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To: edamo who wrote (95927)	4/18/2001 4:24:04 PM
From: Jack of All Trades	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 436258

Weren't inventories higher back then so short term shortages in supply were filled using inventories?

To: edamo who wrote (95927)	4/18/2001 5:41:30 PM
From: patron_anejo_por_favor	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 436258

<<many domestic utilities are using natural gas for a portion of their generating capacity, primarily in gas turbines....but the real answer for old fashioned steam powered turbines is in coal fired boilers....the large mw facilities are usually coal fired....relax the epa regs a bit, and it becomes very economical to expand coal use (most boilers are coal/oil/gas fired capable).....many old line utilities are selling generation and becoming marketers...while the likes of mirant(southern co.), progress(the old cp+l) and duke are buying the plants up....look at all of the decommisioned nukes that amergen (british/peco/excelon consortium) are buying for pennies....>> Ed...I agree with you on all of the above. The U.S. has ample coal reserves and really only needs the will to use them, ie, relaxed standards on emissions and continued progress in emissions control. However, it would take a couple of years to get "up and running" and the industry has been burned in the past by cycles of deregulation/reregulatio (especially on environmental issues) thwarting their capital expenditure plans. In other words, we have enough but it'll take time and commitment on the part of government and industry to see it through.

To: edamo who wrote (95927)	4/18/2001 5:51:47 PM
From: Don Lloyd	Respond to of 436258

the question in my mind is "are we really short on energy"????... Price controls always cause shortages. Regards, Don

To: edamo who wrote (95927)	4/18/2001 6:50:08 PM
From: FR1	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 436258

edamo, Since we are talking about energy, I have a question concerning the subject of hydrogen fuel cells: I note that both PLUG and HPOW say they will start to deliver home units this fall. That would be a unit with both the reformer (box that makes hydrogen from gas) and the hydrogen fuel cell. They appear to be going after the rural market first (probably because of high unit cost for the first units). What do you think of the home fuel cell market as a investment (PLUG, FCEL, HPOW and UTX)?