Keeping The Lights On With Coal Energy: A Financial Approach

Flory Anette Dieck-Assad — 2016-11-04

Environmental, political, and economic events seem to conspire simultaneously towards the objective to erase coal-fired power plants. The most important events are: the increase of environmental regulations, the surge of natural gas as a cleaner fuel, the operative costs, the aging and the efficiency issue of the coal-fired power plants. However, the decision of the U.S.A. Supreme Court, the 29^th of June 2015, suspended the regulation proposals presented by the U.S.A. Environmental Protection Agency concerning the mercury emissions of coal-fired power plants. This decision caused debate and controversy. The main objective of the sustainable approach for electricity generation is to find the blending of fuels that decrease contamination. However, the contradiction of different events in the world poses the challenge to evaluate if the XXI Century will see the end of the coal era. Could the technological breakthroughs like the Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) and the development of other Clean Energy Technologies on Coal (CCT) stop this trend or, will the financial and environmental profitability of coal help it to remain in the energy mix?

The Effects Of Water Utility Pricing On Low Income Consumers

Donald A. Forrer — 2016-11-28

This study reviews ten water utilities in Florida utilizing current pricing models to determine how municipal utilities approach affordability. Water is no longer a commodity that can be taken for granted as the effects on the family budget has risen considerably in the past couple of decades. Increasing costs in capital, debt, personnel, chemicals, retrieval, and production have dramatically increased the price of water. Municipalities are faced with diminishing resources, escalating costs, and the need to consider those less fortunate when determining utility pricing. This research reviews programs available to utilities to offset the effect on capital requirements if municipalities adapt a low income friendly pricing model. Ten Florida municipalities are examined utilizing data from the 2012 Water and Wastewater Rate Study conducted for the American Water Works Association. Additionally, affordability programs for all ten municipalities are reviewed.

Journal of International Energy Policy (JIEP)

Keeping The Lights On With Coal Energy: A Financial Approach

The Effects Of Water Utility Pricing On Low Income Consumers