Two regions, two messages
Monday, Oct 7, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn addressed the Illinois Environmental Council in Chicago late last month. From the IEC’s Facebook page…
The Governor spoke about new green water infrastructure efforts, recreation liability, and all the green work that the state is doing under his leadership.
* A tweet from an attendee…
* But the speech angered Will Reynolds, who pointed out that Quinn talks up green advances in the Chicago area, but just the opposite in southern Illinois….
Environmentalists celebrated when Quinn vetoed a bill to provide rate increases for a coal-to-gas plant Leucadia Corp proposed in a heavily polluted area of southeastern Chicago.
But for southern Illinois, Quinn signed a bill to subsidize a similar coal-to-gas plant proposed near Mt. Vernon. When signing the bill Quinn claimed, “This important project will help revive the coal industry in southern Illinois.” The project eventually failed after plunging natural gas prices made it difficult for the company to find investors. […]
At an event in Springfield, not long after becoming Governor, Quinn encouragingly called climate change the great challenge of our time.
Yet, earlier this year, Quinn bragged about setting a record for coal exports that made Illinois the fifth highest coal producing state. The release from Quinn’s office highlights efforts by his administration to build more coal export infrastructure and promote coal in foreign markets including, “supporting trade missions to the markets which represent the best prospects for Illinois coal, and potentially encouraging foreign investment in Illinois coal properties.” That will often mean nations with weak or non-existent pollution standards.
The Governor signed several bills to boost coal mining, including one to allow a surface mining operation in a state park, and another to ease the permitting process for strip mines. No, that’s not a joke. He actually leased 160 acres of a state park in southern Illinois for a strip mine. […]
A recent report on green job growth included a graphic showing that all clean energy jobs created so far this year were in the northern half of the state. That didn’t happen by accident. Illinois’ economic development agency, DCEO, does good work promoting clean energy jobs in some areas. But, their agenda in southern Illinois is dominated by the Office of Coal Development (OCD).
* Here’s that graphic mentioned above…
* None of this is new. Illinois politicians have talked up coal in southern Illinois and the environment in the Chicago media market for as long as I can remember. Quinn may have elevated it to an art form, however.
Discuss.
- Just Me - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:28 am:
A politician pandering? I’m shocked.
- PoolGuy - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:34 am:
the wind we have in Illinois, unfortunately, happens to be in the northern half of the state, while coal dominates the southern part. that may be mostly why the green jobs are in the north. just a thought.
- walkinfool - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:40 am:
Will he veto all “green jobs” bills before pension reform?
Just askin’.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:47 am:
–the wind we have in Illinois, unfortunately, happens to be in the northern half of the state,–
There’s no wind in southern Illinois?
I guess you might as well try to dump all that high-sulfur coal on China while you can, because the natural gas boom is going to put the mines out of business sooner than later.
If we want to think a couple moves ahead, we’d get behind attracting liquefied natural gas plants. That’s the future, particularly if they open it to exports.
That’s a huge fight brewing among big business: those that want to export LNG and those that want to keep it here to keep the price down.
- Downstate Illinois - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:49 am:
While I hate to defend Quinn, the bill about mining in a state park doesn’t actually do that. It allows the coal company to lease land at the edge of one of the largest parks in the state so they can mine the land just across from the park line.
As to wind, PoolGuy is correct. The best places for wind farms are definitely upstate.
Quinn’s actions still hurt Illinois. The state’s requirements for non-traditional sources of energy do nothing but raise costs for Illinois residents and businesses, being but one of the things that hurt our state’s business climate.
Not to mention but solar and wind are notoriously unreliable forms of energy generation. That’s something Europe has already learned is a problem. Unreliable energy hurts business and that hurts jobs.
- OneMan - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 11:49 am:
It coal, mined by the people of Illinois Good and True(tm), put on barges that travel down the mighty Mississippi…
Well he is a leading proponent of Soy based coal…
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:04 pm:
–Not to mention but solar and wind are notoriously unreliable forms of energy generation.–
I don’t know. Old Sol gets up every morning at the crack of dawn and works til dark. He’s the ultimate source of energy on the planet and has been exceptionally reliable up to now.
- PoolGuy - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:10 pm:
yes if you look at wind generation maps of Illinois the best wind is in the northern sections of the state. that’s why I said “unfortunately”. southern IL does have potential for decent solar, at least as far are residential and small businesses go.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:10 pm:
Will Reynolds is an environmental absolutist. Unfortunately the real world is a little more complicated and Illinois has a massive coal resource that a lot of people depend on. Getting off that resources is important but will take some time.
We have been moving forward on clean energy but we have much more to do, particularly in finding a fix to the state’s broken renewable portfolio standards. So let’s applaud governor Quinn for his support for clean energy and keep pushing forward.
- Oberon - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:21 pm:
“The state’s requirements for non-traditional sources of energy do nothing but raise costs for Illinois residents and businesses, being but one of the things that hurt our state’s business climate.”
Actually, the Illinois Power Agency authored a report demonstrating that wind and solar energy lowered energy costs to Illinois consumers by millions of dollars annually. While wind and solar are not “on-demand” power sources, that does not render them “unreliable;” which is quite a different concept.
The “non-traditional” projects that would cost consumers the most ahave been the various syn-gas projects based on coal.
The description of the state park deal is accurate, but the mine itself would not have been possible without side-stepping the ban on mining within 300 feet of a park. The bill also removed the state park designation from the leased land, which was the key provision; the lease itself wouldn’t have gotten it done. That said, much of that park has already been mined for coal and reclaimed, which is why it is a park and not farmland.
“Green” can’t happen all at once, but few people seem interested in the complexities of the real world. Still, you can’t promote both equally, either.
- RonOglesby - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:21 pm:
@Word,
unreliable from the facts of standardized levels of generation day after day, and reliable storage and distribution. Even Holland (BIG wind user) has found that wind can only provide a small % of electrical power because of fluctuations daily, and hourly. To supply power it has to be controlled.
As to the Sun, the big problem here is just like wind. The Sunniest places are far away from where power is required. Storage of power, delivery of it, the idea its only available X amount of hours a day (which changes every day) etc are all problematic. You know this. I know you are intelligent. Snippy, snarky comments because someone points out that a power source is unreliable today does no good.
- Loop Lady - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 12:45 pm:
Downstate: Huh? Excuse me but your ignorance is showing…I don’t know where to begin to correct the assertions in your post…suffice it to say that a mix of energy sources traditional and renewable is the best way forward…for all of IL…
- Brass Doors - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 1:11 pm:
Chicago Cynic wrote: “Getting off that resources is important but will take some time.”
It will take much more time if Illinois continues to heavily subsidize coal. If Quinn is serious about making a transition to clean energy he could end the special tax fund dedicated to subsidizing coal and divert those resources to building clean energy. That position would be consistent with his rhetoric.
- Demoralized - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 1:20 pm:
@Ron:
The problem I have with people who say things like solar and wind are unreliable is that they often also hold the belief that we shouldn’t have any solar or wind energy. I don’t understand the pushback by some on alternative sources of energy? Should we just give up because some claim that it is unreliable (which is an opinion, by they way).
- Spliff - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 1:51 pm:
Perhaps Mr. Reynolds would prefer Bill Brady?
- David Ormsby - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 1:57 pm:
Not sure which Europe that you’re talking about, but the sun in the Europe of Italy, Portugal , Spain, etc. is pretty darn reliable.
- Anonymous - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:09 pm:
According to Reynolds, if you use anything that requires electricity, then you must be in bed with Fox News, live to make GE happy, and have an unhealthy obsession with coal.
This is a man who doesn’t watch MSNBC because it’s too conservative for him.
- Kevin Borgia - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:29 pm:
It’s important to keep in mind that wind power is a boon for Illinois. In the last five years, the wind industry has invested billions of dollars in the Illinois economy including $1.65 billion in the last year alone.
As a study from Illinois State University (http://bit.ly/19uKIds) found, wind power has generated thousands of construction and operations jobs, $22 million in annual property tax revenue for rural communities, and $10 million in lease payments to landowners. All this is in addition to the benefits of less-polluted air and water that are at the core of the need to shift to a clean energy economy.
What is often surprising to people is the cost-cutting benefits of wind. According to studies from the Illinois Power Agency, the inclusion of renewables in Illinois has REDUCED wholesale electricity prices in Illinois by $177 million/year in each of the last two years (http://1.usa.gov/199vfM8). The reason for this is pretty straightforward. Wind and solar have no fuel costs, which lets wind under-bid competitors and pushes other generators in the wholesale market to reduce the price of power. A region-wide study found the same throughout the Midwest electricity market (http://bit.ly/18KlJQq). This dynamic is primarily because wind has no fuel costs, translating into cheaper power for all of us. These studies confirm what clean energy advocates have been saying and stands in stark contrast to claims from opponents (and some commenters here) that clean energy is expensive energy.
Another point of clarification: wind is increasingly reliable, despite being variable. Significant amounts of windpower have been incorporated into the grid safely and cost-effectively. Iowa and South Dakota produce more than 20% of their electricity from wind and nine states produce more than 10% from wind. Utilities and grid operators in every state already manage large amounts of variability in electricity demand, both on a daily and seasonal basis, and wind adds very little to that existing variability. In fact, wind power makes the utility system more reliable, because it keeps the lights on when other power sources fail.
When the grid operator for Southern Illinois and nine other Midwest states (MISO) recently obtained more than 25% of its electricity from wind, it noted, “Wind [is] one of the fuel choices that helps us manage congestion on the system and ultimately helps keep prices low for our customers and the end-use consumer.”
In short, wind and other sources of renewable energy have been a major cost-effective boon to Illinois. We should continue to push for policicies that promote clean energy and applaud elected officials like Governor Quinn and Mayor Emanuel when they promote it.
Kevin Borgia
Wind on the Wires
- National League - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:32 pm:
True story - Will Reynolds renounced his Sierra Club membership because he thought the Club was not environmental enough. He’s a nice guy but someone in these comments called him an absolutist and that’s entirely accurate. It’s unfortunate because he’s an intelligent man who could do so much more if he wasn’t so angry all the time.
As for Quinn (and every previous governor): he’s doing what he has to do to govern a state that’s very, very diverse from every perspective, but especially energy.
- RonOglesby - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:36 pm:
@demo,
I get it. I find it funny though that there are those that have hardly looked at the issue, yet sit under bright lights, working on their computer, peculating their coffee, with their TV on and then say “it all should come from wind and solar!”
our reliance on electricity demands we look at alternatives. But we need to be realistic about where tech is and where it has come in 20 years (gives us a great idea of how fast we can do things with it).
We should also be looking at nuclear (often ignored by those screaming for Wind and Solar). You can get off of coal with nuclear and that is a for sure. we cant say the same about wind or solar today. but Anything OTHER than wind and solar to lots of these folks means you are an environmental pirate wanting to dump your motor oil in your front lawn.
- Going nuclear - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:43 pm:
@RO
Converting coal into electricity at a centralized power plant is relatively inefficient; about two-thirds of every unit of fuel combusted is thrown away as waste heat and smokestack emissions.
A decentralized approach that invovles burning natural gas to make electricity and recycle waste heat at industrial facilities and large institutions like hospitals and colleges is much more efficient and less polluting.
And solar energy is no longer a blip on the U.S. power market. Last year, nearly 90,000 businesses and homeowners installed rooftop systems, totaling 1,150 megawatts, roughly the amount generated by a large coal plant. That represented a 46 percent growth over 2011.
- RonOglesby - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 2:56 pm:
@going Nuc
did you see me call for Coal? or read my posts? I am a nuc fan with using some alternatives when they fit.
- Demoralized - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 3:15 pm:
==Anything OTHER than wind and solar to lots of these folks means you are an environmental pirate wanting to dump your motor oil in your front lawn. ==
True. I was changing the oil in my lawnmower and spilled it on my driveway. I’m heading to the store to get my pirate patch.
- Going nuclear - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 3:32 pm:
@RO
I should have added that centralized nuke plants are also inherently inefficient, but the bigger problem is costs.
I just don’t see much of a role for nuclear without another massive infusion of federal subsidies. This industry has gone from “too cheap to meter” to “too expensive to matter.”
The traditional utility business model is going to change with rooftop solar, battery storage technology and other distributed energy sources that are on the horizon.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 3:36 pm:
One of the issues with any type of power, whether “clean” or not, is that it needs to be moved from generation source to end user in the most efficient manner. Our current electrical grid was set up to provide power from large generating stations relatively close to urban centers. If we are going to go chase power from the Dakotas or Arizona where the wind and solar potential are the greatest, and chase power from other alternate sources and locations, our grid will need to be modernized and most likely new lines run to optimize this delivery. If you’ve been involved in the public process for a new electric line, you have undoubtedly experienced the fact that everyone wants the power to go on when the switch is flipped, but almost no one wants to live next to a new electric line.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 3:50 pm:
–battery storage technology–
Batteries haven’t changed since black and white TV, except for being rechargeable. That’s just strange. Think about the advances in everything else.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 4:12 pm:
Word,
You’re absolutely wrong about battery technology. Look at your iphone or android device. The amount of power and speed to recharge those devices is exponentially greater than was available even ten-fifteen years ago.
@ National League - I had heard that same thing about Will. He was actually a paid staffer of Sierra, but they were too conservative.
@ Going Nuclear - amen brother. Waste energy recovery/CHP and other forms of decentralized generation are infinitely more efficient (and cheaper) than nukes. Other regulatory/market issues stand in their way. Too bad.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 4:13 pm:
Oh, and Kevin Borgia has nailed this issue on renewables exactly right. I was a renewable skeptic, but have come to understand they really are driving down the cost curve, as the IPA and other studies have shown. Most opponents have done so to protect their market share and profit margins.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 4:18 pm:
–You’re absolutely wrong about battery technology. Look at your iphone or android device. The amount of power and speed to recharge those devices is exponentially greater than was available even ten-fifteen years ago–
Point taken. But everything else seems to be the same piece of junk.
- Anon - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 4:46 pm:
Illinois should apply severance tax on coal, same as other coal producing states do. They could use the money to pay the state pension funds.
- Hamilton - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 5:03 pm:
As the green Governor, Quinn shouldn’t be touting coal and fracking jobs. No doubt about that. But the recent Will Reynolds has chosen to be only a screamer, and not a doer. I want the old Will Reynolds back who isn’t afraid to get something better done, instead of just talk about how no one can do anything right.
- Chavez-respecting Obamist - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 5:15 pm:
I don’t mind greening up so coal miners in SoIl can make a living.
- DJH - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 6:36 pm:
Kudos to Will Reynolds for another inciteful well reasoned article. And shame on mainstrean enviro groups who jumped on the energy conglomerates’ fracking bandwagon without sufficient investigation (or any…) of the environmental impacts and sociological impacts on Shawnee.
I have one word to the person who says battery technology has not changed. TESLA. 300 miles and zero to 60 in 3.5 seconds.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 7:48 pm:
0 to $100,000 in 3.5 seconds. I applaud the bleeding edge, but it also needs to be affordable for the masses. Battery technology is improving, but not at the economy of scale needed for widespread adoption.
- National League - Monday, Oct 7, 13 @ 9:28 pm:
DJH - Still waiting for any legislator south of I 80 to support a bill that would ban fracking. The fracking bill passed 108-9 and 52-3. Ken Dunkin was the southern-most legislator to vote against the bill for goodness sake. You and Mr. Reynolds should save your anger towards the “mainstream enviro groups” and spend some time building power in southern Illinois. Your own representatives sold you out. Punish them at the ballot box and they won’t do it again.