DOE vs. EIA: Who Should You Trust on Wind Energy?

Last week, the U.S. Energy Department released a report on the future of America’s wind industry. The report, Wind Vision, offers a lofty goal: wind energy could supply 35 percent of U.S. electricity by 2050 (for context, wind currently supplies 4.5 percent and coal is our largest electricity source at 39 percent). At nearly 300 pages, […]

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LNG Reform Deserves Swift Senate Approval

Sen. Cruz is proposing an amendment to the Keystone XL bill that will require that the Department of Energy to expedite all approvals for LNG export to any World Trade Organization (WTO) country. This would be a major improvement over the status quo. Currently the LNG export approval process is too slow and cumbersome. LNG […]

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Feds Throw More Tax Dollars at Biofuels to Cover Up Mandate Mistake

Reuters reports on the latest tomfoolery from Uncle Sam regarding biofuels: The U.S. government on Monday announced $181 million in loan guarantees to build commercial-size refineries making advanced biofuels or to retrofit existing biorefineries to produce the cleaner-burning renewable fuels. Since 2008, the Agriculture Department has provided $684 million through the Biorefinery Assistance Program to support […]

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Big Ethanol's 'Trifecta' of Goodies

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) offered an astute observation recently about federal ethanol policy. Speaking at a National Journal event titled, “Biofuels Mandate: Defend, Reform, or Repeal,” Welch pointed out that the ethanol industry has benefited from a “trifecta” of preferential federal policies: subsidies, tariffs, and mandates. Beyond wasting taxpayer funds, these policies have real, harmful […]

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Valero Dumps Cellulosic Ethanol Project

A company that received lavish subsidies to build a cellulosic ethanol plant in Michigan recently lost a major private-sector investor. Mascoma Corp.[i] must now look elsewhere for funding its ethanol facility in Kinross, Michigan, after news that Valero Energy Corp. is withdrawing its $50 million dollar investment. Mascoma, a New Hampshire-based renewable fuels company, received […]

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In the Pipeline: 6/6/13

This is like those movies where the parents arrange for their kid to be kidnapped so they can cash in on the ransom. It never ends well. IER(6/5/13) reports: “One of the tactics environmental activists groups use to promote greater regulatory control over the economy is lawsuits. This is an especially effective tactic if environmental groups […]

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In the Pipeline: 3/20/13

That’s odd – I thought there was a sham solar company in the US too. There must be different trademark laws overseas. Gizmodo(3/19/13) reports: “The Shams Power Company opened their Shams 1 concentrated solar power station this week in Abu Dhabi. The station generates 100 MW and can power 20,000 homes while reducing CO2 emissions by […]

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In the Pipeline: 10/30/12

Before you got out of bed this morning, these men stuck their heads between two rocks, 500 feet beneath the surface, to deliver the abundant, affordable, and reliable energy that powers our way of life.  So thank a coal miner when you plunk down five bucks for your grande, skinny, half-caf, soy Frappuccino on your […]

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