03Sep

The Straining Texas Power Grid Needs Some Pricing Help from Regulators

Via TribTalk: According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), July was the hottest month on record across the globe, with severe heat waves in Europe, Africa and parts of the United States boosting the overall average temperature. Alaska recorded its hottest July since record keeping began in 1925. Not surprisingly, when temperatures rise, […]
03Sep

Heatwave Sheds Light on Wind’s Limits

Via News-PressNow.com When I served on the Missouri Public Service Commission, my overriding priority was to ensure that Missouri residents didn’t experience power outages. This past winter, we learned some harsh realities about electricity generation in the face of unpredictable weather. During January’s brutal cold snap, Mid-continent Independent System Operator reported that frigid weather and […]
30Aug

Trouble in Texas Hints at Wider U.S. Power Shortages

Via The Mercury: In recent years, Texas has become a bellwether for advances in wind turbines and renewable energy. The wide-open, breezy Texas panhandle offers some of the best wind resources in the country. But some surprising shortfalls are emerging in Texas’ electricity production — and that could prove instructive for other states that are […]
29Aug

Calls to Eliminate Cheap, Plentiful Coal as a Key Energy Source Are Unrealistic

Via LifeZette: As the 2020 election draws closer [1], a number of candidates are calling for restrictive policies on the use of fossil fuels in the United States. Their overriding goal is to limit carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions — which they see as the primary driver of rising surface temperatures over the past century. They believe that, […]
28Aug

From Texas to Germany, Grid Reliability Concerns are Growing

Texas’ recent near-miss with blackouts has turned more than a few heads. The challenges posed to the Texas grid, and other regional grids, by growing reliance on intermittent sources of power and, in some cases, an overstretched natural gas transmission system, have caught the attention of regulators and policymakers. Last week, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer […]
22Aug

Don’t Overlook the Challenges of Integrating Wind and Solar Power

Via The Roanoke Times: Thanks to advances in technology, the price of generating electricity from solar and wind power has fallen significantly over the past decade. And that’s been helpful for America’s economy, including sectors like high-tech manufacturing and domestic mining that have contributed to these achievements. But even as the price of generating power […]
20Aug

Mandated Wind, Solar Power Makes Electric Bills Soar

Via The Wheeling News-Register: California continues to lead the nation in mandating the deployment of wind and solar power. Unfortunately, that translates into rising electricity costs that are now poised to climb higher. It’s a development that should concern families in every state. Since 2011, electricity prices in California have jumped 30 percent — the […]
14Aug

The Texas Reliability Two Step

The Texas grid has been pushed to its limits this week. Demand for power has exceeded supply, prices have soared and energy experts and consumers alike have waited with bated breath for rolling brownouts or blackouts.   On Monday, electricity demand hit a new record and electricity prices spiked to $6,500 per megawatt hour. On […]
08Aug

Column: Natural Gas, Renewables Pose Unexpected Challenge

Via The Duluth News Tribune: There’s no doubt the U.S. power grid is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Wind turbines and solar panels are achieving greater prominence. And a “deep electrification” of the U.S. economy could be on the horizon, thanks to the growing use of heat pumps and electric vehicles. The question, however, is whether […]