On Tuesday's Market Foolery, Mark Reeth talks with Jason Moser, Motley Fool One Analyst, and Michael Olsen, Million Dollar Portfolio Analyst, about the energy industry following recent actions proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to cut coal emissions by up to 30% by 2030. Mark asks Jason and Michael about the impact this might have on the coal industry and the market in general.
Michael frames the latest proposal for listeners, explaining that the 30% cut is from 2005 numbers. He doesn't think that coal producers will be shutting down anytime soon, but the industry will be affected. Additionally, he looks into the impact of the proposal on utility companies like American Electric Power (AEP 0.46%) and Southern (SO 0.48%) and explains how consumers will fare. Michael notes that natural gas producers will see this as a positive. Jason explains that the global coal market will be budding in China and India, and companies like Joy Global (JOY) may be a bit more reliable in this new landscape.
Mark then steers the conversation to solar energy. Jason explains that it's a bit difficult to realize the benefits at solar energy's core. Michael believes that solar power will pan out in the future, yet he concedes that widespread adoption doesn't have incentives, and falls short of being the next big thing.
