Neundorfer recently read the results of a study conducted by Platts and Capgemini of the issues that plague utility executives. The survey of 100 executives within the electric and natural gas industries in the U.S. and Canada highlighted the following as the five most critical issues confronting the energy industry:

• Addressing environmental concerns such as emissions, carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases
• Coping with an aging workforce and workforce management issues
• Building new, while maintaining or replacing aging and overburdened infrastructure
• Addressing industry regulations
• Increasing adaptation of new technologies that can enhance energy consumption management Read the rest of this entry »

Coal is still a relatively cheap and readily available fuel, with as many as 275 billion tons of recoverable reserves – enough to last an estimated 250 years in a world that demands 300 million tons of coal each year.  So why not take advantage of this resource, especially to fill a void in demand while alternative energy sources are explored and developed?
Read the rest of this entry »