coal in a risk management strategy designed to compete with coal-fired generation in the home market.
- Argus reports Appalachian natural gas growth is coming to an end which could ease some competition with coal.
- IPR reports the Presque Isle Power Plant in Marquette, Michigan will be replaced by natural gas plants.
Minerals:
- E&E Energywire reports a growing demand for a rare earth mineral, neodymium, in the wind industry. The mineral is almost exclusively produced in China, but some researchers would like to turn to recycling the mineral over mining it.
Green Real Deal:
- The Hill reports Rep. Matt Gaetz has revealed a conservative re-imagining of the Green New Deal dubbed the Green Real Deal, which focuses on climate change as a national security threat.
Energy:
- PoliticoPro reports the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Thursday voted to send David Bernhardt’s nomination to lead the Interior Department on to the floor.
World News:
- The New York Times reports more than 40 governments worldwide have adopted some sort of price on carbon, with results mostly contributing to a reduction in coal use.
- The Financial Times reports a bull market globally for copper ahead of the industry summit in Santiago next week.
In The News Today….4.4.19
In the news today…
Coal:
- NPR reports some lawmakers are stepping in to try and slow the shift away from coal with new legislation to aid in the selling of power plants instead of decommissioning them.
- Engadget reports, while renewable energy is on the rise, demand for natural gas and coal has grown; natural gas and coal accounted for nearly 70 percent of additional growth for the second year running in 2018.
- E&E Energywire reports the Indiana House utilities committee approved a bill that would establish a moratorium on regulatory approval of a power plant or power contracts greater than 250 megawatts until January 2021 in an attempt to boost coal.
- E&E Daily reports a bill banning mountaintop-removal coal mining re-emerged Wednesday ahead of a House hearing next week on the method’s connections to cancer and other illnesses in surrounding communities.
- WVNews reports Gov. Jim Justice signed three bills intended to benefit the state’s coal industry by reducing the state’s severance tax on thermal and steam coal, creating a tax rebate for mining investments and addressing various safety regulations and abandoned mines.
- Bloomberg reports at least one mining company, Contura Energy Inc., hasn’t been swayed by tax incentives to open new mining operations in West Virginia.
- Utility Dive reports a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to force state water agency Central Arizona Project to buy the Navajo Generating Station.
- The Billings Gazette reports Montana’s Rep. Greg Gianforte accused Washing Gov. Jay Inslee of killing the Colstrip power plant at a House Energy Committee hearing among other damages done to the coal industry of Montana.
Energy:
- Greentech Media reports Idaho Power’s intentions to transition to 100 percent clean energy by 2045, accompanied by low prices in the solar industry and declining stakes in coal.
EPA:
- The Hill carries an opinion piece which argues the Trump administration’s EPA proposal to weaken MATS distorts the cost-benefit analysis in order to make MATS look too expensive and to skew the cost-benefit analysis used for setting many regulatory standards.
World News:
- Reuters reports Germany will provide 20 million euros in assistance to four states affected by government plan to phase out coal-powered energy and transition to renewables.