Welcome to the eighth 2024 issue of Currents - our e-newsletter focused on energy topics.
Is Nuclear the Panacea to Data Center Load Growth?
Per public data, after years of relatively flat load growth around the...more
8/26/2024
/ Capacity Market ,
China ,
Climate Change ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Cybersecurity ,
Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) ,
Data Centers ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Federal Bans ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Nuclear Power ,
PJM ,
Power Plants ,
Utilities Sector
Solar Powered Generation Sees Significant Growth while Some Solar Energy is Increasingly Blocked from Production -
Our Currents focus article this month is on developments in the growth of solar electric power generation...more
4/19/2024
/ Clean Energy ,
Coal Industry ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Nuclear Power ,
Power Plants ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government
Record U.S. Oil Production and the Potential Impacts -
Domestic oil production in the U.S. reached a new record in November 2023, hitting 13.31 million barrels per day, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information...more
3/21/2024
/ China ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Liquid Natural Gas ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Petroleum ,
Pipelines ,
Renewable Energy
Solar is Coming, Solar is Here: The Growth of Solar in Coal Country -
We reviewed a variety of news stories discussing new solar projects in states – Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania – that have traditionally...more
1/19/2024
/ Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Cybersecurity ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Environmental Policies ,
Global Warming ,
Nuclear Power ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Technology
Pennsylvania and RGGI – Decision and Resolution -
On November 1, 2023, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania, in a five-judge panel decision, issued a long-awaited ruling denying the authority of the executive branch,...more
11/17/2023
/ Alaska ,
Arctic Drilling ,
Biden Administration ,
Bill Gates ,
China ,
Class Action ,
Clean Energy ,
Clean Power Plan ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Nuclear Power ,
Offshore Wind ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Plants ,
RGGI ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
Wind Power
What is the Hydrogen Hubbub?
Hydrogen is seen by many as the fuel of the future, a substance that can provide heat through combustion, or electrical power from fuel cells, emitting only water in the process. Its potential...more
8/17/2023
/ China ,
Clean Energy ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Exports ,
FERC ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Power Plants ,
Steel Industry ,
Transmission Grid
Domestic Nuclear Power Advancement: Barriers to Entry and the Need for a National Strategy -
As previously reported on this site, nuclear generation development has taken hold as a potential promise for a long-term,...more
7/20/2023
/ Carbon Emissions ,
Clean Energy ,
Clean Power Plan ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Green Infrastructure ,
Italy ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Natural Gas ,
Norway ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Renewable Energy ,
Russia ,
Solar Energy
The Cost of "Electrification"
“Electrification” has become a ubiquitous term these days, although depending on who you ask, it might have different meanings. However defined, a critical component of electrification as a...more
4/25/2023
/ Biomass ,
Clean Energy ,
Coal Industry ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Exports ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Low-Income Issues ,
Natural Gas ,
North Carolina ,
Nuclear Power ,
Plant Closures ,
Power Grid ,
Power Plants ,
Price Transparency ,
Renewable Energy ,
Renewable Fuel ,
Russia ,
Small Business ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
Texas ,
Ukraine ,
Utilities Sector ,
Virginia ,
Washington ,
Wind Power
Coal Producer Plans to Create 181 New Jobs in Southwest Virginia Mine Complex -
"Coronado Global Resources Inc., an international coal company, is committing $169.1 million toward the effort to increase capacity at its...more
9/7/2022
/ Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Wind Power
Cap and Trade Gets a Big Win in Pennsylvania. Will It Last?
"Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announced that his administration had finalized a regulation to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade...more
Global Coal Prices Surge as Ukraine Tensions Worsen Supply Woes -
"Europe relies on Russia for around 35% of its natural gas, and has been grappling with a gas shortage since last summer that sent local prices to record...more
2/3/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Petrochemicals ,
Renewable Energy
West Virginia: Most Coal Reliant State Struggles Amid Green Power Push -
"West Virginia is most dependent on coal for electricity and among the least dependent on renewables."
Why this is important: As renewables...more
How a Colorado Coal Plant Could Become a Massive Battery for Renewable Energy -
"If the idea works, it could be a case study for other communities trying to preserve jobs and property taxes as the world shifts to cleaner...more
9/9/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Coking Coal ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Power Plants ,
Renewable Energy ,
Tesla
Shot Heard Across Texas: San Antonio Gets a Temporary Restraining Order Against ERCOT -
"CPS Energy, the municipal electric utility serving San Antonio and the surrounding area, has won the first skirmish against the...more
5/12/2021
/ Clean Energy ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Projects ,
Energy Sector ,
FERC ,
Fossil Fuel ,
Hydrogen Power ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Renewable Energy
WV Legislature Adopts Compromise Amendment to Natural Gas Property Tax Bill -
"HB 2581 would provide a revised methodology to value oil and natural gas properties by the State Tax Commissioner in response to a West...more
Welcome to Volume 5, Issue 11 of Currents. As we begin a new month. I'll remind everyone that we are continually looking to write about different topics...
In Shift, Oil Industry Group Backs Federal Price on Carbon -...more
Renewables to Dominate New U.S. Power Capacity in 2021 -
"Renewable energy, mostly solar and wind, are set to account for more than two-thirds of the new electricity generation capacity that the United States will...more
New Law Pushes Appalachian Power Toward More Renewable Energy -
"Appalachian — which for years has relied heavily on coal and more recently natural gas to serve about 500,000 western Virginia customers — will acquire 210...more
11/20/2020
/ Biden Administration ,
Coal Industry ,
Coal-Fired Generation ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
EU ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
Hydrogen Power ,
NASA ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Renewable Energy
U.S. Department of Energy: Oil and Gas Production to Account for 68 Percent of Energy Consumption Over Next Two Decades -
"Natural gas is increasingly powering plants to produce electricity, but oil and natural gas are...more
11/3/2020
/ Carbon Capture and Sequestration ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Coal Industry ,
Department of Energy (DOE) ,
Electricity ,
Energy Sector ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Pipelines ,
Renewable Energy
Mountain Valley Says Natural Gas Pipeline Timing Depends on Litigation, U.S. Approvals -
“'As the litigation process progresses and as we receive additional information from FERC regarding potentially releasing the...more
10/17/2020
/ Batteries ,
Biodiesel ,
Biomass ,
Carbon Emissions ,
China ,
Climate Change ,
Coal Industry ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
Conversion ,
Energy Sector ,
Energy Storage ,
Environmental Litigation ,
EU ,
FERC ,
Hydropower ,
Japan ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
Petroleum ,
Pipelines ,
Plant Closures ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy ,
Trump Administration ,
United Nations
Spain Shuts Down Half of Its Coal Power Stations -
"The move away from coal is driven predominantly by fundamental economics, although these are amplified by emissions trading schemes and other measures."
Why this is...more
9/17/2020
/ Bill Gates ,
Biodiesel ,
Biomass ,
Charging Stations ,
Coal Industry ,
Coal-Fired Plants ,
CPUC ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Electricity ,
EU ,
Financial Institutions ,
Grid Energy Storage ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Oil & Gas ,
OPEC ,
Paris Agreement ,
Petroleum ,
Plant Closures ,
Public Utilities Commission ,
Renewable Energy ,
Shale Gas ,
Spain