Sayanythingblog.com and AgWeek recently published Connie Krapp’s op-ed entitled “Before Permitting Another Wind Mill North Dakota’s PSC Must Publicize Costs for Taxpayers and Energy Consumers.” The op-ed specifically referred to Otter Tail Power Company’s involvement with EDF Renewable Energy’s Merricourt Wind Farm near Ellendale. Ms. Krapp’s op-ed was decidedly negative. However, our company’s upcoming proceedings…
All of a Sudden North Dakota and the EPA Are Getting Along
In years past, when I’d talk with colleagues and others from out of state, I’d joke that North Dakota’s official pastime is suing the federal government. Because our state does it a lot, and regulations implemented by the Environmental Protection Agency have always been a frequent target. But of late, under the Trump administration, there…
Slow Blogging Today
I won’t be keeping up my usual pace of blogging today as I’m on the road. The folks at the Lignite Energy Council were kind enough to invite me down to their annual meeting in Bismarck today to talk about media and communications. It’s a fun opportunity. While I use the blog and social media…
The Jobs Argument for Wind Power Is Baloney
In a recent editorial the Grand Forks Herald tries to gloss over the very real problems with wind power. Namely that it largely wouldn’t exist without taxpayers picking up pretty much all of the costs of production, and that it’s an intermittent power source which (barring some future technological invention or innovation) will always have…
Pro-Wind Lawmaker Accidentally Speaks the Truth About Wind Energy: It’s Not Needed or Stable
“I want to see us support and make coal more competitive,” said House Minority Leader Corey Mock, a Democrat from Grand Forks, said in a committee hearing in Bismarck last week. “But I certainly wouldn’t want to do it at the expense of other energy industries.” That’s an ironic statement given that the topic at…
Audio: Head of Coal Industry Group Says Trump Order Means New Coal Plants Could Be Built
I had Jason Bohrer on my radio show today. Jason is the head of the Lignite Energy Council which, as you might imagine, represents and promotes the state’s coal interests. I wanted to talk with him about President Donald Trump today signing an executive order rolling back a number of Obama administration regulations and restrictions…
Amendment Would Seek a Moratorium on Approving New Wind Power Projects in North Dakota
In its original form SB2314, introduced by Republican Senator Jessica Unruh of Beulah, would have addressed power companies seeking rate hikes here in North Dakota to pay for compliance with green power mandates in other states. It also would have moved North Dakota’s renewable energy mandate (which has long since been satisfied) from the law and…
Wind Power Is a Sacred Cow Ripe for Slaughter, but a Tax Is the Wrong Way to Do It
There is a lot of very bad public policy surrounding wind power. One example is the massive, market-distorting wind power production credit. An unfortunate amount of wind power’s market share is built on this subsidy. Another example is the preference the wind industry gets when selling their power to the grid. Currently politically popular power sources…
The Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan Is Unnecessary
“Most states on track to meet emissions targets they call burden, but not North Dakota” That was a headline from Reuters over the weekend what detailed how many states (but not, you know, North Dakota) are on track to comply with the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan even as some of those states are suing over…
Jason Bohrer: Polling Shows the People Support Clean Coal
The benefits of coal-based electricity to North Dakota include low electricity costs for homes and businesses, more than 14,000 jobs in the state, and $100 million in annual tax revenues. The coal industry makes our lives better every day, so it’s no wonder the Lignite Energy Council’s newest poll shows voters strongly support coal as…
