Blog

November 10, 2021

High Prices Threaten Solar Growth

Although some might not have noticed in the midst of Covid-19, 2020 saw some of the lowest solar panel prices ever witnessed. Utilities responded, resulting in record-breaking installations this past year. However, like most other in-demand products, the cost of solar panels has skyrocketed during the pandemic. How will the […]
November 4, 2021

Winter Energy Supply Crunch Highlights Coal’s Importance

Natural gas shortages have wreaked havoc on global energy prices in recent weeks. While the U.S. has mostly been shielded from the kinds of skyrocketing prices that Europe and Asia have faced, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects energy costs to rise significantly this winter. Power grid operators are responding […]
October 28, 2021

The Twin Challenges of Increased Electrification

The American Coal Council published Energy Fairness Executive Director Paul Griffin’s article on the Twin Challenges of Electrification in their most recent edition of American Coal magazine. The original piece can be viewed here.  Politically speaking, California and Texas couldn’t be more different. Republicans control all levers of power at the […]
October 26, 2021

Winter is Coming. Get Out Your Wallet

The economic fallout in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic is continuing to squeeze U.S. families. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued a dire warning this past week: Expect to spend more heating your homes this winter. The EIA says the average family will spend 30-50% more on heating […]
October 18, 2021

If Texas Officials Want to Beef Up Electric Reliability, Just Look at Alabama

There is nothing more important for power customers than ensuring that electricity is available through all conditions, including extreme winter weather. Events such as Winter Storm Uri last February remind us of the need to adequately prepare for all circumstances that stress our power production capabilities. Texas regulators are now […]
October 15, 2021

Biden Administration Approves Major Offshore Wind Sites, Storage Still needed

Yesterday the Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, announced a push for major off-shore wind expansion off nearly every coastline of the U.S. continental coast. The announcement comes on the heels of the Administration’s approval of the Vineyard Wind Project off the coasts of Nantucket and Martha Vineyard. In May, […]
October 13, 2021

Nuclear Energy Finds Growing Support

Will nuclear energy ever have a level playing field with other carbon-free resources? It finally seems to be a possibility. And recent actions by lawmakers at the federal and state level protecting this valuable carbon-free energy resource have only reinforced this sentiment. Energy Fairness has emphatically supported nuclear energy for […]
October 7, 2021

Automakers Optimistic On EVs

Over the past few months, car sales have plummeted, with supply chain disruptions a significant factor in the sharp decrease. As a result, automakers have been forced to idle plants as they scramble for supplies, which in turn has delayed deliveries of new vehicles. Yet, optimism in the auto industry […]
October 5, 2021

Record northwest heatwave illustrated need for Goldendale project

ICYMI:  The Bend Bulletin of Central Oregon recently published an op-ed from Energy Fairness Executive Director Paul Griffin regarding the importance of pumped hydropower storage and the Goldendale Energy Storage Project in meeting the needs of an affordable, reliable and resilient energy economy.   Click here to be redirected to the […]
October 1, 2021

Energy Secretary calls for resilient grid 

In a recent op-ed for CNN, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said it’s time for Congress to make the necessary investment to ensure the resiliency of the electric grid.  After catastrophic weather events like the recent devastation wrought by Hurricane Ida or the destruction witnessed by so many Texans after Winter […]
September 23, 2021

UK, Germany Face Energy Squeeze

Natural gas prices in Europe are soaring. Consumers across the continent are feeling the pain with no relief in sight. What happened? A perfect storm of factors has contributed to rising prices. Global energy demand is on the rise as the global economy emerges from Covid-19 related shutdowns. The thirst […]
September 17, 2021

Biden Administration Will Go Big On Solar. But Is It Realistic?

Last week, the Biden Administration announced that solar energy would supply 45% of U.S. electricity by 2050. It’s a highly ambitious goal, considering that solar currently provides only about 3% of current U.S. electricity production. So the question arises, just how will we get there? Solar energy installations will have […]
January 30, 2012

Nations Go Dark on Solar Subsidies

According to a report by Bloomberg News, Spain has halted subsidies for renewable energy projects in an effort to rein in the nation’s spending. Spain was among the first nations in the world to aggressively subsidize renewable energy projects, often cited by renewable advocates in the United States as a […]
February 6, 2012

PACE in National Journal: Is Obama’s Blueprint Built to Last?

Late last week, the National Journal asked its panel of energy experts what the President’s State of the Union address means for the energy agenda. Among the numerous responses from across the nation was a piece by PACE Executive Director Lance Brown entitled “Obama’s Blueprint: Built to Last?” This response […]
February 8, 2012

All Energy Decisions Have Costs

Perhaps nowhere else is the old adage that if something “is too good to be true, it probably is” more true than in the energy sector. With highly interconnected systems, complicated cost accounting methods, and heavy, long-term capital investments, adjusting one lever in the energy sector almost always produces an […]
February 23, 2012

Budget Good Opportunity for Debate

After much anticipation, President Obama last week unveiled his 2013 budget proposal.  Among other line items in the $3.8 trillion plan, the president recommended $27.2 billion in spending on energy initiatives, $2.27 billion of which would fund the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. This is […]
February 24, 2012

Counting the Cost of Georgia’s Solar Bill

The Georgia Legislature is currently considering Senate Bill 459, a piece of legislation dealing with solar power’s introduction to the grid. The following is a letter submitted by PACE to select media in Georgia. While scripture admonishes us to “count the cost” before we undertake a large project, the same […]
March 8, 2012

PACE in National Journal: The Energy Policy Debate We Should Have

Last week, the National Journal asked its group of energy and environment experts to size up Senator Jeff Bingaman’s plan for a Clean Energy Standard (CES). As a response, PACE Executive Director Lance Brown offered the following piece. To view the response from PACE and others online, click here. In terms of moving […]