With so much uncertainty about federal carbon legislation, power generation companies continue cancelling plans for new coal-fired plants. The economist in me has concerns about these developments, because there is nowhere near enough wind, solar, demand side management, and nuclear power to avoid blackouts if the recession ends and demand starts growing more rapidly. Natural gas prices are too high and volatile to consider it as a legitimate substitute for coal. The part of me that’s concerned about our planet’s future is optimistic, because the crisis can spur clean and smart innovation in demand-side and grid management.

Cancelling new coal-fired generation will also force the continued operation of existing coal-fired plants that would otherwise be retired. The optimization champion in me sees this as an opportunity for generators to get more out of their existing coal-fired assets with real-time optimization software solutions. The technology’s ability to improve efficiency, lower emissions, and manage multiple tradeoffs in a rapidly shifting environment make optimization a highly viable solution for generators looking to maximize existing assets in an uncertain regulatory environment.