http://www.americaspower.org Get the latest news from America's Power via RSS en-US Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:04:23 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/University-Receives-Grant-To-Study-Carbon-Dioxide-Storage <p> The 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-greenhousegas-gra,0,972921.story" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:06:26 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/GE,-Shenhua-Announce-Plans-To-Develop,-Promote-Clean-Coal-Technology <p> The 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 &amp; CEO of GE Power &amp; 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200911170432DOWJONESDJONLINE000130_FORTUNE5.htm" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:23:38 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/FutureGen’s-Deal-Could-Save-Illinois-Money <p> Daily 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://media.www.dennews.com/media/storage/paper309/news/2009/11/13/News/Futuregens.Deal.Could.Save.Money-3831904.shtml" target="_self">View Full Article </a> </p> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:11:35 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Mississippi-PSC-Rules-In-Favor-Of-Kemper-County-Plant-Construction <p> The 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jUPD084EJNIUM9L02IFPGAPAxx4AD9BSUDB80" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:10:05 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Carbon-Capture-Projects-Profiled <p> The 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvUjE-k3EjDgeKaDJfFKCBhwUvbQD9BSPKSG0" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:39:57 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Further-pollution-controls-sought-from-Xcel's-new-coal-fired-plant <p> News 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. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_13735364" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:01:03 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/DOE-Signs-Deal-To-Build-Hydrogen-CCS-Plant <p> The 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-23959-Seattle-Energy-Policy-Examiner%7Ey2009m11d9-DOE-signs-deal-for-California-hydrogen-energy-plant" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:55:02 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Salazar-Coal-Is-A-Part-Of-The-Nation’s-Energy-Future <p> The 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.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.bismarcktribune.com/news/local/article_1a99b3c4-cdb2-11de-b04a-001cc4c002e0.html" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:53:53 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/George-Will-claims-Gore-has-not-accounted-for-new-climate-change-data <p> George 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.) </p> <p> <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/id/221608" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:31:33 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Utah-Receives-$16.3-Million-In-DOE-Grants <p> The 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. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13704508" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:18:24 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/New-We-Energies-Coal-Plant-Generating-Power <p> The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, “We Energies’ newest coal-fired plant is generating power, after ‘significant progress’ in construction over the past three months, the company’s chairman said Thursday. The coal plant consists of two coal-fired boilers next to an older coal plant on Lake Michigan in Oak Creek.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/67291342.html" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:15:17 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/AEP-To-Unveil-Carbon-Capture-Project-Today <p> West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports, “The Mountaineer coal-fired power plant in New Haven is getting international attention because Friday morning, AEP officials are scheduled to unveil the plant’s carbon capture and sequestration technology.” The facility “is the first of its kind to both capture CO2 emissions and sequester them underground, says AEP spokesman Pat Hemlepp.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.wvpubcast.org/newsarticle.aspx?id=11832" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:31 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Company-To-Sell-Captured-CO2-To-Oil-Producers <p> Greenwire reports that Blue Source LLC announced Monday that “it will market almost 3 million tons of carbon dioxide captured at a coal power plant slated for West Texas.” Summit Texas Clean Energy LLC “aims to begin construction of the 400-megawatt power plant next year near the city of Odessa,” and “would use what is known as an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) process to gasify coal and capture about 90 percent of the fossil fuel's CO2.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.eenews.net/Greenwire/2009/10/26/13/" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:13:56 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/DOE-To-Launch-Innovation-Agency,-Announce-Grants <p> The New York Times reports that on Monday the Department of Energy “will make good on a pledge for a bolder technology strategy” by “awarding research grants for ideas like bacteria that will make gasoline, enzymes that will capture carbon dioxide to counter global warming and batteries so cheap that they will allow the use of solar power all night long.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/science/earth/26energy.html?hp" target="_self">View Full Article </a> </p> Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:12:03 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/AEP-To-Kick-Off-CCS-Project-This-Week <p> The Charleston (WV) Gazette reported, “Later this week, American Electric Power will begin pumping a small stream of carbon dioxide from its Mountaineer Power Plant deep under the bottomland along the Ohio River in Mason County.” The company “hopes the gas stays there.” AEP “wants it tucked safely away, were it can't add to the heat-trapping gases already building up to dangerous levels in the Earth's atmosphere.” If the “utility's pilot project works out, it might just help save the world -- and along the way rescue the coal industry.” </p> <p> <a href="http://wvgazette.com/topStories2/200910240481" target="_self">View Full Article </a> </p> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:51:57 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Study-Minnesota-Needs-New-Coal-Fired-Plant <p> The St. Paul (MN) Pioneer-Press reports, “Minnesota may need a new 500-megawatt coal-fired power plant to meet growing demand, according to a Department of Commerce study that will be presented to state lawmakers today. The study by the department's Office of Energy Security is meant to be a forecasting tool for policy-makers, but environmentalists who oppose building more coal power plants say the study isn't specific enough to be of much practical use.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.twincities.com/politics/ci_13622398" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:49:08 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Arkansas-Supreme-Court-To-Review-Coal-Fired-Power-Plant-Case <p> The AP reports, “The Arkansas Supreme Court said Thursday it will review a case involving Southwestern Electric Power Company’s planned coal-fired power plant,” after “the state Court of Appeals had overturned a permit that was issued by the Arkansas Public Service Commission” for the $1.6 billion project. SWEPCO appealed that decision, and now the Arkansas Supreme Court is going to review the case.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102203053.html" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:53:46 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/CARBON-CAPTURE-University-will-study-sequestration-in-S.C <p> The University of South Carolina will study whether carbon dioxide can be stored in the state's abandoned wells, coal beds and underground reservoirs of salt water. The school received one of 11 national awards from the Department of Energy to study carbon capture and sequestration. The $4.95 million grant will be distributed over three years. </p> <p> <a href="http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2009/10/22/13/" target="_self">View Full Article </a> </p> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:51:31 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Plug-In-Cars-Are-Almost-Here,-but-Charging-Stations-Lag <p> The New York Times reports that sales of electric vehicle, which are set to be launched next year, “may be limited by the lack of a national infrastructure to support them. … Among the biggest challenges for automakers is overcoming consumers’ fears of becoming stranded with a dead battery -- what the industry calls ‘range anxiety.’” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/business/22electric.html" target="_self">View Full Article</a> </p> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:49:23 GMT http://www.americaspower.org/News/Utilities-Promise-Electric-Car-Infrastructure <p> The AP reports, “A trade group representing 70 percent of U.S. electric utilities” has promised “to work aggressively to put charging stations and other infrastructure in place to support electric vehicles that soon will be in dealer showrooms. According to an industry executive, utilities “will develop charging systems, advanced meters, electricity pricing that gives customers an incentive to recharge at night, and a grid that interacts with cars.” The utilities have also “pledged to set up customer service networks to handle questions about the location of charging stations to rates or government incentive plans to buy electric vehicles.” </p> <p> <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-us-electriccars-util,0,2541211.story" target="_self">View Full Article </a> </p>