Coal: Part of America’s Blended Energy Solution Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/29/2008 11:28:01 AM

This month, Energy Central’s featured writer poses another inconvenient truth: we need coal as part of America’s energy solution.

Mark Gabriel, an executive management consultant for R.W. Beck, carefully lays out the need for America’s coal by looking at our projected energy demand alongside our means of meeting it, citing a recent report from the North American Electric Reliability Corporation that shows that six of 10 U.S. regions will have insufficient electricity capacity by 2009. Says Gabriel: “No amount of alternative energy can meet the needs in the next 10 to 15 years, even if some huge hurdles such as energy storage are achieved.”

Need a visual? Take a look at this graph, using figures from the EIA’s 2007 Annual Energy Outlook:

Source: Energy Information Administration 2007 Annual Energy Outlook
Electricity demand is expected to increase in the U.S. by 1.7% per year through 2030 requiring an increase in generating capacity of roughly 30%.

On top of the cold, hard facts, Gabriel delivers a dose of harsh reality for politicians and coal opponents:

The current aversion to coal is another clear example that politicians and the public do not recognize the complex nature of our energy enterprise, its critical nature and fragility. More than 30 coal plants were canceled or delayed in the U.S. in 2007 at a time when electricity demand was rising making the total number of canceled or delayed plants over the past two years to 52.

[T]hese cancellations are rationalized through the mistaken belief that energy efficiency and renewables can supplant the baseload generation provided by coal and nuclear as well as an unrealistic reliance on natural gas, which again topped $10 a million cubic feet in early April, up from $3 just three years ago.

Gabriel’s article underscores the point we’ve been making all along: coal needs to be part of the energy conversation. It’s our most abundant, affordable resource and we couldn’t run the country without it. The sooner we stop making coal part of the problem and get on board with making it part of the solution, the sooner we’ll get cleaner technologies to market and reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources.

Read more.

The need for more power Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/29/2008 09:01:53 AM

Here’s a story from Fortune regarding gas shortages in the South.

While I recognize that this particular situation was related to a weather disruption (Hurricane Ike), many experts agree that the high oil prices are clearly the result of growing demand and inadequate supply.  High prices and what we hope for now are temporary supply disruptions could be the harbinger of worse things to come.

But could the same thing also happen with respect to electricity?

Today, electricity demand is growing at twice the rate that we’re adding new capacity. And some groups (along with former Vice President Al Gore) are suggesting that activists take “drastic” measures to prevent the construction on new power facilities that have been granted permits from state and local authorities (and even in some cases have successfully won legal challenges that were lodged by these groups).

The fact is, our electricity needs in this country are growing and we’re going to need new coal-based power plants (along with other energy sources as well). Once people accept the fact that coal will be part of our energy future, we can work together on putting efforts toward supporting R&D for advanced clean coal technologies for carbon capture and storage. That way we can have our cake and eat it too.

Linking security and energy Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/26/2008 11:02:14 PM

We said earlier that you can’t talk about national security without mentioning a topic inextricably linked to it: energy independence.

And sure enough... at tonight's debate, Barack Obama said that we "have to have an energy policy to deal with not just Russia" but other politically volatile and/or unfriendly nations. He mentioned that using American coal can help us become less dependent on foreign energy sources.

To be sure, John McCain agrees. As we're proud to mention, both candidates know that coal is abundant, affordable and increasingly clean.

Street teams Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/26/2008 05:01:08 PM

Just like at the Democratic and Republican national conventions, we've got street teams handing out information about our campaign.

If you look closely, the man in this picture is wearing an Obama hat and a McCain sticker.

As we say, we don't know who will be running the country, but we know what will: American coal.

CCT at Ole Miss Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/26/2008 04:53:29 PM

While here in Oxford, Miss., we ran into Professor Wei-Yin Chen at the chemical engineering department here at the University of Mississippi. He was excited to see our America's Power campaign on campus.

Professor Chen's department has been working on advanced technology for the clean burning of coal. His team is in the process of applying for a patent for a new system to further reduce nitrogen oxide during the combustion process.

He is also doing work on reducing carbon dioxide in coal-generating plants.

Already, he has secured over $2 million in federal funds for his bench-scale research.

Remember, there are clean coal technology projects all across the country.

Click here to see what research is taking place near you.

Hello from Mississippi! Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/26/2008 02:39:45 PM

Check out our Clean Coal ad on the CNN Express Yourself bus!

We’ve been on the Ole Miss campus all afternoon talking about our commitment to clean coal as a source of affordable, reliable American energy. 

The campus is abuzz as we close in on the first presidential debate tonight at 8P (CST). Tune into hear what the candidates have to say about national security, and check back here for more updates from the road.

National security: What’s coal got to do with it? Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/26/2008 02:12:55 PM

The first presidential debate is scheduled for tonight on the theme of national security. Of course, you can’t talk about national security without mentioning a topic inextricably linked to it: energy independence.

From running Wall Street to getting people to the emergency room, we couldn’t maintain our daily operations without energy. And as long as we import energy sources from volatile parts of the world, we’ll remain vulnerable to the fallout of foreign conflicts—including energy shortages and steep energy prices.

Fortunately, we can best address this issue by putting to work our most abundant resource: coal.

We have coal like the Middle East has oil, and currently over 50% of the electricity we use every day comes from American coal. For the past 30 years, we’ve used coal to meet America’s growing energy demands, hold down electricity costs for families and businesses, and improved air quality—making it all the more clear that coal is part of America’s solution for energy independence.

As you watch the debate tonight, remember that our economy and the livelihood of U.S. families depend on a reliable energy infrastructure. We need a president who supports homegrown energy initiatives, funneling money into American energy projects instead of sending it oversees to nations that don't have our best interest at heart.

The Future Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/24/2008 02:07:40 PM

I've been reading a few stories this week questioning whether generating electricity from coal will be possible if Congress decides to regulate carbon emissions.

Some people say the future possibility of greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies will mean that coal will have a diminished role in meeting future energy needs.

Wrong.

There is no credible energy forecast that doesn’t show coal use growing both here in the U.S. and around the world.  Meeting our growing energy demand will not be possible without coal (and I challenge anybody to present an accepted scenario that says otherwise).  That is why we believe ensuring the availability of carbon capture and storage technology is so important to meeting our energy supply and environmental goals. 

And I still hear some folks say that ACCCE opposes measures to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Wrong again.

ACCCE supports federal policies to achieve meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in the utility sector, provided we simultaneously work to protect energy security and keep energy costs affordable for consumers. Striking this balance will require hard work, but it can be done.   

We see climate change is a global issue requiring leadership by the United States and actions by all nations in a spirit of shared responsibility to devise and carry out practical, cost-effective measures by government, business, and citizens to slow, stop, and then reverse the growth of manmade greenhouse gas emissions. We know that coal has a big role to play in the future, even with the possibility (even likelihood) of future carbon regulations.

That is why investing in advanced clean coal technologies for the capture and storage of CO2 is so important, and we call upon groups that might not have supported coal R&D in the past to reconsider their position on that point. 

Where the Candidates Stand on Clean Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/24/2008 01:18:42 PM

Recently, the law firm VanNess Feldman put a finer point on John McCain and Barack Obama’s clean coal proposals, lining them up side by side. The comparison uses language taken directly from the campaign websites.

Take a look:

McCain

• Aim to provide $2 billion annually to advance clean coal technology
• Commit significant federal resources to researching, developing and advancing clean coal technologies

Obama

• Provide incentives to ramp up private investments in commercial-scale, zero-carbon coal plants
• Guide the Department of Energy into partnerships with private companies to develop 5 commercial-scale coal plants  equipped with CCS technology

Which candidate do you feel will do the most to help America utilize our most abundant and affordable energy resource? We’ll be watching closely in the weeks to come to see how the candidates’ energy plans shake out.

T. Boone Pickens Goes on the Record about Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/22/2008 04:07:36 PM

Some of our staff attended T. Boone Pickens’ speech at the National Press Club this afternoon, at which he spoke about reducing U.S. dependency on foreign oil and the need for a comprehensive energy plan using American-only resources, confirming: “I’m for everything that’s American when it comes to energy.”

Naturally, his “everything American” stance appeals to us, as coal is the country’s most abundant resource. And we were (mostly) pleased to hear Pickens talk about American coal during the Q-and-A session.

A questioner asked if he thought there was a place for coal in the overall American energy plan. Without hesitating, Pickens responded, “I’m ready to go [on coal]. Coal is fine with me, but we’ve got to clean it up.”

We’ve got a small bone to pick with the latter half of that statement, as Mr. Pickens seems unaware that we’ve been cleaning up coal. In fact, coal is 70 percent cleaner today than it was in 1970, based on the regulated pollutants per unit of energy produced.

This is due in large part to the more than $50 billion electricity providers have invested in clean coal technologies. And as far as we’re concerned, we’re just getting started.

Australian Government to Fund Clean Coal Institute Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/19/2008 05:02:59 PM

On the heels of our posts regarding the criticism of federal clean coal funding and the need to develop clean coal technologies for the global market, comes this story:

The Australian government will create an $80 million dollar global clean coal institute. The ultimate goal, according to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, is to cut harmful emissions by 60 percent by 2050.

According to Bloomberg News, the Australian government “wants to promote projects that use new technology that help reduce emissions of carbon dioxide,” adding that the institute will both promote the development of clean coal projects and help raise funds for those projects. Pending approval from Australia’s upper-house senate, storage facilities will be set up off Australia’s coast to contain carbon captured during power production. Prime Minster Rudd hopes to have the institute up and running by January, about the same time our new president will be settling into office.

On the one hand, it’s encouraging to see such this kind of involvement and excitement around clean coal technology.

On the other hand, it further highlights our need to take a proactive role in the development and marketing of these technologies here in America.

We must work hard here in the United States to take the lead on this issue.

Clean Coal Technology: The Investment Pays Off Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/19/2008 04:48:28 PM

Taxpayers for Common Sense put out a factsheet last week that says that government funding for clean coal technologies “has largely been a waste of taxpayer dollars.”

We whole-heartedly disagree. And so do the facts.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) report, “Clean Coal Technology: It Pays Off,” summarizes the benefits of its clean coal technology (CCT) program, which aimed to cut harmful emissions from coal-fired plants, decrease the cost of generating clean energy, create new U.S. jobs, and solidify a partnership between government and the energy industry.

According to the DOE, the CCT program is evidence “that the taxpayers’ investment has paid real and measurable dividends,” and that “technological innovation introduced through the CCT program now provides consumers cost-effective, clean, coal-based energy.”

Among the measurable dividends:

1. SO2 and NOx control technologies were moved into the industrial marketplace, providing affordable regulatory compliance.

2. Affordable retrofits were developed to contain harmful pollutants from existing power plants.

3. Advanced coal-based systems were moved to the commercial sector, representing “a quantum leap in efficiency and performance.”

4. A successful collaboration from the energy industry, universities and state and federal governments.

Furthermore, the DOE report concluded that “a new generation of coal-based power is required to provide the energy to sustain economic growth domestically and internationally, while addressing global and regional environmental concerns.”

So what can we conclude? Well…I guess the Taxpayers for Common Sense folks don’t think clean air, reliable electricity and lower energy costs are worth all that much.

Poll in Arkansas Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/19/2008 02:22:35 PM

Maybe there is hope after all. Today, I just got word from a colleague in Arkansas that the local NBC affiliate in Little Rock had a online poll asking about public’s support for coal.

For those of you who aren’t aware, Arkansas has been somewhat of a ground zero for the past several weeks in an ongoing plant siting battle. The environmental regulators in Arkansas and Texas — after exhaustive hearings and reviews — have granted approval for a new advance coal plant to be built that will help meet the region’s growing demand for electricity.

The results of the poll buck the trend of the “not in my backyard” sentiment.

Here’s the question:

SWEPCO (the local utility) is proposing to built a coal energy plant in Hempstead County. Do you agree with coal being used to produce energy?

Results:

Yes – 79.3%

No – 20.7%

At the time I received the e-mail, nearly 600 people had voted, and let’s all remember that these polls are not designed to be scientific.

But I do believe that this is a sign that people do get it. Coal will be a part of our energy future. It is affordable and with technology is getting cleaner every day.

And, perhaps most of all, it is ours (we have an abundant supply right here in America).

Clean Coal and American Innovation Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/18/2008 12:04:28 PM

A couple of interesting stories popped up from across the pond this week that may spark clean coal innovation here in the U.S.

First, Reuters reported that German utility RWE is among those worldwide looking into pilot carbon capture and storage (CCS) programs. CCS has been shown to clean coal-generated electricity by removing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and burying them far underground. The public sector may share the costs of the $2.8 billion energy investment.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported this week on the revival of an old technique called underground coal gasification.

This technique is becoming an attractive means of extracting energy for its ability to tap otherwise inaccessible coal reserves, potentially tripling or quadrupling recoverable coal reserves globally. Furthermore, gasification doesn’t emit sulfur oxide or nitrogen oxide, and results in lower levels of mercury and particulates into the air and water. A byproduct of the gasification process is hydrogen, a gas with emerging importance as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

But what does all this have to do with American innovation?

You might recall a few years back when American automakers stalled on the creation of hybrid cars, while Japanese car makers worked on perfecting the technology. Soon the demand for hybrid cars rose and American automakers were unable to meet it. The result: Americans bought more foreign cars and the U.S. spent more money trying to compete with foreign markets.

We can’t afford to be late to the game on this one. We, like many other countries around the world, depend on coal and the energy it provides for economic growth and stability. We must spearhead carbon capture and sequestration efforts in order to support a growing global demand—and do so as cleanly as possible.

So let’s take a clue from our European friends and work on getting cooperation of the private and public sectors to shoulder some of the costs associated with creating clean coal technologies. Together we can find an effective way to reduce CO2 emissions, create more U.S. jobs and become a market leader in clean coal technology.

The Future of Clean Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/09/2008 10:55:00 AM

After two weeks of outreach at the Democratic and Republican National conventions, the blogs of many of the environmental groups are loaded with claims that “clean coal is no more than a working hypothesis.”

On substance, I respectfully disagree.

Why do these groups think that clean coal is any less of a certainty than the notion that renewables can displace significant quantities of baseload generation currently supplied by traditional energy resources like coal?

The fact is, the path of ensuring the widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies for coal-based power plants is better defined and ultimately more doable than what these other groups would have you accept (that energy efficiency and renewables alone could result in significant displacement of traditional fuels currently used to meet baseload generation needs).

I suspect this simple fact is why both Barack Obama and John McCain have endorsed continued investments in clean coal technology to ensure that America can continue to rely on our domestic coal reserves as a means of providing affordable, reliable and increasingly clean electricity.

Goodbye from the Twin Cities Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/05/2008 10:36:02 AM

The balloons have fallen, the speeches made, the buttons swapped and the nominees named. So comes to the end our efforts at the Democratic and Republican conventions.

We went to Denver and the Twin Cities to give a voice to millions of Americans who are concerned about higher energy costs. We continued to make people aware of how our energy security is linked both to our national security and our economic security.  As we always do, we continued to push efforts to invest in a new generation of advanced technologies to make American coal – our most abundant energy resource – an even cleaner energy option … including the capture and storage of greenhouse gases. 

It’s been a fun two weeks.

But we’re not done yet. There is still work to be done.

This year, energy policy going to be one of the major issues of this election.  Like John McCain and Barack Obama, we’ll be hitting the campaign trail to make sure that voters continue to ask the candidates about their plans to keep energy costs affordable, secure our energy future, and ensure we pass along a cleaner environment to future generations. 

If you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably noticed that there are people who say that these goals can’t be accomplished.  Well, we do. 

We see that American clean coal not only can be a part of our energy future … but, it must.  Luckily, both candidates agree and we’ll be there to ensure that their support does not go unnoticed.

My Take on the Magic Map and Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/04/2008 03:38:20 PM

If you’ve been watching coverage of the conventions, you’ve probably noticed that energy is a hot topic. You’ve also probably noticed that there are big differences between the two parties on several key energy issues. But one thing they clearly agree upon is American coal.

Besides the fact that coal supplies over half of the electricity we depend upon each day, why has it become such a favorite topic in this election? 

Well, here’s my take on CNN’s famous “magic map” (see below – the percentages reflect how much of each state’s power comes from coal). If you look at the key swing states in this year’s election, you’ll see that most of these states rely heavily on coal for their electricity. In some cases, there is also significant coal production in these states.

Why is this important?

States that rely more heavily on coal for their electricity have significantly lower electricity costs than those that don’t. Not only does this mean lower energy costs for residents, it also makes them attractive for economic development opportunities. And in an election year where the economy and energy costs are dominating the conversation, the candidates know that coal makes a difference in these places.  

That is why they are paying attention – and that is why both McCain, Obama and others agree that American coal will continue to play an important role in our energy future.

On the Road with Clean Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/04/2008 02:45:56 PM

Plug-in hybrid cars very well may be the future of the automobile industry. Just the other morning, Honda announced that it will have a new low-cost hybrid in its 2009 vehicle lineup.

Coincidentally, a great editorial titled “Clean coal will power electric cars” ran in the Des Moines Register on the same day. And the author is right.

As it stands today, coal would provide more than 50 percent of the power that plug-in hybrid cars run on. And as we’ve said here before, that’s great news for all Americans.

Why? By relying more on domestic coal and less on imported oil, we’re greatly increasing America’s energy security.

Plus … if the plug-in hybrid’s electricity can be produced utilizing CCT and carbon sequestration, we can also greatly reduce the greenhouse gases that are currently being released into the atmosphere by every car on the highway without increasing emissions in the utilities sector.

It’s going to take every resource we’ve got to solve our climate and energy puzzle, so let’s hit the road and keep looking for solutions.

Talking with Trent Lott Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/04/2008 12:25:28 PM

As I said earlier, we bumped into former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) on the floor of the RNC convention. Here's what he had to say:

Coal walking Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/04/2008 01:25:37 AM

Our guy Steve Gates was on the convention floor today talking with delegates about energy security. The Texas delegates (above) dressed the part. Below is Trent Lott. As always, catch the videos at coalwalking.com.

Sarah Palin's speech Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/04/2008 01:03:50 AM

Tonight, Governor Palin and other speakers talked about the role American clean coal will play in our energy future.  She was not alone. Carly Fiorina and others made similar references.

This just goes to prove what we've said all along:  we may not know who will be running this country in 2009, but we know what will -- American coal.

Here's what Palin said:

"Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we're going to lay more pipelines ... build more nuclear plants ... create jobs with clean coal ... and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources."

Tonight's Speech Buzz Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/03/2008 06:14:52 PM

I suspect that I will not be alone in looking forward to hearing Governor Palin’s speech tonight. From the buzz I’m hearing on today’s political shows, energy policy is going to be a major focus of the governor’s speech. Given that energy prices and concerns about our energy security have emerged as a primary issue in this election, I look forward to what she has to say. It will also be interesting to see if she and/or Senator McCain echo the support of clean coal we heard last week from Senator Obama in Denver. 

Street teams in St. Paul Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/03/2008 11:28:43 AM

Our street teams have been in both Minneapolis and St. Paul all week.

Above are two Minnesota residents who were proud to sport their clean coal hats and buttons.

Below, we handed out goodies to the folks waiting in line for the Daily Show taping.

Lynn Swann Interview Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/03/2008 11:09:24 AM

You read that right. We interviewed NFL great Lynn Swann on the floor of the Republican National Convention. Watch the video to hear his thoughts on energy, the coal industry and CCT. And be sure to check back here later, because we'll be on the convention floor all day.

Chatting with Gov. Heineman Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/02/2008 03:27:19 PM

Earlier today, we sat down with Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman (R) to talk about the importance of continued development and deployment of clean coal technology. 

We talked about how clean coal technology has provided us with tremendous advances in using coal cleaner and more efficiently in the past 35 years. The governor agreed that coal would continue to play a role in the future.

He mentioned he favors an energy porfolio that includes all electricity sources, and we told him we do too.

TV interview Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/02/2008 02:57:16 PM

We did an interview today with Voice of America and Afghanistan TV. They wanted to talk about what sorts of things we're doing to promote clean coal during the political conventions. We'll post a link to the interview when we have it.

One of our billboards in downtown St. Paul Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/02/2008 02:52:12 PM

We're back Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/02/2008 12:55:16 PM

After waiting to see the extent of the damage from Hurricane Gustov, the Republican National Convention is back in business today and so are we.

We're on the ground in the Twin Cities promoting our message just like we did in Denver. We'll be back soon to let you know how it's going!

Sharing and Caring Hands Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/01/2008 02:44:27 PM

As I said yesterday, with Hurricane Gustav causing damage along the Gulf Coast... the events surrounding the Republican National Convention have changed in focus.

Watching on TV as Gustov causes havoc is a reminder of the importance of public service both in the Gulf Coast and everywhere around the nation.

Today, we went with the Ohio delegation to Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis, which relies on donations to provide services (food, clothing, shelter, transportation and medical help) for people in need.

The Ohio delegation helped prepare lunch for the needy.