November 17, 2010

Perhaps the nuclear renaissance has already begun. The restarting of one of the Tennessee Valley Authority's prominent facilities, in fact, may be a harbinger of things to come.

With the emphasis on meeting the expected future demand for electricity as well as reducing carbon emissions, the dynamics appear to be in place to rebuild the nuclear sector. But it is not that simple. Critics of the movement are arguing that the nuclear industry has a long history of cost overruns that are ultimately covered by taxpayers - a force that has made investors wary and one that has slowed the regulatory process.

November 15, 2010 
 

It's become the key question bandied about in energy circles: Which sector has received the most government help? Fossil fuels get five times the subsidies, say wind advocates - a point quickly countered by free marketers who note that coal and natural gas produce a lot more electricity than wind.

The discussion over how taxpayers' money should be allocated to the various energy sources is a good one. But what is often lost is that all such fuels will be needed to meet this country's expected demand for electricity - an amount that is often cited to be about 30 percent more than now over the next 20 years. As such, the government has a role to ensure that all forms are cleaner and reach their potential.

November 05, 2010

World energy demand will grow 130-fold over the next century. That astronomical growth will occur if the world's economic growth, fueled by the rise of China, India and other developing nations, averages 5 percent annually, says David Dyer, president of the Alliance Affiliated Equities Corp.

Helping to meet that demand will be a rapid ramp up in natural gas production and use in the United States, Dyer told the University of Missouri-Kansas City's energy symposium last week which explored expanding business opportunities in energy. The event was held in Kansas City, Mo.

October 29, 2010

America is becoming less reliant on its long-time mainstay, coal-fired electric power generation. Total coal consumption in the electric power sector this year is expected to reach 998.8 million tons, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration report this month.

In 2011, that figure will slip to 992.3 million tons, the government predicts.

The drop in coal-burning for generation reflects the steep decline in electricity demand faced by utilities, a direct outgrowth of the recession. Total electricity production last year fell 3.7 percent, the steepest one year decline in 72 years, according to federal figures.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WITH THEIR POTENTIAL for gasoline savings and emissions reductions, are generating significant consumer and political interest, particularly in the wake of the recent Gulf of Mexico oil leak. However, given the sizable amount of electricity they require for charging, EVs are also generating concern among utilities tasked with supplying that electricity on the nation's aging grid.

The next two years are expected to bring a significant shift in the electrification of transportation as nearly 20 automakers introduce battery-powered EVs or plug-in hybrid EVs. With consumer pre-orders for the vehicles already in the tens of thousands and researchers expecting millions of EVs to be on the road by 2020, utilities must act now to develop a strategy for integrating EVs.