This guest post was submitted by Jason Bohrer, President and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council. During the Polar Vortex 2019, otherwise known in North Dakota as a “cold snap”, it’s a great time to talk about three concepts: reliability, dispatchability and resilience. Reliability is related to the ability of a power source to be…
Glen Skarbakka: North Dakota Will Continue as an Energy Powerhouse
Our lights go on at the flick of a switch. But there has been a revolution in how the electric grid is organized and operated that has greatly improved its economic efficiency and fostered new sources of energy (like wind and natural gas), though creating challenges for more-conventional generators (such as coal and nuclear). Until…
Shortages Are What Happens When the Government Tries to Dictate Outcomes in the Marketplace
The politicians always think they know best. Energy policy is no departure from this simple truth. The politicians use all manner of policy – from tariffs to regulatory red tape to subsidies and mandates – to dictate where we get our power. In Australia, much like here in America, public policy aimed at pushing that…
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…
Kevin Cramer: Trump Moves American Energy Forward
For years, the Obama administration used its executive authority to obstruct two crucial energy infrastructure projects: the Dakota Access pipeline and the Keystone XL pipeline. Today, the obstruction finally came to an end when President Donald Trump signed two executive orders. This action affirms our new president’s respect for the rule of law and his…
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…
Market-Distorting, Wind-Friendly Public Policy Needs to Go
The closing of the Stanton Station coal plant in central North Dakota has clearly struck a nerve in the state. This despite the fact that the plant was small, old, and not one that was providing base load power for the region. It got the attention of our Public Service Commission, the folks in charge…
The Stanton Station coal-fired power plant operated by Great River Energy. It is scheduled to be shut down in May of 2017. Photo via Great River Energy
Connie Krapp: At What Cost Wind and Not Coal?
Last week, Great River Energy announced it will shut down its coal-based Stanton Station power plant. If nothing changes in our federal government’s approach to electricity supply, we in North Dakota can expect more coal plants to go down—and more wind farms to go up. But before we bless another wind farm in this state,…