By Gordon Tomb Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposal to cap electricity prices could, perversely, lead to higher customer bills and a greater risk of blackouts, according to America’s Power, a trade organization of coal-fired power plants. Following negotiations with the governor, power grid operator PJM Interconnection submitted a plan to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb While listing many of the barriers to abandoning fossil fuels for “green” energy, three writers in Foreign Affairs magazine skip over an important truth: the once ballyhooed but now moribund “energy transition” was and remains unnecessary and undesirable. Instead, the article’s title, “The Troubled Energy Transition: How to Find a Pragmatic Path… Continue Reading
(Photo: Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, England) (The visible emissions from modern coal-fired power plants are water vapor) By Gordon Tomb Has the time come to make coal great again? Maybe. “Coal is cheap and far less profitable to export than to burn domestically. so, let’s burn it here,” says Steve Milloy, a veteran observer… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb Pennsylvania voters are increasingly concerned about rising energy costs. According to recent polling, 80 percent of Pennsylvanians say their utility bills have climbed over the past two years, with 34 percent saying their bills jumped “a lot.” Yet, the experience of other states shows Gov. Josh Shapiro’s preferred policies practically guarantee increased electricity… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb In 2004, Pennsylvania implemented one of the nation’s most aggressive mandates to adopt wind and solar energy. At the time, less than 1 percent of net energy generation came from these sources. In 2023, after nearly $1.5 billion in subsidies, wind and solar generated approximately 2 percent. So, what’s the point? That… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb When a cold snap in December 2022 caused widespread power outages, central planners eagerly called upon the federal government to play a larger role in our power grids to minimize deadly blackouts. The left-wing Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) dubbed the United States the only country “without a plan.” The electric system’s “fragmented planning framework… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon are riding the same “green energy” horse, trotting into the sunset — or toward a political cliff. After voicing concerns, Shapiro is pressing ahead with Pennsylvania’s proposed participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, appealing a Commonwealth Court ruling barring the governor from… Continue Reading
Image: Snow-Covered Solar Park by Gordon Tomb and David Wojick Having heard witnesses say America’s largest power grid remains unreliable nearly a year after a close call with blackouts last Christmas, Pennsylvania State Sen. Gene Yaw called the testimony “a little scary.” Glen Thomas, a former Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission chairman who consults on grid… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has asked regional power grid operators to enhance the electricity system’s dependability—and he’s got ideas about how to do it. But his premises are flawed, and his suggestions misguided. Shapiro wants reliable power, yet he’s banking on unreliable sources to provide it. That approach isn’t just wrongheaded; it’s a… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb The “Bootleggers and Baptists” of Pennsylvania’s energy markets cost consumers and taxpayers billions while undermining the state’s economy and power grid. Bruce Yandle, an economist, coined the unlikely pairing to describe the whys of “protective regulatory cocoons” based on the prohibition of Sunday alcohol sales. The Baptists, write Yandle with coauthor Adam Smith, “enable… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb During his campaign, Gov. Josh Shapiro expressed concern over a new carbon tax initiated by his predecessor, Tom Wolf, noting the impact on energy jobs and already soaring energy prices. “I have real concerns about the impact it will have on consumer prices, hurting families at a time when many are struggling… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb Implementing net zero will depress the global economy more than the atmospheric warming that the campaign against carbon dioxide emissions is supposed to prevent, according to a comparison of research by recognized experts. In other words, abandoning efforts to eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuels likely would make virtually everybody… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb With Democrat Josh Shapiro as a newly inaugurated governor and a new legislative body, Pennsylvania will either shine as an energy superstar or continue down the dim path of economic decline. The commonwealth is a national leader in energy production despite being stifled by onerous regulations, market-distorting subsidies and an irrational hostility… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb Already struggling to cope with higher energy bills, Pennsylvanians are now experiencing double-digit rate hikes this fall. In September, some suppliers increased electricity prices another 19 percent, citing inflation and energy costs. Pennsylvanians need relief, but Gov. Tom Wolf’s unilateral action will drive energy bills even higher. Worse yet, a new lawsuit highlights how Wolf’s plan—while claiming… Continue Reading
by Gordon Tomb – December 30, 2021 TUNKHANNOCK, PA —Those declaring the decline of fossil fuels as a done deal should check in with Lackawanna College’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG). Students here are looking forward to life-long careers. “It baffles me,” says Wyoming County Commissioner Thomas Henry, commenting on the popular media’s… Continue Reading
By Gordon Tomb Other than by misspelling “fjord,” how would an American geologist draw the ire of a pair of Norwegian politicians? Answer: Write a book that counters the notion that human activity is causing the globe to warm with catastrophic consequences. Gregory Wrightstone’s 2017 book, Inconvenient Facts: The Science that Al Gore Doesn’t Want You to Know, was… Continue Reading