Consumers already jarred by high food, gasoline and heating oil prices in many states now face another financial burden: skyrocketing electricity bills.

Around the country, electric utilities' requests for rate increases have spiked in recent weeks, stemming from high-priced fuels such as coal and natural gas that are used to generate power. Those fuel price hikes - blamed on an increase in worldwide energy demand - are being passed on to ratepayers.

August 20, 2008

The Free World triumphed during the Cold War. But the central antagonist in that conflict has risen once more as a global energy titan that is determined to regain respect.

Russian leaders recognize their clout and want to use that to bargain for such things as new energy infrastructure and seamless entry into the World Trade Organization. But such desires have been offset by their willingness to withhold energy supplies and to use aggression against the Georgian nation. While Russia's foreign investment climate is warming, investors are still concerned about political stability and regulatory certainty.

By Martin Jetté, OSIsoft Canada -- Plant Engineering, 8/15/2008

The new environmental regulations impose numerous constraints on companies and have significant implications for their financial health. The energy-saving and greenhouse gas emission (GGE) reduction programs proposed by various authorities present major challenges for many organizations. The Kyoto protocol targets a 6% reduction in GGE below 1990 levels by 2012. In addition, the Canadian government plans to implement a program aiming to reduce GGE by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

And that is only the beginning. Energy costs have increased steadily over the past 30 years. According to the U.S. Government's Energy Information Administration (EIA), the bills for oil, natural gas, coal and electricity have increased significantly in recent years.

State has seen strong shift, with wind power gaining acceptance

When Colorado voters were deciding whether to require that 10 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable fuels, the state's largest utility fought the proposal, warning that any shift from coal and natural gas would be costly, uncertain and unwise.

Then a funny thing happened. The ballot initiative passed, and Xcel energy met the requirement eight years ahead of schedule. And at the government's urging, its executives quickly agreed to double the target, to 20 percent.

August 18, 2008

High oil prices can be remedied by conservation, exploration and innovation. Not one of these options is without fault but each is necessary: The United States is increasing its dependence on foreign oil and all this at a time when its own production is down sharply for the previous two decades by 40 percent.

To battle those elements, the big oil companies along with private developers are working on a series of technologies that turn coal into liquids. The idea is to take an abundant resource such as coal and gasify it -- a process that cleanses it of its impurities. That byproduct can then supplement the use of crude oil, which would lessen the country's dependence on foreign oil supplies and help ease prices. In fact, developers of the technology say that a barrel of coal-to-liquids is about $50 compared to a barrel of crude oil that now stands at roughly $120 a barrel.