Take a Cool Guess—The Fun Quiz on Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability. Today’s Topic: Subsidizing Coal
Question: Of the five top regulators at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), three Republicans and two Democrats, how many agree that the Trump administration’s plan to subsidize coal and nuclear is necessary to provide grid reliability, according to recent testimony at the U.S. Senate?
Answers: Can be found at Clean Energy Answers.
Relevance: As noted here, the plan will cost the average American household somewhere between $160 and $500 annually. The sole beneficiary: the coal industry.
Craig,
Mark Hand’s article on the leftist website, “Think Progress”, is a very biased and selective reportage of the administration’s energy plan.
But as usual,you carry the distortion one step further,transposing the word, “can” for “will”!
Robert Powelson is an honest, effective and experienced administrator with a strong antipathy for subsidized industries and subsidies in general. Robert Powelson believes it’s a moral duty to always allow the market to decide which technology to implement.
He was an ardent opponent of President Obama and Dr Steven Chu’s DOE, especially condemning the bailout of the US auto-industry and investment in renewable technologies.
It’s a little odd therefore to discover you in company with such policies. I guess the explanation can be found in the old saying, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend”. (A disastrous policy pursued by so many American governments when supporting corrupt, vile dictators because they were anti-communist).
Robert Powelson has left FERC to become President and CEO of the National Association of Water Companies, the lobby for the nation’s private water utilities.
Okay, so how about some real facts ? FERC was asked about a number of future scenarios, the one reported was based on natural gas continuing to expand and prices remaining consistently low. Ferc’s assessment included the highest and most expensive case scenario for the price of coal with technology remaining the same as 2005. (the same with nuclear)
In contrast, the administration argues most of the problems besetting the coal industry (and Nuclear) were artificially created by policies pursued by the Obama administration, coupled with a long period of neglect and investment in new technology.
The administration also argues, (which FERC is in no position to estimate) due to forthcoming policies of the Trump administration, a marked increase in the price of Natural Gas due to export demand can be expected.
The Trump administration believes US Energy Independence can’t be left “to the market” , as the administration needs to wield energy as a bargaining weapon to enforce foreign policy and safeguard US influence without resorting to military adventures.
N0 one (with the possible exception of Bob Murray) is advocating a return to the Coal industry of the 1950’s ! Clean(er) Coal technology is developing very rapidly and the US coal industry is beginning a massive revival.
The US has more than 350 years of proven black coal reserves. If advanced Technology can be deployed to environmentally harvest the energy from this resource, why wouldn’t any administration invest to secure such an economic and strategic advantage ?
I praised Obama for the bailout of car industry and his policies when subsidizing research and development of renewable and echo-friendly technology.
There is a lesson to be learned in the development of Natural Gas technology. If the extremists and Eco-doomsayers had their way, US Natural Gas would never have been developed and the US would still be dependent of burning oil imported from OPEC !
The US coal industry needs a breathing space to restructure and support to transition into the Eco-friendly and progressive industry it can become by deploying new technology that can not only reduce it’s own emissions, but those of other industries.
It’s difficult to understand any environmentalist wanting to prevent such worthwhile objectives.
Craig,
Here is a an article everyone should read.
The Author Elaina Plott, writing in the normally anti-Trump Atlantic Magazine, is certainly not a fan of the coal industry ! Her article, “Hope and Change in an Alabama Coal Mine” is fair, empathetic and balanced, a valuable contribution to understanding the people and perceptions of life in the coal belt.
[ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/07/trump-coal-alabama/566282/ ]