Bill Loveless | Energy journalist / Broadcaster / Moderator

Article, Economy / Finance, Energy, Government and Politics

Carbon tax chances slim under Trump, though Tillerson supports idea

January 29, 2017

With the Trump Administration poised to reverse U.S. policies on climate change, the head of a major oil and natural gas company is calling again for governments around the world to put a price on carbon emissions once and for all. BP CEO Bob Dudley reiterated his company’s longstanding position in releasing its annual report on global energy trends. “In BP, we continue to believe that carbon pricing has an important part to play as it provides incentives for everyone — producers and consumers alike — to play their part,” Dudley said at a news conference in London last week. (read more).

by Bill Loveless

Government and Politics, Podcast

Columbia Energy Exchange: Kevin Cramer

January 23, 2017

During his campaign for President of the United States, one of the many advisors Donald Trump turned to on energy issues was Kevin Cramer, a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Dakota, the second leading state in oil production as a result of the boom in shale drilling.On this episode of the Columbia Energy Exchange host Bill Loveless talks with Congressman Cramer about his vision for American energy and environmental policy. They discuss: What being a climate skeptic means to the Congressman and where he stands on the issue; Insights on being tapped to advise Donald Trump on energy issues; What energy and environment issues the federal government should be regulating; Whether or not climate change is an urgent issue; Donald’s Trumps commitment to the Paris Accord; The Congressman’s advice to EPA-nominee Pruitt on the environment. (Listen)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Defense, Energy, Government and Politics

Compact, pre-fab reactors may revive nuclear option

January 22, 2017

The prospect of a U.S. renaissance in nuclear energy has lost its luster in recent years. Yes, four reactors are under construction at two sites in Georgia and South Carolina, the first ones to be built in 30 years. And last year, the Tennessee Valley Authority completed a plant that had lain unfinished for more than three decades. Beyond that, no electricity providers in the USA plan to build another reactor any time soon. Instead, some have closed reactors. Six units have been shut down since 2013 in the face of competition from natural gas, solar power and wind energy. Nevertheless, an Oregon-based company is taking a big step toward eventually rekindling the nuclear option in the USA. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Corporations, Economy / Finance

Houston coal plant makes use of carbon capture tech

January 15, 2017

The woebegone U.S. coal industry received a rare bit of good news recently as the independent power company NRG Energy announced the completion of a $1 billion venture in Texas. Called Petra Nova, the project separates more than 90% of the carbon dioxide from 240 megawatts of coal-fired power at a generating plant near Houston. Petra Nova first captured carbon dioxide in September and has delivered more than 100,000 tons of the gas to an old oil field 80 miles away, where it is injected to produce more crude from the ground. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Corporations, Economy / Finance, Government and Politics

Oil and gas exec Gerard is pumped about prospects under Trump

January 8, 2017

For Jack Gerard, the outlook for U.S. energy security has never been brighter, with domestic supplies of oil and natural gas increasing, dependence on foreign supplies declining and a new Republican president and Congress keen on promoting fossil fuels. “In this new year and at the start of this new Congress, we have an opportunity to change the national conversation when it comes to energy policy,” the president of the American Petroleum Institute said the other day in his annual “State of American Energy” speech in Washington. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Climate, Energy, Government and Politics, Podcast

Columbia Energy Exchange: Gina McCarthy

January 2, 2017

Bill Loveless sits down with the current Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Gina McCarthy, who has overseen major environmental initiatives in the Obama Administration. Gina, who was previously Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection has also worked at both the state and local levels on critical environmental issues. They discuss: the legacy of the Obama Administration on climate change and other environmental issues; the endurance of the Clean Power Plan under the Trump Administration; the future of the Paris Agreement; reaching bipartisan consensus in a world where social media drives and exaggerates opposition; and reconciling demands to “keep it in the ground” with benefits of domestic energy production. (Listen)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Climate, Energy, Government and Politics

Trump may be good for oil, trouble for renewables

January 1, 2017

U.S. energy producers of all kinds see reasons for optimism as they start 2017, though the incoming Trump administration may spell trouble for some of a greener hue. Among oil drillers, a recent uptick in prices suggests an end to a slump that has persisted since mid-2014, while natural gas, solar and wind energy companies aim to build on their gains in U.S. electric power markets in 2016. Even the struggling nuclear sector can point to victories in New York and Illinois, where unprofitable reactors were saved by state actions last year. That said, here’s a list of some of the most notable energy developments for the U.S. in 2016 — ones that may set the stage for how Americans produce and use energy in 2017. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Defense, Government and Politics, Technology, Utilities and Providers

Could hackers knock out our power? It happened in Ukraine

December 18, 2016

Worries over cyberattacks on the USA are increasing in the aftermath of a presidential election in which the CIA alleged that Russia used such means to influence our electoral process. For the moment, the vulnerability of polling and political operations to hacking gets most of the attention. But this week will mark the one-year anniversary of the first publicly acknowledged cyber incident to take down portions of a power grid, one of the most critical components of a nation’s infrastructure. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Consumer, Corporations, Economy / Finance, Energy

Utilities? Relatively safe investments, sure, but …

December 11, 2016

U.S. utilities have traditionally been a safe bet for investors, and by and large they will continue to be in 2017. Still, there are worrisome undercurrents for the sector that deserve close attention as we approach a new year. So advises Fitch Ratings in its annual look at the credit-worthiness of investor-owned companies that provide households and businesses with electricity and natural gas. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

Article, Corporations, Defense, Economy / Finance, Energy, Government and Politics

OPEC’s power slips amid a spurt in U.S. oil production

December 4, 2016

Only time will tell whether OPEC will effectively implement its recent decision to curb oil supplies and reverse a price slump that’s persisted for 2½ years. But amid the many prognostications over oil prices, something else is clear: When it comes to energy security, the U.S. is in a much better position today than it has been in years. (Read More)

by Bill Loveless

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Coal communities face fiscal ruin

Whither the Green New Deal?

About Bill Loveless

Carbon tax chances slim under Trump, though Tillerson supports idea

Columbia Energy Exchange: Kevin Cramer

Compact, pre-fab reactors may revive nuclear option

Houston coal plant makes use of carbon capture tech

Oil and gas exec Gerard is pumped about prospects under Trump

Columbia Energy Exchange: Gina McCarthy

Trump may be good for oil, trouble for renewables

Could hackers knock out our power? It happened in Ukraine

Utilities? Relatively safe investments, sure, but …

OPEC’s power slips amid a spurt in U.S. oil production

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