News
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November 19, 2009
University Receives Grant To Study Carbon Dioxide StorageThe Associated Press reports that the University of Illinois was awarded “a roughly $900,000 grant to study the possible environmental impact of storing the chief man-made greenhouse gas under water reservoirs.” The grant, from the EPA, “covers what could be a three-year research project involving subsurface storage called sequestration.”
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November 17, 2009
GE, Shenhua Announce Plans To Develop, Promote Clean Coal TechnologyThe Dow Jones Newswires reports that General Electric Co. and Shenhua Group Corp. announced Tuesday their plans to establish a joint venture to develop and promote clean coal technology. Through their joint venture, the companies hope to set up a company by mid-2010 that will improve the cost and performance of commercial-scale IGCC, power plants. Steve Bolze, President & CEO of GE Power & Water, said, “Coal plays an important role in the economies of the U.S. and China, and gasification technology allows us to use this abundant and low-cost resource in a much cleaner way,” adding, “Additional commercial scale IGCC and carbon capture facilities are needed though to further develop the industry and provide an opportunity for cost reduction and certainty, and to develop a carbon sequestration service industry.”
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November 13, 2009
FutureGen’s Deal Could Save Illinois MoneyDaily Eastern News reports the FutureGen Alliance is optimistic that an exclusive deal with Illinois will make it through the state’s General Assembly. FutureGen spokesman Lawrence Pancheo referred to the alliance a “win-win” situation, and stated “the deal would allow the state to buy homegrown electricity made from clean coal technology that reduces greenhouse gas pollution.” State Rep. Chaplin Rose concurred, pointing out “the Alliance’s not-for-profit status would allow the state to purchase electricity cheaper from the FutureGen plant.”
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November 12, 2009
George Will claims Gore has not accounted for new climate change dataGeorge Will, in his column for Newsweek, notes that the subhead to last week’s Newsweek cover story on Al Gore and climate change was “Al Gore’s views on climate change are advancing as rapidly as the phenomenon itself.” Will contends that this was “rather rude because, if true, his views have not advanced for 11 years.” (This is from the Nov. 16 issue of Newsweek.)
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November 11, 2009
Carbon Capture Projects ProfiledThe Associated Press provides “a quick survey of carbon capture projects and efforts around the world,” including the Great Plains Synfuels Plant in North Dakota and Saskatchewan, which “captures about 2.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year when it turns coal into synthetic natural gas. The carbon dioxide is piped 200 miles to Canada and injected into near-empty oil fields to help pump out remaining oil.” As a group, the G8 nations are planning “20 large carbon capture projects that aim to show by 2020 whether the technology works,” and the European Union says that “it will set up at least 12 with initial funding of $1.5 billion and possibly up to $6.7 billion from selling cap-and-trade permits.”
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November 11, 2009
Mississippi PSC Rules In Favor Of Kemper County Plant ConstructionThe Associated Press reports, “Mississippi Power Co. has received the first level of regulatory approval in its effort to build a new coal-powered generating plant in the east-central part of the state.” On Monday, the three-member state Public Service Commission ruled “that the company has demonstrated a need to increase its capacity to generate electricity. … Mississippi Power has said “the plant would use a new technology that converts a soft coal called lignite into a gas that would fuel turbines to create electricity. Company officials say the lignite would be locally mined and cheaper than natural gas.”
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November 10, 2009
Salazar: Coal Is A Part Of The Nation’s Energy FutureThe Bismarck (ND) Tribune reports that Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told the 3rd annual Great Plains Energy Expo and Showcase that “coal and other fossil fuels will remain a part of the nation's energy future while reducing the carbon emissions that enter the atmosphere is a priority for the country.” Salazar said, “I don't want you to be scared, those of you here who are supportive of coal and oil and natural gas,” adding, “The fact remains that oil, gas and coal are a very important part of our energy portfolio and will remain a part of the energy portfolio in the future.”
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November 10, 2009
DOE Signs Deal To Build Hydrogen CCS PlantThe Washington D.C. Examiner reports that the DOE signed an agreement with Hydrogen Energy California LLC, a private venture, to build a $2.3 billion plant that will demonstrate both hydrogen-fueled power generation and carbon sequestration.” The plant “will demonstrate conversion of coal and petroleum coke into a hydrogen-carbon dioxide gas blend,” which will then “be used to fuel a 250-megawatt combustion turbine power plant.”
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November 08, 2009
Further pollution controls sought from Xcel's new coal-fired plantNews about Comanche 3, a new $1.3 billion coal-generation plant that, once it comes online later this year, will facilitate the shutting down of three old coal plants.
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November 04, 2009
Utah Receives $16.3 Million In DOE GrantsThe Salt Lake Tribune reports that the DOE “announced Tuesday that Utah will receive $16.3 million in grants for energy conservation and research into geothermal energy and carbon capture,” which will go to Salt Lake City and Utah’s State Energy Program.
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