Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

I spent most of this week in Las Vegas at the PowerGen conference put on by Pennwell publications. With roughly 20,000 attendees (manufacturers to service providers) it was an exciting and enjoyable, albeit huge venue. I probably saw less than 20% of the showroom floor.

What I learned was virtually everyone associated with power generation is trying to better understand what next looks like.

The industry used to be simple; fuel sources were predominantly fossil-based until it was widely believed that coal-fired power generation was detrimental to our planet. The socioeconomic drivers would surprise you. President Obama just finished making promises in Paris based on what I consider selective science. I’d parallel his position on gun control and healthcare with his cabinet’s view on the environment. Simple, uneducated approaches to complex issues with careless disregard for root cause analysis leads to ridiculous legislation and confounds an entire industry, if not the entire business climate.

Power generation is a complicated business and the incredible reliability the typical consumer enjoys is beyond comprehensive reach for the vast majority of the public and among those who have the capacity to understand it, many are apathetic.

I’ll make it really simple …
•When the wind doesn’t blow, wind turbines can’t generate electricity.
•When the sun doesn’t shine, solar farms can’t generate electricity.
•When it doesn’t rain or snow/melt and fish species are endangered, hydro electric dams don’t function to the capacity they were designed for.
•We lack adequate, economic storage
•Gas generation is cheap right now but that will change-I guarantee it.
•Nuclear generation has a troubled past with Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima. Nuclear technology is largely misunderstood and human beings don’t deal with uncertainty well. Thank you, misinformed media.
•Coal supply is plentiful and when the idealists with no regard for the technical aspects of this complex issue (base load generation needs to start) reach for their light switch and it affects their ears but not their eyes, perhaps they’ll come to their senses.

My position is that we require a mixed portfolio of power generation resources.
-There is no single answer.
-There is no simple answer.
-The answer is far more technical than political and needs to balance energy affordability, energy security and energy sustainability.

Leadership includes finding long-term answers that take into account all issues rather than pushing a simplified response through an executive order or a government agency position.

Have a blessed weekend.