IEA: Long-term Gas Supply Security a Threat as Demand Rises
Oil & Gas Journal
By Doris Leblond
Oct. 7, 2008
Paris - Over the last 18 months, natural gas prices have continued to rise steadily in both established and new markets "not only a reflection of higher demand, but also of a delayed supply response," said Nabuo Tanaka, executive director of Paris-based International Energy Agency, in his introduction of the 2008 Natural Gas Market Review.
Obama Panel Boosts Bid to Put Greenhouse Gas Emissions Underground
The Christian Science Monitor
Aug. 12, 2010
An Obama task force Thursday said that carbon capture – in which greenhouse gas emissions would be stored underground – is feasible.
New Ways to Scrub Out the Carbon
New York Times
Aug. 6, 2010
Three technologies lead the pack for capturing the carbon dioxide in coal while also harnessing the energy.
Power-Hungry India Seeks Coal Reserves
Sydney Morning Herald
Aug. 1, 2010
Australia could benefit as India looks for the coal and oil it increasingly needs to feed its rapidly expanding economy.
US gives tax credit to Illinois clean coal project
Reuters
July 28, 2010
The U.S. government awarded a $417 million investment tax credit to builders of the 602-megawatt Taylorville "clean coal" power plant with carbon capture and storage in south central Illinois.
Coal and Wind Reversed for Now
Renewables Biz
July 27, 2010
Coal is up while wind is down. Say what? Of all the numbers tossed about in the latest quarterly report from the wind industry, the resurgence of coal coming at the expense of wind was the "say what?" moment.
China Tops U.S. in Energy Use
Wall Street Journal
July 18, 2010
China has passed the U.S. to become the world's biggest energy consumer, according to new data from the International Energy Agency, a milestone that reflects both China's decades-long burst of economic growth and its rapidly expanding clout as an industrial giant.
Permit process moves forward in planned Sunflower expansion
Garden City Telegram
By Shajia Ahmad
July 1, 2010
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has released a draft air quality permit and scheduled three August public hearings in response to Sunflower Electric Power Corp.'s request to construct a new 895-megawatt, coal-fired plant at its Holcomb station.
University Receives $19 Million to Monitor Carbon Storage Project
University of Texas
The University of Texas at Austin will receive up to $19 million from the U.S. Department of Energy and NRG Energy to design and oversee a monitoring plan for a carbon capture and storage demonstration project in southeast Texas.
Future energy needs still depend on coal
The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn.
By Brad Swenson
June 2010
Research and development continues into clean-coal technologies for future power plants, say industry officials.
IEA Urges Governments, Industry to Advance CO2 Storage Projects
BusinessWeek
June 14, 2010
Governments and industry should boost efforts to deploy carbon capture and storage projects that reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas and help fight global warming, the International Energy Agency said in a report.
Ambitious plans see Scottish gas pipes used to pump undersea
ALMOST 200 miles of Scotland's gas pipeline network will be converted to transport carbon dioxide from power stations so it can be stored beneath the North Sea under plans by National Grid.
Improved Carbon Sponges to Strip Carbon Dioxide from Power Plant Exhausts
Science Daily
May 29, 2010
Jeffrey Long's lab will soon host a round-the-clock, robotically choreographed hunt for carbon-hungry materials
Why Collaboration is Key to Successful Carbon Capture and Storage
ClimateBiz
By Dale Seymour
May 6, 2010
Ten years ago Carbon Capture and Storage, or CCS, was virtually unheard of. There were idle mentions of this new technology in the media, and industry was only just beginning to understand the potential for it.
A Renewable Electricity Standard: What It Will Really Cost Americans
The Heritage Foundation
May 5, 2010
Renewable energy—harnessing the power of the wind and the sun—sounds wonderful until confronted with the facts.
Powerspan Announces Results of Independent Assessment of its CO2 Capture Technology
PRNewswire
May 5, 2010
Powerspan Corp., a clean energy technology company, announced results today from an independent review of its ECO2® post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture technology, conducted by global engineering firm WorleyParsons Group, Inc. WorleyParsons conducted a detailed assessment of Powerspan's CO2 capture pilot test facility and evaluated the technology's readiness for commercial deployment on existing coal-fired electric power plants.
Business groups seek to suspend Calif. climate law
Associated Press
By Samantha Young
May 3, 2010
A coalition of business groups turned in signature petitions Monday for a ballot initiative that would unravel Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's top environmental priority.
Environmental group won't oppose power plant
San Angelo Standard-Times
Scripps Howard
Tenaska put promises in writing Monday to make a coal-fired power plant proposed near Sweetwater acceptable to an environmental watchdog group.
Coal: The Lifeblood of a Country
Wall Street Journal
By Homer Hickam
April 9, 2010
When I was 15 years old, my father took me down in his coal mine to convince me to become a mining engineer. Although what I initially wanted to do was grow up and work for NASA, he was certain if only I went below and looked, I would see the value of his work.
High Energy Costs for the Poor Might Push Action in Congress
U.S. News and World Report
Paul Bedard
March 23, 2010
A new study from a key energy coalition finds that poorer Americans are spending a huge amount of their income on energy, a finding the group hopes will spark renewed attention on Capitol Hill to energy reform and legislation.
ETI launches £25m carbon capture search
The Engineer
March 22, 2010
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) is seeking organisations or consortia to bid for a £25-million technology project to establish an advanced CO2 capture demonstration project in the UK.
UK launches Office of CCS
Bellona
March 22, 2010
The UK has officially launched the Office of Carbon Capture and Storage (OCCS), tasked with facilitating the delivery of CCS.
Wyo.'s Crash Program to Develop 'Green' Coal
The New York Times
John Fialka
March 17, 2010
In the summer of 2008, Wyoming's governor, Dave Freudenthal, went to California for meetings with state officials and utility executives. What he brought was, quite literally, a burning question.
Carbon capture storage will 'generate 100,000 jobs and £6.5bn a year'
The Guardian
March 17, 2010
The UK's carbon capture and storage (CCS) sector will be able to sustain 100,000 jobs by 2030 and generate up to £6.5bn a year, the government claimed today.
Wyo. Wants More Carbon Dioxide
The New York Times
John Fialka
March 16, 2010
Eight years ago, the Salt Creek oil field here was pretty much played out. It was a forest of rusting oil rigs, immobile pump jacks and a tangle of electric lines that powered them.
Liquid CO2 highway to keep GHGs out of atmosphere
Trading Markets
March 15, 2010
A new Alberta research project will explore ways to lessen industry's impact on the environment by compressing captured CO2 into a liquid, pumping it through a pipeline to efficiently transport materials over large distances, and then storing it underground.
Dreaming the Possible Dream
The New York Times
Thomas L. Friedman
March 6, 2010
The thing I love most about America is that there’s always somebody who doesn’t get the word — somebody who doesn’t understand that in a Great Recession you’re supposed to hunker down, downsize and just hold on for dear life.
Carbon dioxide injection under way in Alabama EOR pilot project
Oil and Gas Journal
Nick Snow
March 3, 2010
A project team has begun to inject carbon dioxide into Alabama’s Citronelle field as part of a $7.9 million pilot project to determine whether the field is ideal for simultaneous enhanced oil recovery and CO2 storage.
Duke Energy to try Chinese firm’s technology to trim carbon
Business Journals
John Downey
Feb. 26, 2010
Duke Energy Corp. will soon launch a program to test whether algae can be used to remove carbon dioxide from its coal-plant emissions.
The Puzzle of Coal: American Ingenuity in the Cleaner Energy Mix
Huffington Post
By Monte Atwell
Feb. 12, 2010
Last week, President Obama announced the creation of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Task Force. For those of us in the energy industry, this watershed event demonstrates the Administration's recognition of the need for coal in our nation's cleaner energy strategy.
Obama creates clean-coal task force
UPI
Feb. 4, 2010
Washington will develop a comprehensive strategy to speed development of carbon capture and storage technology for the coal industry, the U.S. president said.
Obama pushes energy plan that GOP may support
Associated Press
Feb. 3, 2010
Looking for a political and policy victory, President Barack Obama on Thursday pushed energy proposals designed to attract allies and opponents alike, calling for increased ethanol production and new technology to limit pollution from the use of coal.
Clean-Coal Power Plant Set for Texas
MIT Technology Review
Feb. 1, 2010
Could Texas deliver the world's first carbon-neutral coal-fired power plant? That looks increasingly likely thanks to a $1.75 billion project in West Texas that received a signed agreement last week for a $350 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
New Mexico bill first step toward carbon storage
Durango Herald
Feb. 1, 2010
Rancher Jack Chatfield sees untapped value in the spaces that lie beneath New Mexico's dusty landscape. But he said the state first needs to decide who owns them.
Indiana carbon dioxide pipeline bill advances
Indiana Star Press
Jan. 31 2010
Legislation that would allow companies to take private land in Indiana to build pipelines carrying carbon dioxide is advancing in the Statehouse as part of a wider push supporters say is needed to prepare the state for greenhouse gas caps.
Aging Barry Steam Plant could become proving ground for carbon capture
Alabama Press Register
Feb. 2, 2010
At the ripe old age of 56, Barry Steam Plant in north Mobile County might seem an unlikely candidate for making history.
Exelon To Help Fund Clean Coal Demonstration Plant In Illinois
The Wall Street Journal
Jan.30, 2010
"Coal plays an enormously important role in our nation's energy supply," said John W. Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon. "The FutureGen project represents an important opportunity, here in Illinois, to leverage private and public funds and expertise to advance clean coal technologies that may one day help solve climate change."
Oak Creek coal plant ready to roll
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Jan. 25, 2010
We Energies will flip on the switch this week at what might be Wisconsin's last great coal-burning power plant, a $2.3 billion colossus capable of generating enough electricity to power 1 million homes - power that even state regulators concede isn't needed now.
Filmmaker Seeks to Temper the Message of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’
The New York Times
Jan. 22, 2010
At the Sundance Film Festival four years ago, the global-warming debate took center stage with the premiere of an alarming work, the director Davis Guggenheim’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Europe and Asia Struggle With Travel, Power Woes
The Wall Street Journal
Jan. 6, 2010
The U.K. and France on Tuesday braced for a front of severe weather as heavy snowfall and ice caused widespread disruption to air, rail and road networks.
Crude Awakening: Gas Producers Shift Focus
The Wall Street Journal
By Carolyn Cui and Liam Pleven
Jan. 1, 2010
Exxon Mobil Corp.'s $31 billion purchase of XTO Energy Inc. is seen as a big endorsement of the future value of natural gas. But many gas producers aren't so optimistic.
Project captures carbon dioxide at FirstEnergy site
Ohio Beacon Journal
By Bob Downing
Dec. 22, 2009
Testing at a FirstEnergy Corp. coal-burning power plant in eastern Ohio shows that carbon dioxide can successfully be captured, a New Hampshire-based company announced today.
Harnessing Science to Fight Upstate Drilling
The New York Times
By Sindya N. Bhanoo
Dec. 23, 2009
To bolster their case against hydraulic drilling in New York City’s watershed, city environmental officials have issued a report asserting that it risks contaminating the water supply.
Coal industry disappointed with Copenhagen outcome
ABC News
By Ralph Hillman
Dec. 21, 2009
Copenhagen's meeting on climate change was badly run and had an outcome disappointing for the environment, says the Australian Coal Industry
Deal for natural gas firm has catch
Pittsburg Tribune
Dec. 19, 2009
The announced buyout of Fort Worth, Texas-based XTO Energy by Exxon Mobil Corp. could be off if Congress makes hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," illegal, according to language in the contract.
Denbury to Use Man-Made Carbon Dioxide to Coax Oil From Wells
Bloomberg
By Joe Carroll
Dec. 10, 2009
Denbury Resources Inc., the oil producer that last month announced the industry’s largest U.S. acquisition of this year, plans to use carbon dioxide captured from factories to boost crude output from decades-old fields.
Feds give clean coal projects $979 million
AP
Dec. 4, 2009
Multibillion-dollar clean coal projects in West Virginia, Texas and Alabama are getting $979 million in federal stimulus funding, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Friday.
Elusive Goal of Greening U.S. Energy
The New York Times
By Steven Greenhouse
Dec. 2, 2009
The Great Green Hope for lifting America’s economy is not looking so robust.
Cut Emissions, Not Jobs
The Australian Coal Association
Nov. 23, 2009
The Australian Coal Association has launched a new campaign in opposition to a proposed new coal tax, emphasizing that development of clean coal technologies.
Paying Extra for Green Power, and Getting Ads Instead
The New York Times
By Kate Galbraith
Nov. 16, 2009
The solicitations have been flooding people’s mailboxes lately: pay a bit more on your electricity bill for 100 percent clean wind power. Or, the fliers say, buy “green power certificates” to offset your global warming emissions.
Climate change study shows Earth is still absorbing carbon dioxide
The Daily Telegraph
By Louise Gray
Nov. 11, 2009
The Earth has developed stores to absorb excessive levels of carbon dioxide, according to a study that challenges the conventional thinking on climate change.
Alstom seeking China partners for CCS projects
China Daily
By Liu Yiyu
November 13, 2009
French power and rail infrastructure provider Alstom is seeking partners to develop Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) applications in China, Philippe Joubert, president of Alstom Power said yesterday.
IEA Boss: 'Clean Coal Will Work'
The Age
By Cathy Alexander
November 12, 2009
One of the world's top energy experts says that despite climate change, there is a strong future for the backbone of the Australian economy - coal.
DOE's Carbon Sequestration Test Reaches 1m-Ton Milestone
The New York Times
By Katie Howell
November 6, 2009
An Energy Department-sponsored carbon dioxide sequestration project in Mississippi has become the first in the nation to inject more than 1 million tons of the greenhouse gas into an underground rock formation.
Coal-rich US puts faith in CO2 storage
Financial Times
By Sheila McNulty
November 2, 2009
Across the prairies of Wyoming, past buffalo herds and miles from any town lies the world’s biggest coal mine. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the North Antelope Rochelle Mine is at work.
Future of Australian coal: University of Queensland releases study
Australian Mining
By Cole Latimer
Oct. 29, 2009
Continued use of coal and deployment of clean coal technologies is crucial for Australia’s energy and economic future, according to a report from the University of Queensland (UQ).
New hope for viable clean coal projects
The Australian
By Lenore Taylor
Oct. 24, 2009
An unpublished government study has raised hopes that Australia will be able to develop commercially viable clean coal projects because prospective underground storage sites are close to power generation plants.
Five Technologies That Could Change Everything
The Wall Street Journal
By Michael Totty
Oct. 19, 2009
Keeping coal as an abundant source of power means slashing the amount of carbon dioxide it produces. That could mean new, more efficient power plants. But trapping C02 from existing plants—about two billion tons a year—would be the real game-changer.
Sino-U.S. clean energy cooperation has great potential: Chinese vice premier
ChinaView
Oct. 22, 2009
Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang said here Thursday that China and the United States enjoyed great potential on clean energy cooperation.
India PM seeks global hub for climate tech research
Reuters
Oct. 22, 2009
India's prime minister on Thursday called for a global centre to coordinate research on clean-energy technology, saying innovations should be viewed as "public goods" that poorer countries could afford.
World Bank Looks to Help Developing Nations With Carbon Capture and Storage
New York Times
Oct. 14, 2009
Norway and the World Bank are in discussions over setting up a new trust fund to help developing countries create and deploy carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.
U.S. aims for carbon capture in a decade
Financial Times
Oct. 13, 2009
The U.S. wants to have technology for coal-fired power stations to capture and store their carbon dioxide emissions ready for commercial deployment within a decade, said Steven Chu, the energy secretary.
Carbon capture coal tech must be ready by 2019: U.S.
Reuters
Oct. 12, 2009
A technology to bury underground the greenhouse gas emissions produced from burning coal must be ready for global deployment by 2017-2019, U.S. energy secretary Steven Chu said on Monday.
IEA Calls for Fast Action on Carbon Storage in Developing World
New York Times
Oct. 12, 2009
Developing countries need more than 2,000 carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) plants by midcentury to stave off catastrophic global warming, an International Energy Agency report out today will say.
Shell gets $865-million for carbon capture project
Calgary Herald
Oct. 9, 2009
With less than a week to go before ministers from around the globe gather for an international summit on carbon capture and storage, the Alberta and federal governments Thursday unveiled a letter of intent to direct $865-million toward Canada’s first large-scale CCS project.
We Energies says carbon-capture project works
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Oct. 9, 2009
An $8 million pilot project in Wisconsin successfully showed that carbon dioxide can be captured and kept from being released from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, We Energies and two partners said Thursday.
Where's the next boom? Maybe in 'cleantech'
Associated Press
Oct. 6, 2009
Our economy sure could use the Next Big Thing. Something on the scale of railroads, automobiles or the Internet — the kind of breakthrough that emerges every so often and builds industries, generates jobs and mints fortunes.
China might boost U.S. effort to capture carbon gases
McClatchy Newspapers
Sept. 26, 2009
As the United States begins spending $3.4 billion in stimulus money to seek a commercially viable way to capture carbon dioxide from coal burning and bury it underground, some energy experts say that doing some of the work as a joint project in China would cut costs and time.
Steven Chu to greenhouse gases: We will bury you
Scientific American 60-Second Science
Sept. 25, 2009
The U.S. Secretary of Energy—channeling former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev perhaps?—has one thing to say in this week's Science to the greenhouse gases emitted by coal-fired power plants: We will bury you.
Electric Utilities Commit to Plug-In Hybrids
New York Times Green Ink
Sept. 25, 2009
To take off, the emerging electric vehicle market will need early adopters, and two Southern-based utilities just stepped up to the plate.
Refitted to Bury Emissions, Plant Draws Attention
New York Times
Sept. 22, 2009
Poking out of the ground near the smokestacks of the Mountaineer power plant here are two wells that look much like those that draw natural gas to the surface. But these are about to do something new: inject a power plant’s carbon dioxide into the earth.
Reuters Summit-Australian miners see clean coal carbon answer
Reuters
Sept. 9, 2009
The Australian government should scrap its proposed carbon trading scheme and concentrate on clean coal technology to cut greenhouse gas emissions, according to the country's mining sector.
J-Power says carbon capture project on schedule
Reuters
Sept. 8, 2009
Japan's biggest coal user, J-Power, is part of a Japanese coalition working with Australia to market the world's first fully-integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, to help battle carbon dioxide emissions.
Natural Gas Hits a Roadblock in New Energy Bill
The New York Times
Sept. 7, 2009
The natural gas industry has enjoyed something of a winning streak in recent years.
Moving forward with carbon capture plans
China Daily
Sept. 7, 2009
The world's largest carbon capture project launched by a coal-fired power plant broke ground in July in Shanghai.
Renewable Energy, Meet the New Nimbys
The Wall Street Journal
Sept. 5, 2009
Technology changes, but human nature doesn't.
Clean Coal: Utilities Scrambling to Capture, If Not Store, Emissions
The Wall Street Journal
Sept. 2, 2009
Clean-energy funding has been stealing a lot of headlines lately. Quietly, though, Big Coal is also grabbing government money to move forward with clean coal.
FutureGen, DOE sign agreement
The Southern
September 2, 2009
The FutureGen Alliance and the U.S. Department of Energy signed an agreement Tuesday that covers preliminary design work through the end of 2009 for the alliance's proposed near-zero emissions power plant in Mattoon.
Moving forward with carbon capture plans
China Daily
August 31, 2009
The world's largest carbon capture project launched by a coal-fired power plant broke ground in July in Shanghai.
UW project receives funding for carbon center
Billings Gazette
August 31, 2009
University of Wyoming scientists will continue their pioneering efforts to help create an underground carbon dioxide storage industry in Wyoming under a new federal grant approved late last week.
CCS demo proposed at 585 MW coal-fired power station
PowerEngineering
Aug. 25, 2009
A research center is seeking federal stimulus money to cover up to half of an estimated $580 million price tag for a carbon capture and storage project at the 585 MW Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center, being built by Dominion Virginia Power.
The greening of coal, the fuel of the future
TheGlobeandMail
Aug. 26, 2009
Rivals jockey for space in the new global green-coal industry.
Federal Carbon Storage Grants Awarded
New York Times
August 25, 2009
The Department of Energy announced $27.6 million in research grants on Monday, for projects intended to simulate the underground storage of carbon dioxide.
House's global warming bill: $8B
USA Today
Aug. 12, 2009
It will cost nearly $8 billion over the next decade to pay for the expanded federal bureaucracy needed to combat global warming under a bill passed by the House of Representatives, a report by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says.
G.M. Puts Electric Car’s City Mileage in Triple Digits
The New York Times
Aug. 11, 2009
General Motors said Tuesday that its Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, scheduled for release in 2011, would achieve a fuel rating of 230 miles a gallon in city driving.
Japanese Utilities to Test 'Low Emissions' Coal Plant
Reuters
Aug. 10, 2009
Two of Japan's largest utilities -- Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (J-POWER) and The Chugoku Electric Power Co. -- have joined forces in a new company, Osaki CoolGen Corporation, to undertake a large-scale demonstration test of oxygen-blown coal gasification combined cycle technology and CO2 separation and recovery technology.
ScottishPower: Shell,National Grid Join Bid For UK CCS Project
Wall Street Journal
August 14, 2009
Oil major Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) and U.K. power grid operator National Grid PLC (NGG) have joined a ScottishPower-led consortium bidding to gain government funding to create a carbon and capture storage coal-fired power station by 2014, the Scottish-based utility said Thursday.
Coal's Future Wagered on Carbon Capture
Washington Post
Aug. 11, 2009
At a bend in the Ohio River, a bulky new device is being attached to a 30-year-old coal plant near the small town of New Haven, W.Va. The device is being housed in a building four stories tall and bigger than a football field.
Technology Smorgasbord Needed to Meet Climate Goals -- EPRI
New York Times
Aug. 4, 2009
The electric power industry can achieve deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by building new nuclear plants, sequestering coal-plant emissions, boosting wind energy and improving efficiency, the industry's top research group said yesterday.
CCS: Carnegie Mellon team warns of legal morass
ClimateWire
July 31, 2009
The Obama administration will fall short of its goals to curb emissions without new regulations addressing legal barriers to capturing and storing carbon dioxide, a new report urges.
Illinois governor signs bill to finance energy projects
Reuters
July 29, 2009
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law on Wednesday a bill to help finance renewable energy projects in the state with up to $3 billion of bonds.
Power plant claims 90 percent carbon capture
Sydney Morning Herald
July 27, 2009
A new power station using world-first technology will be able to capture and store 90 percent of its carbon, its proponents say.
Carbon capture and storage gets a good rap from Harvard
Financial Times
July 21, 2009
A new paper from Harvard’s Belfer Center estimates the cost of carbon capture and storage (CCS), and comes up with a few promising figures for the technology.
POSCO, SK Energy to invest for coal conversion
Reuters
July 24, 2009
South Korea's POSCO and SK Energy will spend 3.35 trillion won ($2.69 billion) to convert coal to synthetic natural gas, chemicals and liquid for the first time in Korea.
Dig the coal, bury the carbon
Christian Science Monitor
July 21, 2009
On the back roads near Edwardsport, Ind., jutting from a hillside carpeted with corn, a steel tower conveyer belt lifts from a mine below a black stream that spills out to become a growing mountain of coal.
DOE testing 150,000-ton carbon storage project
Power Engineering
July 20, 2009
Two members of the U.S. Department of Energy's Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership program plan to store 150,000 tons of CO2 captured from a coal-fired power plant, beginning in 2011.
Eskom to Propose Third Coal-Fired Power Station in December
Bloomberg.com
July 20, 2009
Eskom Holdings Ltd., the state-owned South African electricity utility, plans to seek board approval in December for a third new coal-fired power station.
GE warms to challenge of burning clean coal
GreenvilleOnline.com
July 19, 2009
An experimental power plant that Duke Energy Corp. is building in Indiana could help expand the market for the power-generating turbines that General Electric Co. makes in Greenville.
Utilities Scramble to Meet Power Needs of Electric Cars
Time.com
July 15, 2009
Dave Kaufmann likes people yelling at him as he drives through La Cañada, Calif., the wealthy suburb north of Los Angeles where he lives. What they're shouting about is his battery-powered electric vehicle.
U.S. DOE takes step forward on FutureGen coal project
Reuters
July 15,2009
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) took another step forward on the coal-fueled 275-megawatt FutureGen carbon capture and sequestration power project in Illinois, the DOE said in a release late Tuesday.
Brown to Promote Wind, Clean Coal to Curb U.K.’s Gas Dependence
Bloomberg
July 14, 2009
The U.K., more reliant on natural gas than any country in Western Europe, will try to persuade utilities to build more wind parks and carbon-free coal plants.
OSU snags more than $300,000 for coal research
Business Journals
July 10, 2009
Ohio State University is getting more than $300,000 in grant money to pursue clean coal research projects at its Columbus campus.
Oil baron's wind farm project hits doldrums
CNN.com
July 8, 2009
Billionaire oil man T. Boone Pickens is shelving plans to build the world's largest wind farm.
Duke Energy files plans for carbon-storage study
Business Journals.com
July 7, 2009
Duke Energy Corp. has filed plans with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission for a proposed carbon dioxide storage project in the southwestern Indiana community of Edwardsport.
Is a Coal Production Boom Imminent?
The New York Times
July 2, 2009
Though the price of coal has plummeted in the downturn and it is expected to remain weak in the near-term, coal markets "are ultimately likely to rebound with a roar," Rick Navarre, the president of Peabody Energy, one of the world's largest coal companies, was quoted by Reuters as saying last week.
U.S. gives up to $408 million to "clean coal" projects
Reuters
July 1, 2009
The U.S. Energy Department said on Wednesday it will provide up to $408 million in funding for two projects aimed at developing advanced "clean coal" technologies.
Waiting to hear news on coal
Bismark Tribune
July 1, 2009
Coal is, and will be for the foreseeable future, a key source of energy for the United States.
Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Fuel
The New York Times
June 29, 2009
Scientists have been trying for years to find a nonfood source for ethanol.
China recruits algae to combat climate change
UTV.com
June 28, 2009
A Chinese firm is behind an ambitious plan to breed microalgae in greenhouse with the potential to absorb carbon emissions.
Project will make coal clean, safe
The Tennessean
June 26, 2009
About 40 miles southwest of Fort Smith, Ark., lies the small hamlet of Shady Point, Okla. There, the local power plant removes carbon dioxide from the coal it burns, piping some to storage in depleted oil wells and selling some to beverage bottlers.
Gasification research plant on fast track
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
June 24, 2009
Development of a coal research facility here took another step forward Tuesday with the transfer of property for the site.
Coal plant officials attend Cheyenne event
Associated Press
June 23, 2009
Construction of a $100 million research plant to refine and improve technology on turning coal into clean-burning natural gas will start next year with the goal of having the plant up and running by late 2012, officials said.
Study says Wyoming coal essential to energy future
Associated Press
June 22, 2009
Wyoming's Powder River Basin coal will be an essential part of the nation's energy future even as the country moves toward cleaner power sources, says a University of Wyoming professor who studies energy economics.
Tianjin to build a 'clean coal' power plant
China.org.cn
June 19, 2009
A senior manager from GreenGen announced in Beijing that they will start the construction of a coal-based power plant in north China's Tianjin City on June 26, 2009.
The next 'moon landing?' Norway plans deep-sea CO2 storage
Christian Science Monitor
June 15, 2009
The next 'moon landing?' Norway plans deep-sea CO2 storage.
U.S. to restart plans for a coal plant to capture greenhouse gases
Los Angeles Times
June 13, 2009
Federal officials announced an agreement Friday to restart plans to build an experimental coal plant that seeks to collect greenhouse gas emissions before they enter the atmosphere.
U.S. announces carbon capture investments
UPI
June 11, 2009
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced more than $300 million in investments designed to create new carbon capture technologies.
EIA predicts surge in world coal consumption
International Mining
June 7, 2009
Global coal consumption will jump nearly 50% by 2030, according to recent analysis by the US Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Consumers: New coal plant needed
Associated Press
June 5, 2009
Consumers Energy said Friday it needs to build a new coal-fired power plant even though alternative sources and conservation can provide most of the new electricity it will need to produce in coming years.
Co-ops worry about costs of cap-and-trade approach
Billings Gazette
June 1, 2009
Worried about rising utility costs, Montana's electric cooperatives are nervously watching congressional work on climate change laws.
Power company CEO lauds Arkansas for openness to coal
Arkansas News
May 29, 2009
Arkansas is more open to coal power than other states because it is more “visionary,” the head of a multi-state electric utility said Friday.
Scottish Power commences carbon capture testing at Longannet coal plant
Power Engineering/Bloomberg
May 31, 2009
UK utility Scottish Power has begun capturing CO2 emissions from a generator, testing the experimental technology to avoid releasing greenhouse gases for the first time on a coal fired power station in the country.
Securing our economic freedom
Washington Times
May 31, 2009
For decades, our presidents, Congress and unelected bureaucrats have passed legislation and regulations that have restricted access to our own resources, resulting in increased reliance upon foreign fuels to meet the energy needs of U.S. consumers and enterprise.
Green jobs often lead to more pink slips
Detroit News
May 19, 2009
Repower America, a green energy advocacy organization founded by Former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore, is running television advertisements in northern Michigan to pressure U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) into supporting the American Clean Energy and Security Act, a major climate bill working through Congress.
MHA Carbon Capture Technology to be Demonstrated in Coal-Fired Power Plant
Frontier India
May 25, 2009
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Southern Company, a major U.S. electric utility, will jointly demonstrate a plant to test technology enabling recovery of between 100,000 and 150,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year from flue-gas emissions from a coal-fired power generation plant.
US, Italy Sign Cooperation Agreement on Clean Coal and Carbon Capturing Technology
VOA News
May 23, 2009
A day ahead of the opening of the G-8 summit of energy ministers in Rome, the United States and Italy signed a cooperation agreement on clean coal and carbon capture technology.
China NDRC Gives Approval To Build 1st IGCC Power Plant-Executive
Dow Jones
May 22, 2009
GreenGen Co., majority held by China's largest power producer Huaneng Group, obtained approval from the National Development and Reform Commission to build the country's first commercial-scale Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant, the company's chief technology officer said.
Southern Company to Demonstrate Technology to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Electric Generating Plant
PR Newswire
May 21, 2009
Southern Company today announced plans to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration on a coal-fired power generation plant to support the development of technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Let's Have Cap and No Trade
The Washington Post
May 19, 2009
The adage that everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die is on display again as the House considers a massive 932-page climate-change bill, introduced by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), that would establish a "cap and trade" system for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
Markets will decide nuclear's future, says FERC chairman
The New York Times
May 19, 2009
The chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told nuclear industry executives today that the construction of new nuclear and coal generating plants was a possible scenario for meeting U.S. electric power needs -- an effort to tame a tempest that followed his comments last month on electric power's future
US energy chief vows to pursue 'clean coal'
AFP
May 19, 2009
US Energy Secretary Steven Chu pledged Tuesday the administration would pursue "clean coal" technology, even as it focuses research on alternatives such as wind and solar.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce sharpens critique of House climate bill
The New York Times
May 15, 2009
Major climate and energy legislation moving through the House Energy and Commerce Committee would create an expensive, complicated, regulation-heavy system that would not spur developing nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce charges in a letter to lawmakers.
Commentary: Let's get real about alternative energy
CNN.com
May 15, 2009
We need to introduce simple arithmetic into our discussions of energy.
DOE chief announces billions for clean coal
The Associated Press
May 15, 2009
Energy Secretary Steven Chu says he will provide $2.4 billion from the economic recovery package to speed up development of technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and factories that burn coal.
Entergy chief promotes clean coal-fired energy
Arkansas Democrat Gazette
May 9, 2009
Unless the U.S. chooses to "fix what we've got" by making coal-fired power as clean as possible, the entire world could easily fail "the biggest challenge we've ever faced," Entergy Corp.'s chief executive officer said Friday.
Going green can cost too much green
USA Today
May 5, 2009
For two years, the city of Durango, Colo., bought electricity for all its government buildings from wind farms. The City Council ended that program this year, reverting to electricity derived from coal-burning plants and saving the cash-strapped city about $45,000.
Bipartisan Group Introduces Climate Change Bill as Talks Stall Between Obama, Dems
FOX
May 6, 2009
Talks stalled at the White House Tuesday over the president's cap and trade legislation, with a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introducing an alternative to the massive energy bill.
Kan. gov, utility CEO announce deal on coal plant
Associated Press
May 5, 2009
A western Kansas utility would be allowed to build a coal-fired power plant under a deal announced Monday.
Green hysteria shackles our economic growth
The Guardian
May 1, 2009
Emissions legislation and excessive fear of global warming are the last thing we need when the world economy is in recession
The Challenge: Constant Current From Fickle Winds
NPR
April 30, 2009
Like lots of other farmers and ranchers in the northern Plains, Joel Keierleber has been flirting with wind power developers for years.
Carroll: Make-believe world of cap and trade
The Denver Post
April 29, 2009
Don't worry, this shouldn't hurt. In fact, you won't feel a thing. So goes the refrain of those pushing for passage of a climate bill regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Just what do they think we're smoking?
Climate Bill: Yeah, But How Much Will It Really Cost?
Wall Street Journal
Keith Johnson
April 29, 2009
How can a single climate-change plan generate such wildly different estimates of how much it will cost? The battle over the bill for fighting climate change continues, even if the House debate over the matter is taking a week off.
Analysts say hybrid-electric cars will rule market, eventually
Climatewire
April 28, 2009
Two car-industry specialists laid down their predictions yesterday, forecasting that hybrid cars will become the dominant kind of vehicle after 2030. Speaking at an energy forum held by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, former Honda analyst John German predicted that hybrids will be more than 60 percent of cars sold.
Kevin Rudd set to soften stance on energy
The Australian
April 29, 2009
Energy-hungry industries could be offered exemptions from the federal Government's new 20 per cent renewable energy target, as Kevin Rudd struggles to win support for his climate change policies in the face of the global economic crisis.
Coal to stay king in German power generation
Reuters
April 29, 2009
Coal, subject to much maligning... is set to remain the source of much of Germany's electricity thanks to cleaner technology that now beckons.
Gore, Gingrich face off on climate bill
MSNBC
April 27, 2009
Former Vice President Al Gore and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich faced off Friday before lawmakers, each on opposite sides of major climate and energy legislation. The Democrat compared the bill's significance to civil rights laws, while the Republican dismissed it as "micromanagement" that invites corruption.
Coal Warriors: Coal is the Problem, Unless It’s the Solution
The Wall Street Journal
April 22, 2009
Lots of environmentalists finger coal as the biggest part of the problem. But it’s such a big part of the energy mix that even green-minded policymakers figure cleaner coal has to be such a big part of the solution.
Boost for coal as Brits clean up
The Australian
April 24, 2009
The coal industry’s hopes of a "clean coal" future have been lifted by an unprecedented commitment by the British Government to make all future coal plants in the country incorporate the still commercially unproven technology of capturing carbon emissions and storing them underground.
Consumers start feeling higher costs of clean fuel
USA Today
By Paul Davidson
April 21, 2009
Clean energy has a dirty secret. It isn't cheap. Consumers already are starting to feel at least a modest pinch in their electric bills. The impact is expected to grow in the next few years as utilities accelerate their investments to meet state quotas requiring a portion of clean energy in their generation mix.
Ground-breaking research finds way to convert CO2 into clean-burning biofuel
GizMag
April 20, 2009
Scientists at the Singapore-based Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have made an unprecedented breakthrough in transforming carbon dioxide, a common greenhouse gas, into methanol, a widely used form of industrial feedstock and clean-burning biofuel.
Park Service Protests Big Solar Expansion in Nevada Desert
Common Dreams
April 20, 2009
WASHINGTON - The National Park Service is sounding an alarm about plans for scores of big solar power plants in Southern Nevada, according to an inter-agency memo posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility.
Consumers start feeling higher costs of clean fuel
USA Today
April 21, 2008
Clean energy isn't cheap. Consumers already are starting to feel at least a modest pinch in their electric bills.
Growing wind, solar power challenge U.S. grid: study
Reuters
By Eileen O'Grady
April 16, 2009
HOUSTON - The push to add more renewable wind and solar megawatts to the U.S. electric mix will force changes in the way the power grid operates to keep electricity flowing reliably, said an industry watchdog on Thursday.
Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute Launched in Canberra
ENS Newswire
April 16, 2009
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today formally launched the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute at the inaugural meeting of the institute's foundation members in Canberra.
Wind power is a complete disaster
Financial post
By Michael J. Trebilcock
April 9, 2009
There is no evidence that industrial wind power is likely to have a significant impact on carbon emissions. The European experience is instructive.
Sapping America's Energy: Global-Warming Legislation Would Drive Up the Cost of Everything
The Wall Street Journal
April 16, 2009
If Americans don't start paying attention to what Congress is up to, our nation's energy policy may seriously change for the worse.
Renewable Energy's Environmental Paradox
The Washington Post
April 16, 2009
The SunZia transmission line that would link sun and wind power from central New Mexico with cities in Arizona is just the sort of energy project an environmentalist could love -- or hate.
In Areas Fueled by Coal, Climate Bill Sends Chill
New York Times
April 9, 2009
Chatting with a visitor about energy issues in the back of the Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church here, a group of women exploded in laughter at the idea that their electric rates were among the lowest in the nation.
Archer Daniels Midland, Dow Make Progress on Carbon Capture Tests
Reuters
Apr. 8, 2009
Archer Daniels Midland Co. held the official groundbreaking this week for a carbon capture and storage project primarily funded by the federal government, while Dow Chemical Co. announced a new carbon capture pilot project it's developing.
Energy Outlook 2050: Lower Carbon, But Not So Renewable
New York Times
By Matthew Wald
Apr. 8, 2009
The electric system at mid-century will have a lot more renewable energy than it does today, but coal and nuclear power together will still supply two-thirds of the energy, according to a new study from the Electric Power Research Institute, consortium supported by both government- and investor-owned utilities.
Natural Gas Industry Vies For Attention From US Policy Makers
Dow Jones Newswires
April 8, 2009
By Christine Buurma
NEW YORK--As "clean coal" and renewable energy hog the limelight during the Obama administration's push for a new-energy economy, natural gas has remained largely in the shadows.
Shenhua to launch China's first carbon capture project
Reuters
Apr. 7, 2009
BEIJING - The Shenhua Group, China's biggest coal producer, is planning to launch the country's first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, according to a government statement.
Energy Secretary Backs Clean Coal Investments
Wall Street Journal
April 07, 2009
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the U.S. should invest in technology to reduce the carbon produced by burning coal, but he said it will take at least eight years to be sure such systems work.
Warren Buffett Criticizes Cap-and-Trade as a Regressive Tax
CNBC
April 1, 2009
"I mean, it's going to become, in effect, a tax... but that tax is probably going to be pretty regressive."
The Civil Heretic
New York Times
Mar. 31, 2008
For more than half a century the eminent physicist Freeman Dyson has quietly resided in Princeton, N.J.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu: FutureGen coal plant in Mattoon, Ill., would be viable
Associated Press
Mar. 31, 2008
A proposal to build a futuristic coal-burning power plant in central Illinois that languished under the Bush administration has merit, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said Monday.
Feds fund 8 carbon capture projects in Western Canada
The Canadian Press
Mar. 30, 2008
The Harper government has given the green light to eight projects in Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan aimed at developing carbon capture and storage technologies.Funding was announced last April, but it took the Natural Resources Department a year to choose from almost 40 proposals it received.
S. Africa plans carbon capture storage plant by 2020
Reuters
Mar. 27, 2008
South Africa, the largest emitter of carbon dioxide on the continent, expects to build its first pilot plant for the capture and storage of emissions by 2020, a government official said on Friday.
Australia opens bidding for undersea carbon plan
Reuters
Mar. 27, 2008
Australia opened the bidding on Friday for ten offshore areas that will be used to store carbon dioxide, bringing its pioneering plan to reduce emissions by pumping the greenhouse gas beneath the ocean floor a step closer to reality.
Europe Wind Installations to Decline 18% in 2009
Bloomberg
Mar. 24, 2008
European wind capacity installations will fall 18 percent this year as projects are pushed back because of a lack of financing.
Mojave Desert a battleground over solar power
CNBC
Mar. 24, 2008
California's Mojave Desert may seem ideally suited for solar energy production, but concern over what several proposed projects might do to the aesthetics of the region and its tortoise population is setting up a potential clash between conservationists and companies seeking to develop renewable energy.
One-size solar doesn't fit every state
The News & Observer
Mar. 20
Our nation is entering a period of transformational change in how we produce and use energy. Renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and biomass, will generate an increasing share of our electricity in the years ahead. But North Carolinians should be concerned about proposals in Congress that would force this transition without careful consideration of the cost -- potentially more than $200 per year per household.
EU leaders agree on package for gas pipelines, carbon capture to boost economy
Chicago Tribune
Mar. 20, 2008
European Union leaders agreed Thursday on a two-year euro5 billion ($6.84 billion) energy package likely to include gas pipelines and plans to bury carbon, the European Commission president said.
Electricity grid gets boost from Congress
Washington Times
Mar. 16, 2008
Congress has pledged billions for the antiquated U.S. electricity grid in an effort to stiffen the nation's energy backbone. A complex web of 300,000 miles of transmission lines powers the country every day, providing energy for heating, lighting and every other power-based activity.
U.S. should not give up on clean coal
Miami Herald
Mar. 18, 2008
Clean coal, anyone? The much-ballyhooed FutureGen project aimed at generating electric power using "clean-coal" technology was first on, then suddenly off, and now it's ... uh ... well, we dunno. We strongly urge that the project be revived. While some environmentalists say that clean coal is an oxymoron, we believe we should give it our best shot. Coal is our cheapest and most abundant fossil fuel and accounts for half of U.S. electric power.
Stimulus Money Puts Clean Coal Projects on a Faster Track
New York Times
By Matthew L. Wald
Mar. 17, 2009
EDWARDSPORT, Ind. — Near the middle of a dusty construction site here stands a patch of land, about the size of two football fields, notable because it is empty. Duke Energy has high hopes for this two-acre plot: If all goes right, and there is a happy convergence of technology, money and federal energy policy, the construction project could become the first environment-friendly coal-fired power plant in the nation.
Feds give initial approval to Crow coal plant
Associated Press
Mar. 13, 2008
A Crow official says the federal government has given preliminary approval to the American Indian tribe's plan to build one of the first coal-to-liquid fuel plants in the nation. The $7.4 billion plant would produce an initial 50,000 barrels a day of diesel, jet fuel, fertilizer or other products. The fuel would be produced from coal mined on the Crow's southeastern Montana reservation.
Someday, battery-powered cars will give to the grid
Detroit Free Press
By Sandy Bauers
Mar. 12, 2009
PHILADELPHIA -- Willett Kempton drives an uncommon car. The body is a Toyota Scion. The innards have been stripped of their "greasy parts" and replaced by massive batteries and other electrical components. The resulting vehicle, developed by Kempton, a renewable-energy professor at the University of Delaware, can hit 95 m.p.h. and go 120 miles before charging.
Missouri senator wants limited liability for utility companies in 'clean coal' project
Columbia Missourian
Mar. 11, 2008
Seeking to make Missouri a more attractive home for "clean coal" technology, Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, testified at a committee hearing Tuesday for a bill he has filed that would limit utility companies' liability for personal injuries caused by the storing of coal plant emissions underground.
Tatas, Jindals win coal-to-oil crowns
The Telegraph
Mar. 3, 2009
Calcutta: The government has awarded the country’s first two coal-to-liquid-petroleum projects to the Tatas and Jindal Steel and Power. Both the projects, estimated to cost $6-8 billion each, will come up in Orissa.
WA coal power plant may be able to sequester carbon
Australian Broadcasting Company
Mar. 3, 2009
Depleted oil and gas reservoirs have been identified as potential carbon storages for a new coal-fired power plant in Western Australia's mid-west. The proposed Coolimba power station is due to be built with five years, close to coal deposits at Eneabba, about 250 kilometres north of Perth.
Wash U. envisions clean coal plant
St. Louis Business Journal
By Christopher Tritto
Feb. 27, 2009
If Richard Axelbaum can secure funding from the stimulus plan, Washington University could become home to the nation’s leading clean coal demonstration plant. Axelbaum, director of the fledgling Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization, has been leading feasibility studies and design drafts for a working plant...
Gov: Stimulus bill offers Wyoming $515 million
Associated Press
By Ben Neary
Feb. 26, 2009
Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal's office said the federal economic stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed into law this month sets aside about $515 million for the state. However, Freudenthal said it's still unclear how much of the money the state will apply for.
New state-private venture seeks to mine global warming
Sale Lake Tribune
By Tom Harvey
Feb. 25, 2009
Utah as host to a cluster of new coal-fired power plants is not exactly the vision for a new economy based on clean energy. But the first business venture spun out of the state's 3-year-old science and technology initiative might mean exactly that, with a twist.
E.ON explores new technology for Dutch coal plant
Reuters
Feb. 25, 2009
FRANKFURT, Feb 25 (Reuters) - German utility E.ON (EONGn.DE) said on Wednesday it has teamed up with a Dutch public sector partner to equip a planned coal-fired power station in Rotterdam with technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Coal-to-liquids technology touted by veteran delegate
The Register-Herald
By Mannix Porterfield
Feb. 24, 2009
CHARLESTON — Pat McGeehan was only 15 when he stood in a flight line near Spokane, Wash., with his mother and the two gazed in horror at the crash of a B-52 bomber that killed his father, Col. Mark McGeehan. Just a few years later, the surviving son saw himself thrust into combat situations in volatile Afghanistan. From such experiences has grown a new lawmaker determined to help America grow energy self-reliant.
California attempts clean coal from petroleum
Clean Tech Group
Feb. 24, 2009
California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Peevey said today that the state is embarking on the world's first gasification and carbon sequestration project to use petro coal from oil refineries to produce clean electricity. The state PUC approved plans for the project on Friday, Peevey announced at the Cleantech Group's Cleantech Forum in San Francisco.
Britain Seeks Two of 12 EU-Financed Plants to Capture Carbon
Bloomberg
By Alex Morales and Paul Dobson
Feb. 25, 2009
The U.K. is seeking at least two pilot projects to capture and store greenhouse gases of the 12 scheduled to receive European Union subsidies. “There’s 9 billion euros ($11.5 billion) available between 2012 and 2020” from the EU for the experimental devices, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband told a panel of lawmakers today.
Coal Is Here To Stay
MetroNews-(WV)
Feb. 19, 2009
The Executive Director of the Southern States Energy Board says, despite the best efforts of some in Washington, coal is still the nation's number one energy source and it's going to remain that way for decades. Ken Nemeth was the guest speaker Thursday at the West Virginia Mining Symposium in Charleston. He says West Virginia is at the center of the coal universe.
E.ON, Siemens to build pilot carbon capture plant
Reuters
Feb. 19, 2009
FRANKFURT, Feb 19 - German utility E.ON and industrial group Siemens said on Thursday they would build a pilot plant to capture carbon dioxide emissions from coal burning. It is due to start operations in the summer, it said. It will be built at E.ON's Staudinger power station near Hanau east of Frankfurt, and will be tested in a hard-coal fired unit, Staudinger's block 5.
Windmills flap helplessly as coal remains king
Times Online
by Carl Mortished
Feb. 18, 2009
Switch on the light. Is the filament glowing because of a heavy gust of wind, or is it nuclear fission? If you flick a switch today, the light goes on because of coal. Almost half the power generated in Britain on Tuesday came from coal and a bit more than a third from natural gas. Nuclear power stations were contributing 17 per cent and windmills provided 0.6 per cent.
State to get stimulus funds for alternative energy, clean coal projects
Charleston Daily Mail
by Jake Stump
Feb. 18, 2009
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill should finally thrust West Virginia into the limelight as a potential pioneer of alternative energy and clean coal technologies, said U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., a staunch supporter of the landmark bill.
First clean coal to be extracted
BBC News
Feb. 17, 2009
Thornton New Energy has been granted the UK's first licence from the Coal Authority to use a process called underground coal gasification (UCG). The firm plans to drill into coalfields and convert coal into combustible gas while it is still underground. The gas can then be used for electricity generation. It can also be used in industrial heating and even the manufacture of hydrogen or ultra clean diesel fuel.
15 proposed sites for Wyoming coal research plant
Associated Press
By Bob Moen
Feb. 12, 2009
Eleven public and private organizations around Wyoming submitted proposals in hopes of landing a clean coal research facility that could cost up to $120 million to build. The proposals submitted to the University of Wyoming on Monday nominated a total of 15 sites in nine Wyoming counties where the facility could be built.
Coal made big gains last year, as economy sputtered
The Virginian-Pilot
By Kathy Adams
Feb. 11, 2009
With Hampton Roads' home prices, retail sales and port traffic all down, 2008 delivered more bad economic news than good. Coal exports were one shining exception. Dumpings at Hampton Roads' three coal terminals skyrocketed nearly 50 percent last year to 42.3 million tons, making 2008 the best year in more than a decade.
National Grid Plans $3 Billion Carbon Capture Grid in North Sea
Bloomberg
By Alex Morales
Feb. 11, 2009
National Grid Plc, which manages the U.K.’s gas distribution network, is drawing up plans to pipe carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants in northern England under the seabed.
Green Energy Not Cutting Europe's Carbon
BusinessWeek
By Anselm Waldermann
Feb. 10, 2009
Germany's renewable energy companies are a tremendous success story. Roughly 15 percent of the country's electricity comes from solar, wind or biomass facilities, almost 250,000 jobs have been created and the net worth of the business is €35 billion per year.
EPRI to study carbon capture at coal power plants
Reuters
Jan. 27, 2009
NEW YORK, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Five electric utilities in the United States and Canada will host studies of post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO2) capture systems at existing coal-fired power plants, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) said on Tuesday.
Energy panel chairman sees role for coal, new drilling
Houston Chronicle
By Tom Fowler
Feb. 9, 2009
A longtime congressional critic of the oil and gas industry said Monday that there may be a place for expanded offshore drilling and a long future for coal in the U.S., but only with caution and a lot of investment.
New Grid for Renewable Energy Could Be Costly
Wall Street Journal
By Rebecca Smith
Feb. 9, 2009
A substantial increase in the amount of electricity produced from renewable energy would require building a transmission system that would carry a price tag of up to $100 billion, according to a new study.
EDITORIAL: Clean coal nurtures jobs and climate
EnergyCurrent.com
By Dave Anderson
Feb. 3, 2009
NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE: The need for a realistic and sustainable energy policy has never been greater. We have all recently seen the erratic fluctuation of fuel prices. Petrol, for example, cost over pounds 1.20 a litre last July and is now about 85p.
Ross: Turk tour demonstrates backing
Hope Star
By Ken McLemore
Feb. 2, 2009
Congressman Mike Ross, D-Ar., was unequivocal in an interview Friday as he prepared to show his support for the John W. Turk, Jr., Power Plant near Fulton in a tour of the facility Monday.
Obama 'New Energy' plan includes oil, natural gas and coal
EnergyCurrent.com
By Tom Marsh
Jan. 26, 2009
WASHINGTON: In August 2008, then presidential hopeful Barack Obama declared, "For the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East."
Western govs sense chance for electric grid work
Associated Press
By Matt Joyce
Jan. 25, 2009
CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Some Western governors say the plan for $825 billion in economic stimulus spending should spur development of energy infrastructure in their states.
King coal is on the rise once again
Business.Scotsman.com
By Erikka Askeland
Jan. 19, 2009
Coal, the UK's largest open-cast coal mining group, is back in the black and has revealed plans to reopen old sites and bring new sites into production to meet increased demand.
ND co-op gets $300 million loan for carbon project
CNBC
Jan. 15, 2009
The federal government is backing a $300 million loan for Basin Electric Power Cooperative to capture carbon dioxide at the company's coal-fired power plant in central North Dakota.
Carbon capture put to the test in NSW
Sydney Morning News
Jan. 15, 2009
NSW is about to find out whether it will be able to capture greenhouse gas emissions from its coal-fired power stations and store them underground.
More people seeking help to heat their houses
Associated Press
Jan. 12, 2009
About 7.3 million households are expected to get fuel aid this winter, according to a survey released Monday by the National Energy Assistance Directors' Association, which represents state-run low-income energy assistance programs.
FuelCell Energy wins $30.2M Energy Dept. contract
Forbes
Jan. 14, 2009
FuelCell Energy Inc. said Tuesday that it has been awarded a $30.2 million contract to help develop clean coal-based power plant technology for the second phase of a U.S. Department of Energy program.
BASF, Datang Power Get Approval for Plants in China
Bloomberg
Jan. 13, 2009
By Wang Ying
Datang Power has been granted approval to build a plant in Inner Mongolia to turn coal to 4 billion cubic meters of gas a year.
Texas Legislature to revive clean coal debate
Dallas Morning News
Jan. 13, 2009
By Elizabeth Souder
This session, the Texas Legislature will revive the issue of whether to give tax breaks to companies building cleaner, coal-fired power plants that capture greenhouse gases.
A brief history of the electric car
Time
By Frances Romero
Jan. 13, 2009
The concept of all-electric cars has faced some resistance, but the big three seem readier than ever for change — and the idea, it turns out, isn't as radical as one might think.
Coal is the new black gold
KFOR
Jan. 12, 2009
Coal is likely to be a big winner in the new Obama administration.
Sasol May Invest $10 Billion in Indonesia Fuel Deal
Bloomberg
Jan. 12, 2009
Sasol Ltd., the world’s biggest producer of motor fuels from coal, may invest $10 billion in an Indonesian plant, said a government official in Jakarta.
Toyota Plans to Leapfrog G.M. With a Plug-In
The New York Times
By Micheline Maynard
Jan. 12, 2009
Toyota plans to introduce its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle late this year, a year earlier than originally planned, and a year ahead of the Chevrolet Volt.
Durbin, energy secretary nominee Chu meet about FutureGen
St. Louis Business Journal
Jan. 7, 2009
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and other Illinois lawmakers met Jan. 6 with physicist Steven Chu, energy secretary nominee, in an attempt to cement the Obama administration’s support for a $1.8 billion coal-fueled, near-zero emissions experimental power plant in Mattoon, Ill.
Paul Driessen: Saving Lives with Coal
TownHall.com
Jan. 3, 2009
Coal helps keep American homes, businesses, factories, airports, schools and hospitals humming, and provides myriad benefits that never get mentioned by anti-coal factions.
Sasol, Shenhua Group May Complete Coal-to-Fuel Plant by 2013
Bloomberg
Jan. 7
By Ying Wang
The plant will be able to produce 3.4 million metric tons of transportation fuels including diesel and gasoline after completion.
Shenhua Group Starts China's First Coal-to-Fuel Plant
Bloomberg
By Wang Ying
Jan. 6
Shenhua Group Corp., China's biggest coal producer, began operating the nation's first plant to turn coal into fuels to boost output of gasoline and diesel.
White Energy Plans $80 Million Coal Processing Plant in Wyoming
Bloomberg
By Christopher Marting
Jan. 5
White Energy Co., an Australian coal processing company, said its North American unit will build an $80 million processing plant at a Kiewit Corp. mine in Wyoming.
Univ. of Wyoming seeks coal research proposals
Forbes
Jan. 6
General Electric Co. and the state of Wyoming have agreed to jointly build a small-scale plant that would allow the company and the university to study the most economical ways of turning Wyoming coal into a synthetic natural gas as well as develop clean coal technologies.
Vietnam to approve AES coal-fired power plant
Reuters
Dec. 29, 2008
The Vietnamese government said on Monday it aimed to grant an investment licence to U.S. utility firm AES Corp (AES.N) early next year to build a coal-fired power plant in northern Vietnam at an estimated cost of $1.4 billion.
Indonesia awards Chinese firm power plant project
Reuters
Dec. 23
Indonesia's state power firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara said on Monday it has awarded a contract to China National Technical Import and Export Corp to build a 660 megawatt coal-fired power plant in Cilacap, Central Java.
E.P.A. Ruling Could Speed Up Approval of Coal Plants
The New York Times
By Matthew L. Wald and Felicity Barringer
Dec. 19
Vickie Patton, deputy general counsel of the Environmental Defense Fund, estimated that as much as 8,000 megawatts of new coal-fired power plants could win swifter approval as a result of the ruling.
Consider coal as a gift this holiday season
Tucson Citizen
Dec. 16, 2008
Christmas tradition has threatened a "lump of coal" in the stocking for those who were naughty. With the challenges facing our economy and energy infrastructure, coal should be looked upon as a special gift providing affordable and domestic energy.
ConocoPhillips, Peabody to build Ky. Plant
CNBC
Dec. 16, 2008
ConocoPhillips and Peabody Energy said Tuesday they filed with Kentucky regulators to develop a coal-to-natural-gas facility in Muhlenberg County, Ky. The facility, to be named Kentucky NewGas, is expected to produce energy for nearly three quarters of a million Midwest homes.
Land Acquisition Completed for FutureGen Plant
St. Louis Business Journal
By Kelsey Volkmann
Dec. 12, 2008
The companies hoping to build a $1.8 billion coal-fueled, near-zero emissions experimental power plant have completed the land acquisition in Mattoon, Ill.
Feasibility of 1GW hydrogen-from-coal plant to be studied
Low Carbon Energy
Dec. 11, 2008
Shell is to study the feasibility of a carbon capture and storage coal power plant that runs on hydrogen.
Shell Weighs Green Project
Wall Street Journal
Dec. 9, 2008
Shell and Dutch utility Essent NV said Monday they have agreed to study the feasibility of a 1,000-megawatt power plant in the Netherlands from which carbon-dioxide emissions would be captured and stored underground.
Carbon-Capture Projects Might Win Backing at UN Talks
Bloomberg
By Alex Morales
Dec. 8, 2008
Negotiators in Poland may broaden emissions rules to spur use of devices that capture carbon dioxide from power plants in developing countries and pump it into underground storage sites.
Obama's Environmental Test
Wall Street Journal
By Kimberley A. Strassel
Dec. 5, 2008
If the president-elect thinks Detroit is a problem, just wait for the impact an upward march in electricity prices would have on, say, the manufacturing South.
Toshiba to Build First Pilot Carbon Capture Plant in Japan
Bloomberg
Dec. 3, 2008
Toshiba Corp., Japan’s largest maker of semiconductors, said it will build its first pilot carbon- capture plant as it seeks to diversify into the clean-energy technology business.
Energy Companies, Wash. U. Team Up to Study Clean Coal
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Jeffrey Tomich
Dec. 3, 2003
The nation's two largest coal companies and one of the largest coal-burning utilities agreed to give Washington University $12 million over five years to help make the St. Louis area a hub for clean-coal research.
The War on Carbon Heats Up Globally, but Strategies for Change Remain Local
Wall Street Journal
Dec. 2, 2008
"Think globally, act locally," urged an environmental mantra popular in the 1970s.
Iraqi Oil Exports Could Fall Amid Maintenance Problems
Wall Street Journal
Dec. 2, 2008
Iraqi oil exports could fall by as much as 13% next year as maintenance problems and labor shortages undermine the country's export capacity, a senior Iraqi oil official said.
Shanghai Electric Chosen by CIC to Build Botswana Power Plant
Bloomberg
Dec. 2, 2008
Shanghai Electric Group Co., China’s biggest maker of power equipment, was chosen by CIC Energy Corp. to build a power plant at the Mmamabula Coal Field in Botswana.
Obama Embraces ‘Green Path’ in Economic Stimulus Plan
Bloomberg
Dec. 2, 2008
President-elect Barack Obama is considering a stimulus package that will include a heavy dose of spending on environmentally friendly projects aimed at creating “green-collar jobs” and saving energy.
Peabody, Arch, Ameren, Wash. U. to Announce Clean Coal Initiative
St. Louis Business Journal
Dec. 1, 2008
Peabody Energy, Arch Coal, Ameren and Washington University announced Tuesday a clean coal initiative aimed at making St. Louis “the nation's center for clean coal research.”
FutureGen Could Be Part of Federal Stimulus
Reuters
By Mike Riopell
Nov. 25, 2008
A federal plan meant to stimulate the economy could jumpstart a handful of Illinois projects, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Tuesday.
Appalachia is a Bright Spot as Coal Country Seeks Workers
Wall Street Journal
By Kris Maher
Nov. 22, 2008
Amid waves of bleak economic news, mining is one of only two areas of the private sector that added jobs in October... the other was health care... [These jobs] make a difference in parts of the country that have historically felt the deepest pain during recessions.
Plant Permit Approval to Create Jobs
The Vindicator
By D.A. Wilkinson
Nov. 21, 2008
The project is expected to pump $5.5 billion to $6 billion in construction costs into the southern portion of the county over five years. That includes thousands of construction jobs. The project would need about 225 full-time workers with at least an associate degree.
W.Va. in the Black Thanks Largely to Coal
Williamson News Daily
Nov. 30, 2008
West Virginia is one of only nine states not facing the prospect of budget deficits, and a leader in the coal industry says that’s no accident.
Old King Coal's Comeback
The Scotsman
By Jenny Haworth
Nov. 21, 2008
Plans were announced for the first new conventional coal fueled power station in Scotland for almost three decades. Scotland is facing a severe shortfall in electricity as demand continues to grow and old coal and nuclear power stations are decommissioned over the next decade.
Permits Issued for First U.S. Coal-to-Liquids Plant
Reuters
Nov. 21, 2008
The final permits needed to build the first U.S. coal-to-liquids plant in eastern Ohio have been issued. Baard Energy plans to build a $6 billion, 53,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) plant converting coal to diesel, jet fuel and naphtha.
Ill. Lawmakers Approve Clean Coal Projects Bill
Chicago Tribune via AP
By Christopher Wills
Nov. 20, 2008
Illinois lawmakers agreed Thursday to aid development of two "clean coal" projects, including a proposed $2.5 billion power plant near Taylorville.
Carbon capture key to using coal
Indianapolis Star
By Kenneth R. Richards and A. James Barnes
Nov. 17, 2008
A successful energy plan needs to do more than reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. It needs to come up with a practical way to take advantage of the energy resources we have available. One means to do that is to develop systems to capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from power plants so that our country can continue to make use of its vast coal reserves.
Report Calls for Overhaul of Power Grid to Handle Sun and Wind Power
New York Times
By Matthew L. Wald
Nov. 9, 2008
Adding electricity from the wind and the sun could increase the frequency of blackouts and reduce the reliability of the nation's electrical grid, a North American Electric Reliability Corporation report says.
Editorial: Capturing carbon in West Michigan
The Grand Rapids Press
Nov. 5, 2008
One technology deserves special attention in West Michigan: Pumping liquefied carbon emissions underground, where unique geological formations can store the harmful chemical. Called carbon sequestration,the process would be especially effective in the Grand Rapids and Holland areas, where thick bands of porous underground sandstone are plentiful about 5,000 feet to 6,000 feet under the surface.
New Poll Data Reveals 70 Percent Public Opinion Approval for Coal-Fueled Electricity
Market Watch
Nov. 6, 2008
With energy demand a top issue for the incoming administration, new poll data released shows overwhelming support and optimism for the use of coal to produce electricity in the United States.
New U.S. Terminals Sit Idle as LNG Sails to Europe, Asia
Greenwire
By Katherine Ling
Oct. 27, 2008
It's been a big year for the U.S. liquefied natural gas market. But there is little business for the terminals. LNG is heading to Europe and Asia, where gas prices far exceed those offered in the United States.
Consumers Starting An Organized Revolt Against Anti-Energy-Supply Government Policies, Civil Rights Leader Says
Grass Roots Power
By Congress of Racial Equality
Oct. 23, 2008
A national civil rights leader says that a new national political movement is building to demand more supply of affordable energy -- from clean coal, oil and gas and nuclear energy -- because supply constraints that raise energy costs discriminate against the poor more than any other segment of society.
UK Wind Farm Plans on Brink of Failure
The Observer
By John Vidal
Oct. 19, 2008
An Observer investigation reveals Gordon Brown’s hopes could be blown wildly off course. No country has tried to switch so fast to renewable energy - but rising costs and technical problems mean that, without urgent action and cash, the targets cannot be met.
Following Europe’s Lead on Climate Change
Townhall.com
By Paul Driessen
Oct. 11, 2008
Environmentalists, journalists and politicians say tough climate legislation is a moral imperative. Global warming science is settled, the United States is out of step with other nations, America must follow Europe’s lead to prevent climate chaos. It’s great rhetoric. But which European lead should we follow?
Study Predicts Winter Heating Prices to Skyrocket for Consumers
Todd County Standard (KY)
Oct. 8, 2008
A new national study illustrates how consumers will be harmed by the efforts of environmental groups to block natural gas production as well as new power plants and power lines.
Study: U.S. Faces Serious Risks of Brownouts or Blackouts in 2009
Transmission & Distribution World
Oct. 1, 2008
A new study highlights what experts have been saying for years: The United States faces significant risk of power brownouts and blackouts as early as next summer that may cost tens of billions of dollars and threaten lives.
Hutton Condemns Nuclear and Coal Critics
The Times
Sept. 22, 2008
John Hutton, Britain's Labour Party Business Secretary, has vowed to take on critics of new coal and nuclear power stations, arguing that their construction was vital to securing Britain's long-term energy needs.
Coal Must be Significant Part of Realistic U.S. Energy Policy
Times West Virginian
Aug. 24, 2008
The United States must look at its energy future realistically, and that includes taking advantage of one of its most abundant resources and one in which West Virginia is rich - coal.
Schweitzer Speech Energizes the Convention
Forbes
By Josh Zumbrun
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer worked the Democratic National Convention crowd into a frenzy, delivering a kinetic speech about - of all things - energy policy.
China Warns on Winter Energy Supply
Reuters
Aug. 22, 2008
China warned that its energy supply problems were likely to last into winter as it struggles to ensure stable sources of coal, oil and power.
Louisiana Declares 'Energy Emergency'
The Times-Picayune
By Rebecca Mowbray
Aug. 13, 2008
The Louisiana Public Service Commission unanimously declared the state's first "energy emergency," a move that allows elderly, low-income and disabled customers to defer paying portions of their electricity bills for as long as a year.