Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Gas surpasses coal in generation of U.S. electricity

In April, gas-fired electricity outpaced coal-fired power for the first time, "another signal of intensifying pressure from the shale revolution on the coal industry," reports EnergyWire. Falling natural gas prices resulted in "31 percent of its electricity powered by gas with 30 percent powered by coal, according to research firm SNL Energy."

"Wood Mackenzie's Brett Blankenship said cheap gas colliding with new environmental regulations to curb mercury and related pollution from coal-fired plants has particularly injured coal generation," EnergyWire reports. Blankenship told the newslatter, "Low gas prices mean coal plants are running less and when they run their margins are typically compressed. So companies find it difficult to make the investments needed to comply with regulations and keep those plants running."

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