In the hearts of many Americans, there is nothing more futuristic than space exploration. It is interesting to note, then, that the Mars rover Perseverance runs on nuclear fuel, not…
Blackouts occurred in Texas and other parts of the country in February 2021. Why? It’s happening because of a complex, market-distorting (and ridiculous) system of having electricity producers bid to…
We’re still unraveling what happened in Texas to cause rolling blackouts for millions of people. One of the most interesting pieces I’ve seen on the power outages is from Dr.…
The article below was originally published in the Minneapolis Star Tribune: We need to stop planning our electric system around wind turbines and solar panels, technologies that often fail to show…
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that solar panels in Minnesota were less productive in 2019 than they were in 2018. The capacity factor, or amount of…
The Heartland Institute’s Donald Kendal and Jim Lakely are joined by Isaac Orr and Brent Bennett in episode 282 of the In The Tank Podcast. Brent Bennett, a policy director…
There are only three days left to sign American Experiment’s petition opposing Xcel Energy’s Green New Deal!
The Polar Vortex of 2021 could be the biggest strain on Minnesota's energy system in the last year, and it will be Minnesota's coal, nuclear, and natural gas fleet that…
It would be easier to take seriously former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's lecture on the need for a modern energy policy if his signature policy achievement in this area, the…
In December of 2007, The Guardian ran a story describing the bold findings from a report authored by the government of the United Kingdom stating that the nation would be…
Today, I'll be testifying in the Minnesota House of Representatives on their proposed bill that would require 100 percent of Minnesota's electricity to come from "clean" energy by 2040.
Earlier this week, Minnesota Power announced the utility would be “coal-free” by 2035 by shutting down Unit 3 of the Boswell Energy Center in 2030 and converting Unit 4 to…
The New York Times had an interesting article on January 8th detailing how the Chinese solar industry is tied to “forced labor,” which is also known as slavery.
Apparently, the Union of Concerned Scientists isn't concerned about making sure that Minnesota does not experience the same kinds of rolling blackouts that California experienced in August when electricity demand…
Minnesota Power announced that their electricity is now 50 percent renewable, but not according to Minnesota's renewable energy mandate.
The concept of “environmental justice” has gained increasing traction among liberal lawmakers who claim that past energy and environmental policies have left low income and minority communities less able to…
When it comes to energy policy, legislators in Minnesota often cite Germany as an example of a shining star on a hill. This fondness for Germany probably stems from the…
Huge increases in the cost of electricity for Xcel Energy's industrial customers mean it will eventually be too expensive for anything to be "Made in Minnesota."
Elected officials in Minneapolis don’t seem to understand that there is no such thing as a free lunch. That’s why their idea of assisting small businesses hurt or destroyed in…
Despite bold-sounding announcements on decarbonizing America from progressive politicians and profit-seeking, government-approved monopolies, the biggest impediment to a world powered by wind, solar, and batteries is not political opposition from…
Last week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Pollution Control Agency approved permits for the Line 3 oil pipeline operated by Enbridge. As we have noted many times,…
The regional electric grid operator expects there to be enough reliable power plants to keep the lights on this winter, but extreme weather may bring the risk of power outages.
Based on information from the Star Tribune’s election coverage, it looks like the State Senate may remain in the hands of the Republicans, while the State House of Representatives will…
Xcel Energy is proposing to raise electricity prices by 20 percent in the coming years to fund a $597 million spending spree, according to a new article in the Star…