Gustav on our minds Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/31/2008 06:19:00 PM

Hey there. We've arrived in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention. We're excited to be here, but with the nation's attention properly focused on Hurricane Gustav... we're going to use this opportunity to galvanize support for national service.

We'll be helping out the Red Cross and other groups that will be providing service in the preparation and/or the aftermath of the Gulf Coast storm. We're glued to the Weather Channel, and like the rest of the country... we're hoping for the best but fearing the worst.

I'm a clean coal fan Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/29/2008 11:32:32 AM

Well, there we were at Invesco Field last night. Barack Obama was about to give his big speech, when we ran into Cynthia Harris of Huntsville, Ala., who was proudly cooling herself with an America's Power fan.

Our street teams had been handing them out all week, and it was nice to see so many people using them at Invesco Field!

Barack Obama's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/29/2008 12:49:01 AM

In front of an estimated 84,000 people at Invesco Field tonight, Barack Obama said:

"As president, as president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power."

We were encouraged to hear Obama, now officially his party's nominee, commit to a platform that supports the funding of clean coal technology.

Now it's time to head to the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention. We can't wait to see if they agree.

Barack Obama's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/29/2008 12:46:56 AM

In front of an estimated 84,000 people at Invesco Field tonight, Barack Obama said:

"As president, as president, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power."

We were encouraged to hear Obama, now officially his party's nominee, commit to a platform that supports the funding of clean coal technology.

Now it's time to head to the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention. We can't wait to see if they agree.

Wrapping up in Denver Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2008 05:13:07 PM

We’ve had a lot of fun this week talking to people at the Democratic National Convention. At one point, you couldn’t walk down Denver’s 16th Street pedestrian mall without seeing all kinds of folks with clean coal fans or drinking water with the ACCCE logo on it.

Of course, not everyone was supportive – and since this is the Democratic Convention, we even encountered a celebrity who fit that category.

Darryl Hannah (of Splash fame) approached one of our street team members and politely whispered to her, “(clean coal) it’s a myth.”

That’s not true.

Clean coal denotes a suite of real, working technologies used to reduce emissions in the coal-based electricity sector. Constantly evolving technology will allow for additional emissions reductions – including the capture and storage of carbon.

Every credible forecast shows that we will continue to use coal for centuries to come. That’s why we’re in Denver telling folks how important clean coal technology is to America

We know that 100 percent emission-free coal is a work in progress. But instead of dwelling on the problem, join us in finding the solution.

 

Unity Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2008 07:30:00 AM

The theme yesterday at the Democratic National Convention was national security, but the other message of the day was unity.

On this site, we talk about how America’s abundant coal reserves helps promote energy independence and helps secure our nation. But in the theme of unity, I also want to point out something that we always say time and time again:

We believe that we will need all of America’s domestic resources to meet our growing energy needs and protect our energy security.

Jay Rockefeller's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2008 01:15:52 AM

With Joe Biden and former President Clinton speaking tonight, some other speakers got lost in the mix. One such person was Sen. Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.). Here's what Rockefeller had to say:

"We need a leader who will re-establish America as an energy superpower by pursuing every resource at our disposal: alternative fuels, drilling and our most abundant domestic resource, tomorrow's clean coal."

Surprise, surprise... we agree.

On the bus Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2008 01:08:08 AM

All week, we've been shuttling Democratic delegates to various events around Denver. (We'll be doing the same thing next week in the Twin Cities.)

Today, our team rode the shuttle bus with Illinois delegation. We chatted with delegate Jacqueline Y. Collins, who is a state senator from the 16th district of Illinois. As you can see in the picture, she is proudly wearing an Obama: Clean Coal pin. In fact, so was everyone on the bus.

Thank you to the delegations from all across the country for proudly spreading the message on our commitment to clean.

 

Your Opinion Matters Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 04:31:58 PM

Visit our Election Center and take our poll to share your views on how to secure America’s energy future. 

Daily Show Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 12:45:00 PM

Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" is taping here in Denver this week, and they'll be in the Twin Cities next week.

With a long line of ticket-holders waiting to enter the studio, we've been stopping by handing out water and fans.

On a hot summer day in August... the folks in line appreciate the handouts.

Energy security as national security Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 12:22:00 PM

Welcome to Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Last night was all about energy and the economy, and we had a lot to say about that.  Today, the theme is national security – and we’re going to have something to say about that too!

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer set up this conversation when he kept talking about America’s reliance on imported oil.  But here is something to keep in mind.  America has more energy in the form of coal than the entire rest of world has oil. 

And like many of the speakers have mentioned, rising to the challenge is something that we Americans do. To promote energy independence we can and will find new ways to use our abundant coal reserves – which today already accounts for over half of the electricity we use each day. 

Brian Schweitzer's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 09:51:24 AM

Did you hear Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer at the Democratic National Convention last night?

Here's what he said: "There's no single platform for energy independence. It's not a question of either wind or clean coal, solar or hydrogen, oil or geothermal. We need them all to create a strong American energy system, a system built on American innovation."

I couldn't agree more. To meet our growing energy demand, we'll need all our domestic energy sources, including clean coal.

Mark Warner's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 09:49:22 AM

Yesterday, I came across a plug-in electric hybrid car.

I wonder if Virginia Gov. Mark Warner saw it too. In his keynote address last night at the the Democratic National Convention, he said:

"Look at energy. If we actually got ourselves off foreign oil, we can start to make our country safer, we'll start to solve global warming, and with the right policies, within 24 months, we'll be building 100-mile-per-gallon plug-in hybrid vehicles right here, with American technology and American workers."

Yep. Electric vehicles mean we can use our domestic resources as transportation fuels.

Street teams Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 08:41:00 AM

Our street teams are hitting Denver again today, reminding people that coal provides 50 percent of the electricity in America and that it's cleaner than ever before.

Chatting on the street Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2008 01:37:21 AM

Folks here in Denver at the Democratic National Convention are not shy about sharing their point of view. Today, I walked down the 16th Street pedestrian mall and encountered people who have strong views on abortion, the war in Iraq and a whole host of other issues.

At one point, I encountered a young man who was standing by one of our street teams. He told me his biggest concern was related to mountaintop mining (which accounts for a small percentage of the coal mining we use in this country). I certainly appreciate this man’s commitment, and we clearly recognize that for some people coal will never be seen as a viable energy option.

We’re focusing our time and energy on the folks who recognize that we do have a growing demand for energy and that we need to use domestic energy resources to meet that demand. And we’re talking about investing in technologies to reduce emissions -– including the capture and storage of carbon.  These are points that resonate with most Americans (and most of the people here in Denver).

Electric cars Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 04:34:00 PM

I just came across this plug-in hybrid, which averages 115 miles per gallon in city driving.

Of course, a car like this draws its energy from the American energy resources on the electricity grid, rather than foreign-based gasoline. Thus, it offers a way to reduce reliance on imported oil.

The car has been drawing a lot of attention here on the street. Isn't advanced technology great?

Mobile billboards Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 01:28:31 PM

As promised, here is our billboard on the environment/economy. I know this ad is getting attention, since writers at the DailyKos were asking us about it yesterday.

Other groups voice similar concerns about high energy prices Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 01:23:26 PM

On the way to the Democratic National Convention today, I came across this billboard. It's by a group here in Colorado that is upset by escalating fuel prices.

Our America's Power campaign has its own billboards in Denver on energy prices and the economy... I'll see if I can find one to show you.

Energy and the economy Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 01:13:12 PM

Carl Pope of the Sierra Club has a post on the Huffington Post today with the headline ”The economy is energy, stupid."

We agree.

Today, over half of American families are spending at least 25 percent of what they earn on energy-related costs.  Moreover, energy costs are the second leading factor (behind labor costs) in determining where a business locates.

If we want to create jobs, we need to ensure affordable electricity particularly in the energy-intensive manufacturing sector. 

We agree with Carl Pope -- energy is the driver of economy.

Today's agenda Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 11:17:23 AM

Viewers watching the convention on TV often don't realize that there's much more going on outside the convention hall than inside.

For instance, today there will be a clean energy summit here in Denver with many political leaders taking part.

We'll be there, of course. And we'll keep you informed as to what's going on.

Media attention Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 11:07:28 AM

One of the neat things about the conventions are the special newspapers that pop up in the convention hall and in the hotels where the delegates are staying.

The inside-the-Beltway publications like CQ, Politico, the Hill, National Journal, Roll Call all have a presence here.

Yesterday's National Journal Convention Nightly had a nice write-up of the America's Power campaign here at the conventions.

Click here to take a look.

Our Web ad Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 11:04:15 AM

As we get going with our activities today, I should mention that we're also  going to be shooting daily videos of what it's like on the ground here in  Denver. (And we'll do the same thing next week in the Twin Cities.) We'll find out what people are saying about high energy prices and the need for energy security.

In the meantime, we put together a Web ad that will run Wednesday on CNN.com. Here's a sneak peak:

Wrapping up Day 1 Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2008 02:20:18 AM

Well, that's a wrap on Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention.

 

We talked to a lot of people, got written up in USA Today, the Denver Post and other media sites... and we're going to rest up for another big day tomorrow.

 

In particular, we'll be hanging around the Blogger Tent, where there will be several speakers talking about energy.

 

Check back soon for the latest from Denver.

Tonight's the night Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/25/2008 03:27:55 PM

On this very stage later tonight, we'll hear from Michelle Obama.

As she has crossed America on the campaign trail, I'm sure that she has met lots of families who are struggling to pay higher energy costs. It will be interesting to see if she includes any of the stories of those folks in her speech tonight.

Over the next few days, many big names will take the podium.

What will they say about energy policy? Will they talk about how America's growing energy demands plays a part in how we address the climate change issue? Will they talk about how to ensure a reliable, affordable energy supply?

We hope so!

Meeting up with DailyKos Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/25/2008 03:21:50 PM

As we suspected, people here at the Democratic National Convention in Denver are talking about energy issues.

We met this morning with two DailyKos contributing editors.  They asked our media team how clean coal can ensure that the next president, whomever he is, doesn't have to choose between the environment or the economy?

Clearly, they've seen our billboards around town! 

We'll be looking carefully to see what the DailyKos ends up writing about our discussion. And we're excited to have more of these discussions with bloggers here in Denver and next week in the Twin Cities.

On the ground in Denver Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/24/2008 09:27:55 PM

Excitement is in the air. All this week, the America’s Power campaign will be coming to you from Denver, the site of the Democratic National Convention. Next week, we’ll be in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention.

You don’t have to be in Denver or the Twin Cities to understand that energy has emerged as one of the key issues of the 2008 election. As I travel across the country, I see political ads in just about every state where candidates from both parties are talking about energy issues. People are talking about how energy prices affect our everyday lives. They are talking about the need for policies that promote energy independence. And people are discussing the link between energy production and the environment.

This is a discussion we welcome, because let’s face it -– this is what we’ve been talking about for a long time.

We're at the political conventions to talk about how America’s domestic coal reserves provide a low-cost energy source that can help us become more energy independent. And as always, we’ll be talking about how investments in technologies continue to make American coal an even cleaner energy option for both America and the world (given that other countries will also be increasing their use of coal to meet growing energy needs).

I invite you to follow along with us as this policy dialogue unfolds over the next few weeks.

We welcome your comments on what is shaping up to be the more important topic in this year’s election: securing America’s energy future.

Our role at the conventions Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/19/2008 02:12:01 PM

With the DNC and RNC conventions coming up, ACCCE is prepared to play a big role. We’ll be on the ground in both locations, reminding delegates about the important role coal can play in our clean energy future.

With that in mind, the Politico has an interesting story today about groups sponsoring the upcoming DNC and RNC conventions.

They interviewed me, and here’s what they wrote:

“We started this conversation with policymakers and the American public in 2000,” said Joe Lucas, the coalition’s vice president of communications. “We’ve significantly turned up the volume on that conversation in the last year.”

And the coalition figured, what better place to go to continue that conversation than at the conventions?

In billboards and other ads, the coalition will argue that the coal-based electricity industry can help keep jobs at home, reduce costs for consumers and — with more research — find its own tidy spot in an environmentally cleaner energy future.

“Clean coal means the next president won’t have to choose between the economy and the environment,” concluded Lucas, adding that both Barack Obama and John McCain already see coal in the nation’s future energy industry.

This will be the coalition’s first appearance at the two political conventions. But Denver is clearly the group’s best shot at a breakthrough moment.

More Support for Clean Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/18/2008 03:17:20 PM

This week, Professor Stanford Levin of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville wrote a spot-on op-ed detailing his views on clean coal. Levin wrote that:

“The industry has been spending money to develop better coal technology, but making the burning of coal truly clean will require some research support from the government. Why is this? Why can't the industry just do it?

Research to develop clean coal technology is expensive, and it requires more money than any one company is able to commit.”

That’s exactly what we’ve been saying here all along. He also makes sound observations on electric cars, renewable energy and energy security.

Now, before anyone questions Mr. Levin’s expertise, they should know he has consulted on energy issues for over 30 years and served on the Illinois Commerce Commission, the agency that regulates electric and gas utilities.

It’s always great when someone voices their support for CCT – especially when that person is well-informed on the issues at hand. So let’s listen to people like Mr. Levin and make sure we keep putting dollars into clean coal technology – our energy future depends on it.

Finding room for agreement Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/12/2008 02:19:03 PM

Cathy Zoi, the CEO of the Alliance for Climate Protection who occasionally blogs at the Huffington Post, wrote yesterday that coal “can also play a significant role by capturing and storing their carbon emissions safely. Our hope is that this CCS emissions technology can be developed and commercialized quickly.”

Now… I don’t agree with Zoi on a lot of issues. (Click here for a broader look at our reaction to her group’s energy plan, put forward by Al Gore last month.) But I do agree with this particular point.

Coal provides half of America’s electricity generation, so of course it has an important role to play. I tend to repeat myself, but… as a result of our commitment to clean, today’s coal-based generating fleet is 70 percent cleaner on the basis of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced. And we’re not done yet!

The Candidates on Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/06/2008 11:07:12 AM

Energy is the theme on the campaign trail this week.

While McCain was stumping in the Midwest and touring a nuclear plant, Obama on Monday declared this week as “Energy Week,” and announced his energy plan. Both candidates’ have voiced their support for clean coal technology, and their respective energy plans include funding for more research and development.

And while everyone is focusing on oil and offshore drilling, we would point out that America has more coal than oil. Converting to hybrid plug-in cars and powering them with electricity from clean coal is a path to energy independence. The next president will have to be firmly committed to provide the resources needed to get us there.

We believe, as many experts do, that $2 billion a year is needed to fund carbon capture and storage research. Once carbon capture and storage is deployed, our coal-generating plants will be close to emissions free.

That means we can use an abundant American resource for affordable electricity – and use it more cleanly than ever before, and rely less on foreign energy sources.

But what are you hearing in the candidates’ plans that you like or don’t like? Are they giving enough attention and focus to our most abundant energy resource and the technology we need to use it more cleanly?.

What would you say to them?

Coal Still the Cheapest Power Source Despite Increases Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/05/2008 05:34:11 PM

It seems everything costs more these days. Milk, eggs, gas and even coal – the price of each of these commodities has risen in the last few months.

And as we all know, the media loves to point this stuff out. There are articles and news reports like this one nearly everyday, telling us that as the price of fuel goes, so go our electric bills.

But one important fact is often left out, which is that even with price increases coal is still by far our cheapest full source. Here’s how some of our major energy sources stack up based on the average cost in dollars per million Btu for 2007 (annual average for the full year):

Coal — $1.78
Petroleum liquids — $9.21
Natural gas — $7.45

(You can take a look for yourself at www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm.pdf)

Numbers like these make it clear that we need to continue to develop carbon capture and clean coal technologies. Finding better ways to use our most affordable and abundant fuel source will not only help us keep America running, it will help ease the costs of doing so.