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All News Analyses by this Author

Burning Coal while Controlling Greenhouse Gas Emissions

October 4, 2009

Analysis of:The Energy Disconnect | www.energytribune.com

Scientific peer-review, media political biases & pragmatic business planning suggest accepting the concept that reducing Greenhouse Gases (CO2) specifically from coal power plants. Avoid debating unreliability of climatological models, CO2 regulation or argue costs of renewable energy Solar, Wind vs. coal, Electric Utilities & governmental agencies spendi research & development & demonstration monies to establish engineering knowledge to implement Carbon Capture and Sequestration [CCS].

expands service base to own and operate with benefit of European self-financing.

September 19, 2009

Analysis of:Balfour buys Parsons Brinckerhoff | www.ft.com

Parsons Brinckerhoff [PB] is an old line Engineering Construction i.e. Engineering, Procurement and Construction [EPC] with strong roots in USA particularly Highways, Bridges and Rapid Transit (e.g. BART). Balfour’s acquisition provides PB will capability to expand its service base to include own and operate. Balfour should be able to facilitate European [e.g. UK] investing in public-private partnerships.

Coal Combustion Byproducts [CCBs] (e.g. fly ash, bottom ash, flue gas desulfurization FGD Sludge) can be used to retrofit disposal ponds - avoiding upsets like TVA Kingston TN

July 5, 2009

Analysis of:E.P.A. Lists ‘High Hazard’ Coal Ash Dumps | www.nytimes.com

 Capitalizing on the inherent physical-chemical properties of CCBs facilitated strengthening of dike walls to prevent failure – evidenced by TVA’s Kingston spill. USEPA’s ‘high hazard listing’ for such CCB ponds relate to their proximity to habitation – an engineering failure concern, similar to levee and earthern dams. From an environmental regulatory standpoint CCBs are deemed Solid Waste not a hazardous waste. Coal Combustion Byproducts [CCBs] are presently regulated as Solid Waste [Subtitle D] under the Resource Conservation Recovery Act [RCRA]. Such classification promotes beneficial use by enders-users i.e. mitigating excessive liability.  Stringent regulation, as Subtitle C (Hazardous Waste), would impose a perceived liability upon end-users; greatly reducing beneficial use opportunities.  Mandatory use of synthetic liners – would not have prevented dike wall failure and fails to consider inherent engineering characteristics of CCBs.

Short Term trends do not reflect Power Plant Investments

May 27, 2009

Analysis of:Power usage down all over | www.energycentral.com

The Wood-McKenzie report just shows reduced electrical demand and sales over the last six months. Electric Utilities do may suffer short-term sales reduction but power plants, costing a upwards of one Billion Dollars, are not built for the short term market. Given the short-term outlook, electric utilities may suffer from reduced demand but lower sales revenues may be offset my lower cost of fuel e.g. coal prices have dropped 30-50%. Long term investors may find opportunity in lower prices for forward thinking electric utilities; those who balance a portfolio with based load coal and nuclear while investing in renewable such as solar, wind and bio-mass

Besides justifying additional power plants based on: (1) projected demand (2) new job creations (3) increased tax revenues, Electric Utilities must proactively address environmental issues prior public hearings. Power plant projects, most notably coal-fired units, have suffered from a false public perception that such technology will contribute to pollution (e.g. health) and environmental degradation (e.g. global warming). The public and media arena requires electric utilities to consider carbon

March 24, 2009

Analysis of:Stimulus Money Puts Clean Coal Projects on a Faster Track | www.nytimes.com

The USA has about 200 years of coal and at present coal provides 50 % of our Electrical Energy. Capture Capture and Sequestration [CCS] is demosntrated technology e.g.  CO2 capture at TECO [IGCC at Polk Station] and CO2 has been injected into geological formations to facilitiate extracted oil [industrial practice for over twenty years]. Commerical offerring including performance gurarantees are available to chosed Electric Utilities who intend to build and/or retrofit coal fired power plants. Typically regulated electric utilies could pass the increased cost for CCS through their customer rate based.

Using Captured CO2 – Resolving Carbon Capture and Sequestration’s Outstanding Issue

June 2, 2008

Analysis of: Quest for clean coal smolders | www.iht.com

Integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC), a commercially demonstrated technology for Carbon (CO2) capture is marketed as turnkey approach via Bechtel and General Electric’s long-term alliance. The recent alliance with Schlumberger addresses the outstanding question of what to do with captured CO2. The alliance of Bechtel, GE and Schlumberger offers Electric Utilities a turn-key option to address Green House Gas Issues  Carbon  Capture and Sequestration [Storage] – promoting coal-fired power plants.

RAILROADS FORCED TO REDUCE COST OF TRANSPORTING LOW SULFUR COAL

May 23, 2008

Analysis of:Union Pacific must cut coal rates for KC utility | biz.yahoo.com

MANDATING TRANSPORT COST LOW SULFUR POWDER RIVE BASIN COAL SUGGESTS A TREND THAT COULD APPLY BEYOND MISSOURI AND TO OTHER STATES E.G. TEXAS Reducing transport cost of coal would provide economic impeturs for additional coal-fired units in Mid-West and South 

Electric Utilities will select fuel options most likely to receive cost recovery via rate increases

May 21, 2008

Analysis of:Alliant Investing $85 Million to Meet Clean Air Rules | www.redorbit.com

Examples of regulated electric utilities opting for different fuel mixtures: Alliant Energy is hedging its bets supporting both coal and gas-fired units. FPL is hedging its bets supporting gas-fired and nuclear power plants.   Regulated utilities will determine their fuel energy mix based on which option is most likely to receive state regulatory cost recovery approval. Independent of which option is chosen, electrical rates will significantly increase.

Nuclear Power Plant Cost Much Higher Than Anticipated One Year Ago

May 14, 2008

Analysis of:New Wave of Nuclear Power Plants Faces High Costs | online.wsj.com

Nuclear Power Plants Estimated Capital Costs have risen 2 - 5 times over the last 18 months Such High Costs may require special Rate Considerations by state regulators Lacking such rate recovery mechanisms, self financing may limit growth of Nuclear Power in USA

Bush, Supreme Court, USDOE Timetables CO2 REDUCTIONS

April 21, 2008

Analysis of:Bush proposes new climate change strategy | hosted.ap.org

President Bush’s decision to stop by CO2 emissions by 2025 and USDOE’s intent to commercially demonstrate Carbon [CO2] Capture and Sequestration [CCS] by 2015-2016] time tables show that the USA can keep relying on Coal while avoiding Global Warming Predictions [80% CO2 reductions by 2050].

FutureGen Restructuring Can Help site future goal plants

February 5, 2008

Analysis of:After Washington Pulls Plug on FutureGen, Clean Coal Hopes Flicker | online.wsj.com

The US Department of Energy’s [USDOE] decision, to restructure FutureGen from a $1.8 billion 275MW prototype – demonstrating Carbon [CO2] Capture and Sequestration (CCS) – to a series of CCS demonstrations on operating facilities, should facilitate siting of tens of thousands of MWs of proposed coal-fired power plants. USDOE will invest $648 million in advanced coal research much of it focused on CO2 – the least technically demonstrated and highest cost unknown. Developers of proposed coal-fired plants could commit to incorporate demonstrated sequestration technology when commercially available (2015-2016 using the USDOE timetable).

Coal to Liquid Commercial Fischer Tropsch

September 18, 2007

Analysis of:Big Coal Tries to Recruit Military to Kindle a Market | online.wsj.com

Recent Cancellation of several thousand MWs of coal-fired power plant capacity adds additional impetus for US Coal companies to develop a coal liquefaction market Federal Government, not private sector, better positioned to develop a commercial Coal-to-Liquid [CTL] facility

USG not withstanding construction spending expected to stay strong

May 25, 2007

Analysis of:USG to Cut 500 Jobs Due to Housing Slump | biz.yahoo.com

Health care, higher education and water/wastewater will be among the hottest markets for design and construction firms in 2007, A/E/C industry will outperform the U.S. economy in 2007, while only 12% expect the industry to lag.  , Health care, higher education and water/wastewater will be among the hottest markets for design and construction firms in 2007, A/E/C industry will outperform the U.S. economy in 2007, while only 12% expect the industry to lag. Also Power and Energy projects will continue to grow. Non-residential spending forecast remains strong. Aggrgate forecasts Mid 2008 growth for Residential Construction Spending and Housing StartsA/E/C industry will outperform the U.S. economy in 2007, while only 12% expect the industry to lag.     

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