Energy

“Cheap batteries have been the key factor for the mass adoption of electric cars for a while now. Until recently, battery costs were on a steady downward curve as technology improved and efficiency increased. But then the pandemic came and wrought havoc on every single industry and supply chain. Lithium prices are running to record highs at the moment, with the London Metal Exchange reporting the price for a kilogram of lithium hydroxide—one of three forms of lithium traded on global markets—at $27 last Friday. The other forms of battery-grade lithium are also soaring, as seen in these charts from Fastmarkets. And this trend is threatening the EV revolution,” according to Oil Price.

“Battery Costs Are Soaring Amid A Global Supply Crunch” Read Full Article »

“Coal plants around the Midwest have been running more often this year because high natural gas prices have made it more economical to burn coal than gas. According to Energy Information Administration data, coal use on the regional grid in August of 2021 was substantially higher than in August 2020,” according to the American Experiment.

“Is Xcel Energy running out of coal for the winter?” Read Full Article »

“President Biden’s energy-climate policies have apparently been more friendly to coal than those of President Trump.  New federal data has U.S. coal-fired power generation leaping 22% in 2021 to 945 terawatt-hours – the first annual increase for coal since 2014,” according to Forbes.

“‘King Coal’ Roars Back” Read Full Article »

“The Biden administration announced Friday that government regulators for the first time will start to comprehensively analyze greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas lease sales on federal lands in a move that could forestall drilling,” according to the Washington Examiner.

“Interior sets up new hurdle for oil and gas leasing with emissions review” Read Full Article »

“A number of key U.S. allies have fixed their eyes on nuclear power as they work to cut carbon emissions and insulate themselves against the economic disruption caused by volatile fossil fuel prices,” according to Washington Examiner.

“US allies are looking at nuclear power” Read Full Article »

“Prices for gasoline, food and other essentials have all risen over the past few months, straining family budgets across the US. And now, prices for natural gas, the most common way to heat homes, are at their highest level in the last seven years. If it’s a cold winter, prices could go even higher. For struggling families and low-income Americans, increased heating costs will be yet another necessity they can no longer afford,” according to CNN Business.

“Sky high natural gas prices will hurt low-income Americans the most this winter” Read Full Article »

“China produces more solar energy panels than any other country and is moving to dominate the world’s electric vehicle (EV) battery market, but the Asian giant has also embarked on an intrusive expansion of oil and gas exploration and production, according to a new report from the Institute for Energy Research (IER),” according to The Epoch Times.

“Beijing’s Expanding Energy Exploration Threatens South China Sea Neighbors, Report Says” Read Full Article »

“The more you look behind corporate and government press releases these days, the more you learn about their mutual benefit society. We wrote Tuesday about the many subsidies for Tesla’s electric cars, but it turns out there’s also a pot of subsidy gold behind the Hertz decision to buy 100,000 Teslas for its car-rental fleet,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

“Behind That Hertz Tesla Purchase” Read Full Article »

“So how should we manage the coming months? Competition can help – competitive power markets are more likely to incentivize lower-cost electricity solutions than monopoly systems. Consumers, too, can take steps to shield themselves. But the longer-term onus is on policy leaders,” according to Real Clear Energy.

“It’s Time to Rethink Policy Choices Driving Higher Winter Energy Bills” Read Full Article »

“Although some U.S. energy prices – such as natural gas – are expected to be spared from the global crunch and the skyrocketing price rallies in Europe and Asia, President Biden’s climate plan that aims to restrict U.S. oil and natural gas production and levy additional taxes on the industry looks shakier than ever, even among some moderate Democrats,” according to Oil Price.

“Soaring Energy Prices Are Bad News For Biden’s Ambitious Climate Plan” Read Full Article »

“‘Our hope is maybe we’ve hit the bottom,’ he says, ‘and what we see coming is maybe … that the coal demand is going to be maybe steady,’” according to National Public Radio (NPR).

“U.S. coal production is up sharply after hitting a 50-year low last year” Read Full Article »

“Republicans on the House Committee on Natural Resources held a forum on Oct. 22 to discuss how President Biden’s exit from Afghanistan left massive, untapped reserves of rare earth metals, lithium, and other vital minerals in the Taliban’s hands, potentially opening them up to exploitation by China,” according to The Epoch Times.

“Biden Abandoned Critical Mineral Reserves in Afghanistan While Thwarting Mining at Home: GOP Forum” Read Full Article »

“Access to Russian gas is splitting the European Union,” according to Politico.

“The EU’s impotent rage at Putin’s gas games” Read Full Article »

“Britain went all in on renewables and natural gas, leaving it vulnerable when winds died down and global gas supplies ran low,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

“The U.K. Ditched Coal and Left Itself With a New Set of Challenges” Read Full Article »

“Knowing this, many developed nations are pushing an accelerated transition to renewables on Africa. The Western aid-industrial complex, composed of nongovernmental organizations and state development agencies, has poured money into wind and solar projects across the continent. This earns them praise in the U.S. and Europe but leaves many Africans with unreliable and expensive electricity that depends on diesel generators or batteries on overcast or still days. Generators and the mining of lithium for batteries are both highly polluting,” according to The Wall Street Journal.

“Solar and Wind Force Poverty on Africa” Read Full Article »

“Beijing pushed coal mines to curtail production earlier this year as the country pursued ambitious targets to cut carbon emissions. But demand has surged for projects that require fossil fuels, and there just hasn’t been enough power to go around.  To combat the problem, China began ordering coal mines to ramp up production, with authorities in Inner Mongolia, the country’s second largest coal-producing province, ordering dozens of mines to boost output earlier this month,” according to CNN.

“China tells mines to produce ‘as much coal as possible’” Read Full Article »

“The Interior and Agriculture departments will consider a 20-year mineral leasing withdrawal of key portions of national forest lands, prohibiting the issuance of prospective permits and leases in the meantime, according to an advanced copy of the USDA press release shared to Congress and obtained by the Washington Examiner,” as reported in the Washington Examiner.

“Biden moves against Minnesota mine targeted by environmentalists” Read Full Article »

“The New York Times reported Friday that Sen. Joe Manchin, a conservative West Virginia Democrat, has indicated to the White House that he opposes the key climate measure in Biden’s multitrillion-dollar climate and social programs package,” according to NPR.

“Joe Manchin’s objections to a clean energy program threaten Biden’s climate promises” Read Full Article »