More than 20 states have now approved some version of electric
deregulation and the new laws have set off a wave of changes within the
electric industry. Though this industry has always deeply affected the
natural environment, deregulation is bringing a new set of wild cards to
the table. It may provide one industry, nuclear power, the chance to
redefine itself. In the second of a two part series on deregulation,
the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ley Garnett reports that conservation
groups and industry officials are just now beginning to sort out what it
all means:
Tag: power
City Protects Itself From Deregulation
As the electric utility industry moves toward deregulation, many people
wonder whether cheap electricity will mean dirty electricity. But now,
one mid-western city has taken a unique approach to protect itself from
the deregulated market. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s David
Hammond reports:
Fuel Cells in the Home
Automotive fuel cells have received a lot of attention lately. The fuel
cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into useable electricity. The electricity
they produce is clean, quiet and cost effective, but as The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s David Hammond reports, this same technology is likely to
power homes before it powers automobiles:
Turkey Power
Manure management is a messy business. While farmers usually spread
manure as fertilizer, some are struggling to find enough land and can be
left with the costly expense of disposal. Now turkey farmers in central
Minnesota want to build the country’s first manure fueled power plant.
They say the plant will be a financial boost to farmers and help ease
the public’s concern over odor and pollution. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Kathryn Herzog reports:
Fallout Fears
Elston, Suzanne, commentary, nuclear ride, nuclear power, nuclear power
plants, power plant, power, energy, emergency, evacuation, evacuation
plans, nuclear accident, fallout, radiation, school, kids, children
New Bill Targets Acid Rain
A new federal report says acid rain remains a serious problem in New
York state’s Adirondacks, and is also a growing threat in the southern
Appalachians, the Rocky Mountains and elsewhere. Environmentalists are
hoping the report will strengthen political support for anti-pollution
measures in Congress this year. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Todd
Moe reports:
World’s First Superconducting Power Lines
The world’s first high-capacity super-conducting power cable will be hooked up in a little over a year. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports that the cable could do for electricity what fiber optics did for communications:
Commentary – The Electric Frontier
De-regulation of the electricity industry is a wave that’s sweeping across North America. As Great Lakes Radio Consortium Commentator Suzanne Elston points out, it presents us with an unprecedented window of opportunity:
Court Decision Gives Renewable Energy a Boost
Coal fired power plants produce two-thirds of the nation’s electricity. In the process, they emit millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants. But a recent court decision in Minnesota may provide an incentive to embrace cleaner energy sources. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more:
Midwest Power Shortage
As summer approaches, utility companies are bracing for possible energy shortages throughout the Midwest. And with many of the region’s nuclear power plants shut down, this summer’s energy crunch could be especially severe. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel reports: