This week at Energy Realism, we asked why some policymakers are proposing energy plans that would increase prices, hurt low-income Americans, and reduce reliability – and just as U.S. energy demand might be ready to grow dramatically. Susan Bodine documents how President Trump’s EPA has been working hard to protect community health, ensure a level playing field for American businesses in the global economy, and protect the environment. Increasingly at odds with Trump’s EPA, California might not be the climate leader it portrays itself to be. The state has been repeatedly warned about potential energy shortages, largely because leaders want to shut down more reliable gas plants in favor of intermittent solar power. Daniel Kolkey reports on how this year’s record-breaking fire season demonstrated why California must take a more pragmatic approach toward addressing climate change. Robert Bryce identifies another problem with California’s climate-energy policies: they penalize vulnerable citizens the most. Unfortunately, many in Pennsylvania want to follow the flawed “California model” of more regulation and higher prices. Kevin Mooney points out how the state’s climate policies could severely hamper its shale-gas boom, upping costs and degrading reliability. Now is surely not the time to go backward: natural gas currently supplies 40% of America’s power generation. Realism also summarizes a National Renewable Energy Laboratory study on how U.S. electricity demand could drastically rise under the Democrats’ environmentally motivated push for electrification across sectors. More electric cars, for instance, could help surge U.S. power demand by 65% by 2050 – making an all-of-the-above energy strategy even more essential. In the News Steve Milloy, The Wall Street Journal Reuters Institute for Energy Research Mike Dolan, Reuters Burchell Wilson, Townhall Staff, Power Engineering Tess Ingram, The West Australian Jeff Schlegel, Financial Advisor IQ Kevin Mooney, RealClearEnergy Huw Jones, Reuters Lewis Braham, Barron's Jaclyn Diaz, Bloomberg Law Neil Hume, Financial Times Ken Blackwell, The Patriot Post Jo Harper, DW TD Ameritrade The economy is on the ballot in November, and the 2020 presidential candidates offer different visions for it. So, what could the winner mean for your portfolio? CNBC Television ConocoPhillips announced Monday morning it will buy rival producer Concho Resources in an all-stock transaction valued at $9.7 billion. ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance joi... |