Perspective

Let's Be Rational About Hydrogen as a Vehicular Fuel

A response to “Forgetting Someone, Mr. Secretary?” Frontlines, Feb 1, 2002.

Mr. Stavros seems to fall into the same trap as so many of the major car manufacturers in assuming the need for a prohibitively costly infrastructure to supply this hydrogen when one already exists that offers by far the cheapest and environmentally vastly superior option—the natural gas transmission and distribution system.

Overcapacity ... Just Part of the Cycle of Growth

The industry has moved beyond the debate.

Steve Mitnick’s response (“Overbuilding? Fuhgedda-boutit!”, Jan. 15) to my Nov. 15 article extended the great industry debate over whether the recent power plant construction boom would result in near-term over-supply. The only problem is, the industry has moved on.

The King is Dead! Long Live the King!

Enron's fall finds FERC toying with cost-based rates. But let's temper the nostalgia.

Enron may not be dead, but its death rattle is certainly being heard loud and clear. If Enron ever was king, will the new king be a scion that also is an aggressive advocate of deregulation? Or, will it be an aged consort, who yearns to return to the "just and reasonable" standard for rate regulation?

Who’s Minding The Grid?

Some argue that gas pipelines might substitute … but … nothing will do away with the need for more transmission.

Our nation’s transmission infrastructure is increasingly unable to meet new demands for power created by rapidly changing electricity markets. Although reliability protocols ensure against catastrophic failure, there is ample evidence today that the grid is too congested.

Perspective

When we build transmission and spread the costs, we lose the market signal of the real cost of power.

Perspective

Regulators will have to decide who pays to upgrade the transmission system.


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Regulators will have to decide who pays to upgrade the transmission system.

Perspective

Some want a tighter grip on generators, but FERC should steer clear.


Some want a tighter grip on generators, but FERC should steer clear.

Wind Power, Poised for Take Off?

A survey of projects and economics.

An industry advocate touts the recent rise of projects in the pipeline and forsees remarkable growth in wind farms over the next twenty years — more, perhaps, than others would concede.