Markham on Energy

200th American coal plant closed: Sierra Club should hold the celebrations

Markham on Energy

Coal consumption is rising because developing Asian nations want North American-style economy, lifestyle Yesterday the Sierra Club issued a press release boasting about phasing out the 200th coal-fired power plant in America. Break out the champagne, global climate change defeated? Only if you ignore Asia, particularly China and India. The occasion for celebration was the announcement […]

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Barnett Shale emissions bun fight has easy (and cheap) solution

Markham on Energy

Barnett Shale methane emissions studies find a few super-emitting facilities to blame A dispute between the oil and gas industry and eco-activists over fugitive methane emissions in the Barnett Shale nicely illustrates my argument of three months ago why the energy sector should voluntarily address environmental issues. Earlier this week, Environmental Science & Technology published a series of 11 papers on methane emissions in

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Dear TransCanada: Patience, Obama will NEVER approve Keystone XL

Markham on Energy

Keystone XL has become political football between Obama, Democrats and Republicans TransCanada is asking – yet again – for President Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, this time because of new climate friendly policies enacted by Alberta’s new socialist NDP government. “We are asking the U.S. State Department to consider these recent developments that

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Barnett Shale water study: Caution ahead, for everyone

Markham on Energy

Industry said Barnett Shale research doesn’t establish link between fracking and water contamination A new study investigating groundwater contamination in the Barnett Shale illustrates why caution should be exercised when drawing conclusions from scientific studies. In this case, a University of Texas Arlington team led by Kevin Schug, the Shimadzu Distinguished Professor of Analytical Chemistry, published the peer-reviewed study,

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Pope Francis should get over his issues with technology

Markham on Energy

Heeding Pope Francis – and his environmental supporters – would drag the global economy backward A few weeks ago, Pope Francis released his climate change encyclical, in which he inveighed against the evils of the “technocratic paradigm,” and suddenly everyone’s a Luddite. History buffs will recall the Luddites as early 19th century English textile workers who

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Environmental activist a mistake as Alberta Energy chief of staff

Markham on Energy

McCuaig-Boyd’s judgement as Alberta energy minister already being called into question Graham Mitchell, the new chief of staff to Alberta Energy Minister Marg McCuaig-Boyd, is what in political circles is called a “signal.” In this case, a very clear and troubling signal. The Wildrose Party dug up Mitchell’s recent past as a registered federal anti-pipeline, anti-tar sands

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