Over the last year or so I have discussed the dynamic of coal and Liquid Natural Gas in energy policy and pricing in the US. Particularly its National Security implications in regard to Europe.
The last post was in Aug where pricing in Europe was cited and its implications for Russian Gas.
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2017/8/4/71514/65050
Now word is coming out from the US Energy Information Agency that the US has become a net exporter of natural gas for the first time in 60 yrs. Much of it going to Mexico but there is an increase of LNG overseas, even with only one LNG port online, but others on the way.
The attempt to falsely inflate demand for coal by the Trump Energy Dept recently failed, but as discussed, the market may solve that problem by itself, for the short term. If LNG demand overseas increases, then use of coal for energy generation may increase. It will happen quicker if environmental controls are lessened. If they are not or stopped by a Democratic House/ Congress. If not lessened and NG prices still continue to rise, there will be pressure for effective environmental controls to counter act the negative aspects of coal electricity generation.
This isn’t morality but economics.
It will take far sighted Democratic Congress and Admin to rebuild the nation’s electrical grid to fully take effect of renewables and end fossil fuel dependence.
Ridge
——-excerpt——-
“Never before has the global LNG market had such significant flexible LNG volumes as the volumes coming online in the next three years, mostly from the U.S., which will lead to a fundamental shift in how LNG is marketed and traded globally,” Zaretskaya said.”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-10/u-s-became-a-net-gas-exporter-for-the-first-time-
in-60-years