Kathie Hess Crouse’s Post

check out this insightful piece by Josh on the #inflationreductionact and its impacts. #renewableenergy

November 5, 2024, was an extraordinary day for democracy in the United States. American citizens cast their votes for change, a change for the working class, a change that will improve the economy, a change for thoughtful approaches to our energy future. Coal is a critical resource needed for the well-being of our economy and the well-being of our citizens. It has never been more important than now to work together across our natural resource sectors and find meaningful common objectives for the well-being of our country. Natural Resources has and will be what keeps protects the well-being of our country. It is time to bring mining, logging, agriculture production, back home. We need to invest in the infrastructure of our countries commodities with permitting reform, thoughtful energy production, supporting our workers in technical and skilled employment. The Duluth News Tribune ran and Op-ed from the American Coal Council today. Check it out. https://lnkd.in/gxMfRKKx

Two amazing firsts today for this 3rd generation oil industry type from Taft, California: I drove my brother-in-laws' brand new Model Y Tesla then read this long but interesting article on California Resource Corporation's TerraVault project and Kern County's writ large effort at industrial reinvention. Are today's relict oil fields tomorrow's carbon storage areas? It depends. World/US/local demand for liquid fuel remains high and will be for some time, despite a lot of wishful thinking and planning and politic-ing. I believe it is possible to extract responsibly and embrace carbon capture and storage vs. one or the other as posited by the author. For my hometown's sake, and the industry at large, I hope the economic transition/integration is successful.

As a proud West Virginian, I can confidently say that West Virginia coal is the heartbeat of our state's industry and innovation! From powering our homes and forging steel to refining alloys and crafting cement, there's nothing quite like the versatility of West Virginia coal. Our skilled coal miners, the best and brightest in the field, extract this invaluable resource with precision and expertise. Their dedication ensures that West Virginia coal burns hotter and cleaner than any other fuel out there. But it doesn't stop there! West Virginia coal is easy to transport, store, and utilize. It's a reliable energy reserve that works tirelessly, regardless of the weather conditions. When the world needs abundant, high-quality fuel that it can depend on, it turns to West Virginia coal without hesitation. Let's celebrate the resilience and excellence of West Virginia coal and the hardworking individuals behind its production. Together, we're powering not just our state, but industries worldwide! #WestVirginiaCoal #IndustryLeaders #PoweringTheWorld #CrouseForHouse

The Harrison Power Station in Harrison County, WV, is a powerhouse in every sense of the word! With an impressive 2,000 MW generating capacity, it stands as one of the largest power plants in the state, fueled by none other than West Virginia coal. This mighty plant consumes a staggering 6.5 million tons of West Virginia coal annually, making it the largest consumer of coal in the state. What's even more remarkable is that the coal used at the plant is sourced directly from the adjacent Harrison County Mine, delivered seamlessly via conveyor belt. It's a prime example of efficiency and local resource utilization, being one of only two "mine mouth" power plants in the state. Every year, the Harrison County plant churns out an astonishing 13 million megawatt hours of electricity, powering homes, businesses, and industries across the region. But its impact extends far beyond just energy production. The plant is a vital economic engine, supporting 414 direct jobs and an additional 1,066 indirect jobs in the local economy. These hardworking individuals contribute to the plant's total annual wage impact of $178 million, helping to sustain families and communities. When we talk about economic impact, the Harrison County plant truly shines, with a staggering total economic impact of over $1.1 billion annually. That's a testament to its role as a cornerstone of the local economy and a driver of prosperity for the region. Let's celebrate the Harrison Power Station and the incredible role it plays in powering our communities and fueling economic growth!

Change can be hard, but it can also be necessary for a community's survival. Some regions have been more dependent on certain types of industry or living conditions. The National Association of Counties published the following article to assist communities who need to transition from coal mining and coal manufacturing, or from living on flood plains. #sustainability #adaptability #infrastructure #investment #economy #communitydevelopment #governance #localgovernment https://lnkd.in/ezt23Rfx

Capacity Factor (CF) is the ultimate metric of sustainability and economic productivity. We can not build an advanced society based on part time power generation any more than we can an economy based on part time employment. Note that Alberta's Capital Power retired its last coal power plant this summer in spite of the fact that its CF was over 90%.

New analysis shows that Illinois can maintain reliability even after retiring fossil resources by deploying 3 GW of 4-hour battery storage. In 2021, Illinois passed the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), charting a path toward 100% clean energy by 2045. CEJA mandates the staggered retirement of Illinois’ fleet of fossil fuel plants, prioritizing the dirtiest plants and those located near environmental justice communities

A few weeks ago, I came across an article in The Guardian about dam removals in California, particularly focused on the Klamath River. Due to the significant environmental impacts, mainly related to fish passage, efforts are underway to remove the dams along the river. From a dam engineer’s perspective, dam removal is a complex and fascinating challenge. It involves reservoir and sediment management, overcoming construction and implementation challenges, and ultimately restoring the river to its natural state. However, hydropower dams remain a crucial component in generating low-carbon electricity and ensuring grid stability, particularly when coupled with pumped hydro storage, so there might be another way to work around the problems in existing dams. In my first months at Gruner Stucky Ltd I've already seen the immense potential for dam heightening and rehabilitation projects. These upgrades can further enhance power storage and production efficiency—something that aligns well with Switzerland’s 2050 energy goals. But more on that in another post! Article and photos credit: https://lnkd.in/gn2r8Qhu #DamEngineering #Hydropower #Sustainability #RenewableEnergy #RiverRestoration #EnergyTransition #SedimentManagement #CleanEnergy #EngineeringChallenges #DamHeightening #DamRemoval

More #proof that Arrow Energy #CSG coal bed methane #mining has caused the ground to sink & that the #subsidence has done horrific #damage to our paddock. There has been no erosion, meteor strikes, earthquakes, melting permafrost, decaying peat bog, glacial activity or anything else, happen to this paddock other than CSG mining by Arrow Energy. Arrow Energy, the Queensland Government & the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water are in denial and continue to destroy the productivity of thousands of hectares of cropping land with no compensation for the growing number of farmers who are victims of Arrow’s CSG mining. Meanwhile the LiDAR elevation data that Arrow collects and the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water’s Office of Groundwater Impact Assessment #OGIA endorses as the “baseline” for protecting the environment and for farmers to use to get compensation, measures it’s own inaccuracy instead of all the sunken areas these photos prove, beyond doubt, have developed in our paddock. Department of Resources (Queensland), the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, the Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works with their active non-enforcement of compliance, and the GasFields Commission Queensland tunnel vision on removing all barriers to CSG mining in high value cropping areas of the Darling Downs, are all at fault for the finanancial, environmental, social, and agricultural disaster which slowly unfolding in one of Australia’s most important agricultural areas. #NotCoExistence #UnsustainableDevelopmentGoals State Planning Policy in Queensland is that Important Agricultural Areas must be prioritised and protected, so why hasn’t that happened AgForce Queensland, Cotton Australia, Queensland Farmers' Federation, National Farmers' Federation, and what do you propose to do about it?