By Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive
The majority of coal-fired power in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) was self-scheduled and 12% was dispatched uneconomically from 2017 to 2019, according to an April analysis from the grid operator. MISO’s numbers largely support assertions made by the Union of Concerned Scientists and other advocacy groups, which have found that “bad actors” are running their coal plants uneconomically, and costing ratepayers billions of dollars, Joe Daniel, senior energy analyst at UCS told Utility Dive. Read more here.
Previously Posted
- Uneconomic coal plants cost Michigan ratepayers millions, analysts say, Energy News Network
- Coal Is No Longer a Baseload Resource, So Why Run Plants All Year?, by Joseph Daniel, Union of Concerned Scientists
MORE UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS BLOG POSTS
- BlackRock Faces the Reality of Climate Activism, by Nicole Pinko, Corporate Analyst and Engagement Specialist. It’s been a big year for BlackRock, which joined the Climate Action 100+, an influential climate shareholder advocacy group, back in January just before Chair and CEO Larry Fink’s annual letter to CEO’s laid out climate-related financial risks as a key long-term concern for shareholders. The next few weeks will show everyone if BlackRock really means business when it comes to climate action – its vote could make or break climate-critical resolutions at ExxonMobil, Chevron, and JPMorgan Chase.
- Ask a Scientist: What Should a Post-Pandemic Economy Look Like?, by Elliott Negin, Senior Writer
ESG LEADERSHIP
- COVID-19, climate and the front line, by Shana Rappaport, GreenBiz
This is a pivotal moment for corporate leaders as much as it is for political ones: to recognize frontline workers as “essential” and also to invest in them. Indeed, the health and resilience of your company’s workforce, and the broader communities you serve, are inextricably linked with the health and resilience of your business and the economy overall. Wall Street is beginning to get this. Look for major investment firms increasingly factoring pandemic preparedness and worker well-being into their ESG calculations. Of the numerous systemic failures the pandemic has laid bare, perhaps the most immoral are the interrelated crises of wealth inequality, racism and environmental degradation. - Public Interest Groups Unite To Form Duke Energy Watchdog, Environmental Working Group
Previously Posted
In a March article, After the age of contagion, what’s the ‘new normal’?, Joel Makower, Chairman & Executive Editor of the GreenBiz Group, spells out the massive benefits of America’s transition to a green economy, with clean and renewable energy, regenerative farming, climate action, carbon reduction and other opportunities at its core:
We at GreenBiz have reported on a spate of studies and plans that similarly align sustainability with large-scale economic development: the circular economy (a $2 trillion opportunity), carbon tech (a trillion-dollar opportunity), sustainable food and land systems ($4.5 trillion) low-carbon cities ($24 trillion), climate action ($26 trillion) and more. As I noted last fall, trillion is the new billion. And then there’s the Green New Deal, a concept that seems to have been rekindled in the age of contagion.
BIG OIL & GAS COMPANIES IN THE NEWS
Legislation aims to block fossil fuel companies from receiving coronavirus aid, The Hill
A group of more than 40 lawmakers is backing legislation to prevent fossil fuel companies from receiving coronavirus-related aid. The sweeping Resources for Workforce Investments, Not Drilling (ReWIND) Act aims to prevent fossil fuel companies from receiving loans provided for under previous coronavirus aid packages and prevent the Trump administration from helping the companies in other ways.
Previously Posted: United States Spend Ten Times More On Fossil Fuel Subsidies Than Education, Forbes
ASES VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
The American Solar Energy Society announces virtual conference June 24-25, Solar Power World
Originally set in Washington D.C., participants will now be joining virtually and engaging in important discussions on policy, technological advances, finance, storage, grid interconnectivity, community solar, education and more. Learn more and register by May 29 for the Early Bird discount at ases.org/conference. The full conference schedule with speakers, sessions and moderators can be found online at ases.org/conference/schedule.
FEATURED BOOK FOR D0-IT-YOURSELFERS
DIY Solar Power: How To Power Everything From The Sun
By Micah Toll
This book teaches you everything you need to know about custom solar powered systems and creations. Learn about topics from small scale solar powered projects like portable phone chargers all the way up to large off-grid and grid-tied home solar power systems, and even mobile solar power for RVs and other vehicles and boats. – Amazon
ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES
Southern Illinois school district awaiting electric buses: ‘We’re really ready’, by Audrey Henderson, Energy News Network. The Triad school district, just outside the St. Louis suburbs, hopes to replace half of its diesel fleet over 15 years.