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Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/29/2008 02:47:37 PM
A favorite sound bite from critics of the coal industry is that CCT and carbon sequestration aren’t viable energy solutions because they will take too long to develop. When pressed for an alternative, these critics repeat a mantra of their own: more wind, more solar.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/28/2008 03:42:07 PM
The Huffington Post yesterday chose to address workplace safety issues in the U.S. coal mining industry in light of the release of the federal investigative agency's report on the Crandall Canyon accident and mine safety by posting a blog. Amazingly they chose to highlight this blog by posting an illustration of a coal miner being crucified, similarly to that of Jesus Christ.
What the Huffington Post is trying so callously to imply is their own personal opinion that the mining industry is not committed to safety. Nothing could be further from the truth. If one looks at the facts, one clearly sees that the coal mining industry has made great strides in improving worker safety and, in fact today, has a safety record that rivals the manufacturing, retail, and even health care industries. That said, everyone agrees that one accident is one too many and that is why the coal industry is committed to further improvements in worker safety aimed at achieving a zero-accident frequency.
We mourn with the families of those nine miners who were taken from us in an untimely fashion. We hope that the Huffington Post will join us in our grief and respect those families by removing this illustration from their site.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/25/2008 01:32:29 PM
Did you know that energy costs for the average U.S. household since 2001 have more than doubled? Or that rising energy costs are disproportionately impacting minority households?
Those are the findings of a new study we released today.
Click here to take a look at the full study.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/22/2008 12:00:22 PM
A day after Al Gore faced questions from Tom Brokaw on NBC’s “Meet The Press,” let’s look back and see how it went.
As the transcript shows, here are some of Brokaw’s questions and statements:
- “What you have outlined, in fact, is a goal that may not be achievable.”
- “What would electricity cost in terms of the transition while it's under way? Most estimates are that it would cost a lot more money, and that would have a devastating effect on Main Street and especially on rural America.”
- “There's going to have to be some pain, some sacrifice on the part of the American taxpayer, isn't there?”
Those are good points to bring up. But of course, we had a couple other questions we wish would have been asked too.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/18/2008 09:34:07 PM
When I heard that Tom Brokaw will interviewing Al Gore on Sunday's "Meet the Press," I asked for help coming up with questions to ask the former vice president about his energy plan.
I got some good suggestions and put together what I think are the three most important questions I'd like to see Gore answer. I've listed them below, along with questions written by the folks at Gristmill. As you'll see, we agreed on one question and differed on two others.
Collaborating with Gristmill is a good step toward opening a dialogue that sticks to the facts rather than on baseless accusations.
A joint question for Al Gore from Grist and ACCCE:
1. How did you come up with the year 2018 as a hard-cap goal for total renewable electricity generation? Is that goal scientifically based? What research did you use?
ACCCE questions:
1. Renewables are great — we SHOULD increase their use. But they don't provide baseload power — that is, we need electricity 24-hours per day, not just during the hours when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. How would you address baseload power concerns?
2. How do you balance your environmental goals with the current economic climate in which Americans cannot afford increases in electricity prices?
Grist questions:
1. What practical measures will we take to get to zero emission electricity in 10 years? Let's say Congress passes a resolution to aim for carbon-neutral electricity in 10 years, what would be the next step?
2. Is there room in your plan for private investment? Or, would the installation of a modern electric grid become a completely public undertaking?
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/18/2008 02:46:13 PM
Interested in our opinion on the energy plan Al Gore unveiled yesterday in Washington? Click here for our reaction.
Not everyone can get their questions answered by Al Gore, but Tom Brokaw will on Sunday when he sits down with the former vice president on "Meet the Press."
What questions would you like to have asked of Al Gore? Offer up your suggestions in our comment area.
Later on, we'll compare your questions with the ones put together by a national environmental blog — I'll bet some of them are the same!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/17/2008 04:41:02 PM
You'll recall that we went to D.C.'s Capitol Hill in June to talk to people on the street about where electricity comes from and how they feel about our energy future. That's how our first Coal Walking video was born.
One of the people we ran into that day was Evie Kirkwood, who turned the microphone on us! The
result was an unrehearsed interview with our senior communications
director, Steve Gates.
Take a look at the video below.
And remember: we'll be doing more of these Coal Walking videos on the future, so subscribe to our YouTube channel!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/10/2008 12:00:09 PM
We generate electricity from coal at one-third the cost of other fuels. That’s more important now than ever before, given that the federal government estimates that electricity prices will continue to climb to their highest levels.
A report released this week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that due mostly to skyrocketing natural gas prices, average electricity rates will climb an average of 9.8 percent in 2009. (See news story.)
As you can see, we can’t afford to take any energy source off the table, for risk of creating even more demand for natural gas, which would drive up the price further.
Natural gas is a great fuel, but the primary use for natural gas in this country is for residential heating and industrial processes. And the more that we use natural gas as a fuel for electricity generation, we end up driving up the cost of natural gas in those other sectors — as well as paying higher prices for electricity. It’s like a double-whammy.
In this country, coal is used only to generate electricity. It’s uniquely positioned to do that. And it’s our most affordable option, and thanks to technology … getting cleaner everyday.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/09/2008 09:46:19 AM
Add the International Energy Agency to the list of groups that believe carbon capture will play a major part in curbing CO2 emissions and combating climate change.
According to a recent Reuters article, the “IEA says the goal of bringing CO2 emissions back to current levels in 2050 can be achieved using existing technology — such as carbon capture and storage — and technology that is close to completion.”
And where might we store the captured carbon? How about Iowa or New Mexico? Carbon sequestration research and test projects are currently being undertaken in both states — as well as 39 others.
By continually discovering new ways to capture carbon, we are also ensuring an energy future that will allow us to cleanly use coal — our cheapest and most abundant fuel — to generate reliable, affordable electricity.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/04/2008 10:00:00 AM
Independence Day is a reminder to us all to work to make our country less energy dependent.
Energy, the environment and the economy are inextricably linked.
If our government places too much focus on the negatives of coal instead of the positives, it all but guarantees that we will see electricity prices spike in the same manner as natural gas and oil.
Additionally, limiting the use of our most abundant and affordable fuel source (coal) will only increase our dependence on foreign energy sources and increase the threat to our national security.
On America's birthday, don't we deserve an energy policy that keeps our economy running strong, protects our natural resources and ensures our nation's energy security? That would be the best present of all.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/03/2008 03:53:51 PM
Last month, the Department of Energy announced that it will likely select the revised FutureGen clean coal projects by the end of the year — underscoring the federal government's commitment to making clean coal a part of our energy future.
According to the Department of Energy, the projects will concentrate on the carbon capture and sequestration component of multiple commercial power plants across the United States.
DOE is initially offering $290 million to fund the 50-50 cost share of the carbon capture and sequestration components of the projects, to be followed by $1.1 billion that would be available in subsequent years if approved by Congress.
We still believe that the government should honor its initial commitment to build a FutureGen demonstration plant in Mattoon, Ill. That is... the Mattoon project should not have been scrapped to pursue other projects. If we're serious about meeting CO2 reduction goals, we should be doing MORE, not LESS.
People in Illinois think so too - just this week, a state board pledged $2 million to move FutureGen forward and the FutureGen Alliance will match the grants and spend another $6 million toward the effort.
Remember, for each month the project delayed, the cost goes up by about $10 million because of inflation. So it's in everyone's interest to get the political part of this squared away soon!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/01/2008 04:53:47 PM
Interested to hear our thoughts on yesterday's court ruling in Georgia on the Longleaf Energy Station?
Take a look at the press statement we just put out.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/01/2008 03:27:03 PM
If you fear filling up your car
because of the sky-high gas prices… you’re not alone.
A new Associated
Press/Yahoo! poll reveals that high gas
prices are causing a hardship for a whopping 90 percent of Americans.
In this politically divisive atmosphere, it’s hard to get
Americans to agree on anything — here’s something on which we can all agree:
high energy prices make it harder to get by.
As you know, we support a federal program to regulate CO2
emissions… provided it is done in a way that keeps energy costs affordable to
the consumer. Now you know why we’re so concerned about affordability.
But hey — this isn’t a gloom-and-doom message. We think it
can be done!
Joe Lucas helped form Americans for Balanced Energy Choices in 1999 and is Senior Vice President, Communications for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. He has spent his entire professional career shaping energy and environmental policies at the state and federal levels.
© 2007-2009 American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity
