December 04, 2009

Recession may stymie the rate of economic commerce. But it does nothing to inhibit the human mind. At issue now are rising pollution rates in combination with a declining fossil fuel base, both of which are causes that scientists and engineers are dedicating time and resources.

Turning to coal, the focus has been on reducing the level of toxins while also trying to capture and bury the carbon dioxide that it releases. Now, though, attention is turning to recycling the heat-trapping emission so that it can later be used as a transport fuel. The idea is being pursued by both national and private laboratories. It's all possible. But differences exist as to when wide-scale commercialization will happen.

Below are a few letters received at EnergyBiz Insider on topics that appeared in the past few weeks. They capture the essence of how many readers say they feel.
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December 02, 2009

Warren Buffett is banking on the rail system to move America into the next era of prosperity. By extension, he might also be helping to boost the coal industry, which is dependent on rail transportation.

Through his purchase of the nation's second biggest railroad company Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will now be transporting about 300 million tons of coal a year that account for 27 percent of the carrier's revenues. The railroad industry, generally, represents the pulse of America -- a point that Buffett has made in several interviews, saying that its importance will only expand.

November 25, 2009

Although the electric industry has endorsed the concept of cap-and-trade as the least onerous approach to carbon regulation, at least one major company endorses it with unalloyed enthusiasm. Exelon not only supports the idea, it stated in a second-quarter conference call to analysts, which it posted to its Web site, that it expects to see a "$1.1 billion and growing annual upside to Exelon revenues from implementation of Waxman-Markey." Is that number real or simply wishful thinking? Does Exelon know something that's escaped the rest of us?

Actually, if one makes a couple of assumptions, the potential earnings boost is very real. Here's how it works. Exelon's 17 nuclear plants, the largest nuclear fleet in the country, generated just over a record 132 million megawatts-hours of power in 2007. That's fact. Assumption number one: The Senate follows the House and passes an unchanged version of the Waxman-Markey bill.

November 23, 2009

The U.S. coal-fired electric power industry is without doubt facing ever-increasing challenges in its efforts to remain a viable fuel.

Impending legislation and regulations concerning allowable carbon dioxide emissions, in whatever form these rules might ultimately take, are putting growing pressure on coal-burning utilities to invest in carbon-capture technology research and to diversify their energy portfolios.