Thanks to the St. Joseph News Press (Mo.), Colorado Springs Gazette (Colo.), Roanoke Times (Va.), MSN.com (USA), Elko Daily Free Press (Nev.), Casper Star Tribune (Wyo.) and Waco Tribune Herald (Texas) for carrying my new op-ed, “America’s power grid facing real trouble.”
Monthly Archives: May 2022
May 3 News Round Up
In the news today…
Coal:
- S&P Global reports U.S. coal miners are experimenting with greener business projects as long-term demand for the carbon-intensive fuel collapses around them.
- Argus reports US coal producer Alliance Resource Partners expects US coal export prices will stay higher than the domestic market for at least the next 18 months.
- E&E Energywire reports one of America’s largest coal mining companies has taken a fledgling electric-vehicle-charging company under its wing and will use its deep connections to open doors at the country’s electric utilities.
Minerals:
- Politico Pro reports the Biden administration is rolling out more than $3 billion in spending to spur production and recycling of battery components that are crucial for the deployment of renewable energy and electric vehicles.
- E&E News PM reports the Biden administration today unlocked $3.1 billion to create a domestic supply chain for advanced batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage.
- Mining.com reports from Bloomberg the Biden administration will spend more than $3 billion to support the domestic manufacturing of advanced batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage, officials said Monday.
- CNN reports President Joe Biden is building on his electric vehicle goal with a $3 billion investment Monday aimed at boosting the US supply of lithium ion batteries through the bipartisan infrastructure package.
- Sierra Sun Times reports the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality approved an aquifer protection permit late last Thursday for a uranium mine near Grand Canyon National Park.
Energy:
- Argus reports the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) is heading into the summer cooling season with insufficient firm generation that could result in a shortfall of capacity during periods of peak load.
- New York Times reports after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the United States slapped bans on Russian energy sources from oil to coal. But one critical Russian energy import was left alone: uranium, which the United States relies on to fuel more than 90 nuclear reactors around the country. That dependence on Russia is breathing life into ambitions to resurrect the uranium industry around the American West — and also evoking fears of the industry’s toxic legacy of pollution.
Water:
- E&E Greenwire reports environmental advocates and the nation’s largest pipeline and electricity associations are lobbying the White House, hoping to shape a controversial Clean Water Act rule that could determine just how much say — and time — states and tribes have over a broad range of projects, including pipelines and other infrastructure.
Media Alert!
Thanks to the Pottstown Mercury (Pa.), Exton Daily Local (Pa.), Swarthmore Times Herald (Pa.), Lansdale Reporter (Pa.), Delaware County Daily Times (Pa.), Mainline Times and Suburban (Pa.), Yahoo News (USA), Wichita Falls Times Record News (Texas) and The Trentonian (N.J.) for carrying my new op-ed in which I argue that we need to rethink the role existing coal plants can play in getting us to our energy future.
May 2 News Round Up
In the news today and from the weekend…
Mining:
- Associated Press and Washington Post report President Joe Biden is turning to a Cold War-era law to boost production of lithium and other minerals used to power electric vehicles, but experts say the move by itself is unlikely to ensure the robust domestic mining Biden seeks as he promotes cleaner energy sources.
- E&E Greenwire reports a uranium mining project near the Grand Canyon is one step closer to opening after receiving a water permit from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
- Arizona Republic reports the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality issued an aquifer protection plan permit to Pinyon Plain Mine on Thursday, putting the mine’s operators a step closer to starting uranium extraction.
Minerals:
- Bloomberg Hyperdrive reports Bill Ford and Mary Barra offer assurances their electric vehicles are well-sourced — at least for the next few years.