Mined: Lignite Energy in America

Update from LEC President & CEO Jason Bohrer

"A Question of Power” Author, Robert Bryce

Mined interviews author, journalist and public speaker Robert Bryce and discussed all things energy.  Learn more at www.robertbryce.com or follow on Twitter @pwrhungry http://JuiceTheMovie.com http://powerhungrypodcast.com  

Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach

Join us as we kick off Season FOUR of Mined: Lignite Energy in America! Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach is the guest on the newest "Mined" Podcast. She represents the state's 7th district, which contains lots of farmers and value-added agriculture businesses. She talks about the need for affordable and reliable electricity to her constituents noting that farmers are large users of energy.

Butler Machinery Company

Training and Development Manager, Rebecca Rensvold and Bismarck Store Manager, Paul Tokach join us.

Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota

Former North American Coal employee Joe Friedlander

Joe Friedlander shares his perspective on Texas rolling blackouts  Former North American Coal employee Joe Friedlander, who now lives in Frisco, Texas, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon to discuss the recent Texas blackouts that occurred in mid-February on the podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.” Friedlander talks about how the Texas grid works and what went wrong during the cold spell that left people freezing in the dark. He also provides some perspective regard...

Former North American Coal employee Joe Friedlander

Joe Friedlander shares his perspective on Texas rolling blackouts  Former North American Coal employee Joe Friedlander, who now lives in Frisco, Texas, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon to discuss the recent Texas blackouts that occurred in mid-February on the podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.” Friedlander talks about how the Texas grid works and what went wrong during the cold spell that left people freezing in the dark. He also provides some perspective regard...

BARR Engineering, Microbeam and other LEC are members work on transformative technology

BARR Engineering, Microbeam and other LEC are members work on transformative technology  Nicole Nguyen, chemical engineer with BARR Engineering, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon to discuss her company’s involvement with the Department of Energy’s Coal FIRST program on the podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.”  Nicole explains the program and the projects BARR Engineering is working on to help coal evolve into a fuel that meets future demands while also capturing C...

Bette Grande, CEO Roughrider Policy Center

Rich Nolan, President & CEO of the National Mining Association

Lignite Energy Council presents “Mined: Lignite Energy in America” with podcast hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon. Each week Kate and Geoff explore lignite-related topics with guests. We are pro-energy and pro-coal from our own resources right here in North Dakota. This podcast is brought to you by the Lignite Energy Council of North Dakota. Lignite-generated electricity is abundant, low-cost, reliable and environmentally compatible.

Robert (Mac) McLennan, President/CEO Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.,

Lignite Energy Council presents “Mined: Lignite Energy in America” with podcast hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon. Each week Kate and Geoff explore lignite-related topics with guests. We are pro-energy and pro-coal from our own resources right here in North Dakota. This podcast is brought to you by the Lignite Energy Council of North Dakota. Lignite-generated electricity is abundant, low-cost, reliable and environmentally compatible.

Kevin Connors, PCOR Director, EERC

Senator John Hoeven

America’s Power Michelle Bloodworth talks about the value of coal-based electricity

Michelle Bloodworth, president and CEO of America’s Power, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon on this week’s podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.”   Michelle talks about the blackouts in California and the need for baseload generation and what her organization is doing to keep coal-based electricity in the national energy mix. With the presidential election as a background, her insights are valuable as utilities and mining companies work with policymakers to ensure ...

Lignite Research Council

Two former directors and the Lignite Research Council and the current director join hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon to the talk about past, present and future of the lignite industry’s research and development partnership with the State of North Dakota’s Industrial Commission. The successes of the R&D partnership have served the industry well as new products have been discovered and commercialized and efficiencies and better environmental technologies have been achieved.

An Update from Lignite Energy Council President/CEO, Jason Bohrer

Jason Bohrer, president and CEO of the Lignite Energy Council, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon on this week’s podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.” Jason handles topics from power plant closures to production tax credit for wind generators to reduced electric loads due to low oil prices, the coronavirus pandemic along with other subjects of interest to the lignite industry. Kate and Geoff work as a team to conduct the interviews with leaders in North Dakota’s ene...

Mined Interviews Charles Gorecki, CEO, Energy & Environmental Research Center

North Dakota Energy Synergies

Kari Cutting, vice president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon on this week’s podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.” Karie talks about her career both in the lignite and oil gas industries plus looks at the future and how electric utilities are looking at technologies to capture carbon dioxide. She also talks about how CO2 can be used for enhanced oil recovery in partially depleted oil fields.

Project Tundra: A visit with Stacey Dahl of Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.

Project Tundra: A visit with Stacey Dahl of Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc.

Kari Cutting, Vice President of the North Dakota Petroleum Council

Kari Cutting, vice president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, joined co-hosts Kate Muggerud and Geoff Simon on this week’s podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.”  Karie talks about her career both in the lignite and oil gas industries plus looks at the future and how electric utilities are looking at technologies to capture carbon dioxide. She also talks about how CO2 can be used for enhanced oil recovery in partially depleted oil fields.  Kate and Geoff plan to work toge...

CarbonSafe in North Dakota

Wes Peck, a geologist and project manager of CarbonSafe at the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks is Kate Muggerud’s guest on this week’s new podcast titled “Mined: Lignite Energy in America.”   Wes talks about the studies of subsurface geology that have been completed as electric utilities look to store CO2 underground. He also talks about how CO2 can be used for enhanced oil recovery in partially depleted oil fields. 

CO2 Research at EERC

Jason Laumb, senior research manager at the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks is Kate Muggerud’s guest on this week’s episode. Jason talks about various CO2 research and development projects that are going on at the EERC as the lignite industry works to reduce its carbon footprint. This wide-ranging interview covers everything from how the CO2 is captured at a power plant to challenges that still face utilities looking to store CO2 underground. 

North Dakota’s Carbon Dioxide Leadership

On this week’s episode, Kate Muggerud interviews Charlie Gorecki, chief executive officer of the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks. Charlie talks about the history of the carbon dioxide storage research that has been ongoing since 2003 and the many partners who are working with EERC researchers.  He also looks ahead at projects that have been announced in North Dakota and how the state has become a leader in managing carbon dioxide through capture, utilization and sto...

North Dakota’s Carbon Dioxide Leadership

On this week’s episode, Kate Muggerud interviews Charlie Gorecki, chief executive officer of the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks. Charlie talks about the history of the carbon dioxide storage research that has been ongoing since 2003 and the many partners who are working with EERC researchers.  He also looks ahead at projects that have been announced in North Dakota and how the state has become a leader in managing carbon dioxide through capture, utilization and sto...

Transmission Authority of North Dakota

On this week’s episode, Kate Muggerud interviews John Weeda, director of the North Dakota Transmission Authority. John talks about the status of the electric transmission grid and how the state exports a large percentage of the electricity it produces.    John worked more than 40 years in the state’s lignite industry before taking the reins of the North Dakota Transmission Authority.  This experience has served him well as he works with transmission grid operators, utilities and others as t...

Emerging Markets

On this week’s episode, Kate Muggerud interviews Mike Holmes, vice president of research and development for the Lignite Energy Council. Mike talks about emerging markets for the lignite industry .     Currently, about 80 percent of the lignite mined annually in North Dakota is used to generate electricity, but that is likely to change in the future as technology advances. Mike talks about the current industry and then looks ahead at the opportunities that lie ahead for turning lignite int...

Nitrogen Fertilizers

On this week’s episode, Kate Muggerud interviews Dale Johnson, plant manager at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, Beulah, North Dakota. Dale talks about changes occurring at the synfuels plant and how Dakota Gasification Company is now marketing 13 different products.    The plant was originally built in the 1980s to turn ample reserves of lignite coal into synthetic natural gas. However, with the recent completion of the $740 million urea plant at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, DGC is now...

Electric Vehicles

Microbeam Technology

On this week’s episode, Kate interviews Steve Benson, president of Microbeam Technologies out of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Steve talks about various projects his company is working on – from new markets for lignite to the next generation of advanced power plant technologies. 

Industrial Greenhouses

Host Kate Muggerud interviews Lignite Energy Council President & CEO Jason Bohrer about industrial greenhouses.

What is Lignite?

Each week, host Kate Muggerud explores the world of all things lignite energy, energy resources and emerging markets. This week, Lignite Energy Council CEO Jason Bohrer talks about the role that lignite plays in the generation of electricity in the Upper Midwest and why mine-mouth power plants provide resilience to the electric grid. #coalstrong

What is Lignite?

Each week, host Kate Muggerud explores the world of all things lignite energy, energy resources and emerging markets. This week, Lignite Energy Council CEO Jason Bohrer talks about the role that lignite plays in the generation of electricity in the Upper Midwest and why mine-mouth power plants provide resilience to the electric grid. #coalstrong