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Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/31/2008 03:56:54 PM
This week, our North Carolina team got in on the holiday festivities by carving a clean coal jack-o-lantern.
While the team's jack-o-lantern is lit by candle, many homes around the country will rely on electric lights as a safe alternative.
Just how much of your state's electricity comes from coal? Find out.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/31/2008 11:09:12 AM
Yesterday, I was a guest on the “Diane Rehm Show” on National Public Radio.
I asked one of the other guests, author Jeff Goodell (who is one of coal’s harshest critics), about renewable energy. Right now, renewables account for a small fraction of our electricity. The Energy Information Administration projects that renewables will account for 12.5 percent of total U.S. electricity generation in 2030.
Even if you accept the most optimistic projection for renewables… which is that they could account for as much as 30 percent by 2030… where is the other 70 percent of our energy going to come from?
Goodell did not have an answer to that question.
See, we KNOW that electricity demand will be greater in 2030 than it is today. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy predicts it will jump by 29 percent by that time (even as we become more energy efficiency we keep coming up with new things to plug into the wall). So we’ll need MORE electricity, not less.
My question as to where the "other" 70 percent is going to come from drives the point that America will need all of its available energy resources including coal.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/30/2008 11:03:20 AM
If you missed last Thursday's webinar, "Meeting America's Demand for Energy," you're in luck—the full webinar is now available online.
Tune in to learn about the energy issues facing the next administration and what needs to be done to overcome these challenges.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/29/2008 01:02:15 PM
Gov. Sarah Palin called for an investment of $2 billion per year for clean coal research and development during her speech in Toledo, OH this morning. The $2 billion annual R&D investment is also supported by Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain.
As we grow ever closer to November 4, we're happy to see that the candidates' support of clean coal hasn't waned.
Read more about Gov. Palin's speech on energy security over at The Caucus
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/28/2008 04:16:01 PM
Our street team got up close and personal with one very important person in the 2008 presidential campaign: Joe the plumber clean coal fan!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/28/2008 02:22:59 PM
Sarah Palin will make her second policy speech tomorrow in Toledo, Ohio. According to New York Times blog, The Caucus, Palin will focus on energy security.
Energy security is an important subject here at America's Power, and we can't wait to hear what she says. Stay tuned.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/27/2008 11:13:10 AM
Towards the end of last week, Sen. Joe Biden put a finer point on his support of clean coal by signing one of our clean coal hats. The senator also posed with one of our Virginia street team members at a rally in Suffolk this past Saturday.
With just nine days left in the campaign, we still don't know who will be running the country, but we know what will: American coal
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/23/2008 01:55:46 PM
This week, we talked with some clean coal fans at a John McCain rally in Harrisburg, PA. Here's what they had to say:
For weeks, we've been talking with people across the country about the benefits of clean coal. Visit Citizens for Clean Coal to watch more videos, and chime in on the conversation.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/22/2008 05:38:03 PM
ACCCE’s Pennsylvania street team was a hit yesterday. It turns out that our clean coal hats and tees are becoming a hot commodity. According to one of our street teamers:
“At the [McCain] rally in Harrisburg, we were rushed by waves if people eager to get their hands on clean coal t-shirts and hats. Left and right we heard, ‘I support clean coal because it’s important to our state!'’’ (56 percent of Pennsylvania's electricity is derived from coal.)
In fact, clean coal supporters were so emphatic about our gear, that when one of our team members accidentally dropped an armful of t-shirts, the crowd swooped in and snatched them up before he could make a move. Perhaps we should debut a line of handbags and sunglasses at the next event.
Of course, we’re thrilled to receive such a warm reception, and hope that the clean coal supporters in Pennsylvania spread our commitment to clean coal electricity to their friends and family members.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/22/2008 02:24:12 PM
Exactly one year ago, we launched the America's Power campaign.
Our campaign is all about being a source of information for Americans regarding the security of their energy future, as well as the progress we’re making here in the U.S. and around the world in advanced technologies to reduce emissions and protect the environment.
We see that clean coal will play an essential role in meeting America’s future energy needs. I think what we’ve been seeing in the current presidential campaign—as Senators Obama and McCain (along with the other candidates running for office) talk up the future of clean coal—is indicative of a much larger conversation that is going on all across the country.
More and more, people seem to understand that increasing our reliance on America’s coal reserves to meet growing energy demand not only helps promote energy security and keeps energy costs low, but that it doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment.
For the last 35 years, we’ve increased the use of American coal to meet growing energy needs, kept energy costs affordable and used new technologies to reduce emissions. We can do that going forward—including the capture and storage of CO2 as a means of addressing climate change concerns.
And we’re just getting started. We will continue to further the discussion on the role clean coal will play in building America’s energy future.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/21/2008 04:05:54 PM
Last week, our North Carolina street team attended a rally for Sarah Palin at Elon University in coal-powered North Carolina. (Just how much coal-based electricity does North Carolina use? Visit the state usage map to find out!)
The team had some of the best seats in the house, as shown in these photos by Grant Halverson and Dan Anderson.
Sarah Palin hugs Hank Williams, Jr. Our clean coal fans look on!
We're happy to report that Gov. Palin dedicated part of her speech to the importance of clean coal technology—a crucial component in meeting our country's growing energy demand, providing new jobs and safeguarding the environment.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/20/2008 05:40:12 PM
Yesterday, the ACCCE Ohio team attended the McCain Country First rally in Toledo. An estimated 8,000 people were in attendance, which meant lots of people to chit-chat with about clean coal. And indeed, the team reported that rally-goers were enthused to see us there, rushing over to the team to grab clean coal hats and shirts. Two fans donning America’s Power shirts even volunteered to be our human billboards and position themselves in front of every camera they saw.
Once inside, the team reported that a “sea of white [clean coal] hats” directly in front of John McCain’s podium.
During the rally, the team reported that clean coal technology was first mentioned by U.S. Representative Bob Latta, who spoke of it as a means to create more jobs for his home state of Ohio. McCain also spoke about his energy policy, making clean coal a focal point. And whenever he said the words “clean coal,” the crowd cheered in approval.
We certainly second that emotion.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/20/2008 03:25:57 PM
Today’s Wall Street Journal has an interesting story talking about how both Barack Obama and John McCain are working to make sure clean coal is a key part of America’s future. The story goes on to say that our America’s Power campaign has played an important role in keeping this issue in front of the campaigns.
I appreciate the compliment, but of course there is lots of credit to go around. Literally thousands of people have been involved in sending e-mails, meeting with candidates and participating at campaign events.
We have over 175,000 community leaders who participate in our grassroots network (click here to join), and all
of them play a key role in discussing how we can meet our future energy needs
while relying on domestic energy resources, keeping energy costs low for consumers
and our economy, and bringing new technologies to the marketplace to make
continued progress on protecting the environment.
And you’re helping too. By reading this blog (and commenting), you’re participating in the dialogue about our energy future.
That’s why I’m so optimistic that we will meet our energy and environmental challenges. We have an abundance of available energy resources here in the U.S. , and we’re smart enough to figure out how to use them wisely.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/17/2008 02:37:13 PM
Yesterday, our Virginia street team traveled to the southwestern part of the state for rallies with freshman senator, Jim Webb.
Sen. Webb has hit the senate floor running, enacting a 21st century GI Bill for
post-9/11 service members, establishing a commission to prevent wasteful spending
during wartime and committing himself to developing a comprehensive national
energy strategy.
We’re happy to say that
Sen.Webb supports clean coal as part of America’s energy solution. In fact,
the team reported that they had engaging conversations with the senator's
staff about clean coal, who were able to intelligently defend the issue to
non-supporters—proof that our state officials and their teams aren’t just
reciting canned language—they’ve done their research.
In addition attending the Webb rally, the Virginia team also stopped at a first lady
rally for Michelle Obama, and did some clean coal outreach at Virginia Tech University.
All in all, a productive day for the Virginia street team.
These photos and more on Flickr.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/17/2008 11:55:15 AM
Secure energy, a growing
economy and a clean environment. These three Es are critical to effectively
growing America’s energy economy.
But what will the next
administration need to accomplish to pass a solid energy policy upon which
subsequent administrations can build?
Next Thursday, October 23 (from 1-2P EDT), our webinar, “Critical Energy and Environmental Issues Facing the Next
Administration,” will deconstruct the nation’s major energy challenges, and how
they’ll impact energy policy under the next president.
We’ll also discuss the overall political landscape, including the important role of the states’ electoral votes.
This webinar will feature
ACCCE President and CEO, Steve Miller, along with Mark Allen, founder and
president of American Public.us, Inc., and Thomas Riehle, a principal partner
at RT Strategies.
With the economic uncertainty
facing our country, a sound energy policy is more important than ever. Learn more
about the webinar and get
registered online.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/17/2008 09:55:01 AM
I assure you, this is not a trick question, but rather one posed this week by Professor Cutler Cleveland of Boston University.
Among his arguments: “Energy independence would accelerate climate change. A push towards independence would inevitably lead to increased reliance on our substantial domestic resources of coal, the most carbon-intensive energy source.”
We beg to differ. First of all, coal has become 70 percent cleaner on the basis of
regulated emissions per unit of energy produced, as compared to 30 years ago.
That’s due in large part to the more than $50 billion investments for
emissions-reducing technology from coal-based utilities.
Secondly, there are clean coal projects underway in 41 states to help us get power plant emissions to zero
or near zero. And remember the Calgary scientist we told you about earlier this month? He’s figured out a way to clean “carbon dioxide right out
of the air,” while other clean coal projects include extracting hydrogen from
coal for possible use as fuel for cars.
Clean coal projects not only stand to help us
reduce our collective carbon footprint, but also to keep us from sending
hundreds of thousands of dollars to volatile parts of the world that don’t have
the United States’ best interests at heart. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather
keep our money and our jobs here at home where they belong.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/16/2008 02:58:29 PM
Our Missouri street team was in action yesterday, visiting St. Louis-area media outlets, KMOV, KMOX, KFTK and KTVI. Visiting local news outlets is an important part of the street teams’ success, since our central goal is to inform the public about the benefits of (and advancements in) clean coal, and how it meets our nation’s energy needs.
The team also spent time at St. Louis University, talking to students and other folks about the advantages of incorporating clean coal technologies into the suite of American energy innovations.
Tomorrow, the Missouri clean coal team will stop by America’s Power member companies, Arch Coal and Peabody Coal.
St. Louis Blues fans should also keep their eyes peeled for the team — they'll be at tomorrow night's game, cheering on the Blues and talking to fans about clean coal electricity.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/16/2008 02:24:38 PM
Check out clean coal fan Mike Patrick as he talks with our street team at a rally for Sarah Palin in Ohio.
Thanks for being a fan, Mike!
Have you talked with America's Power? Check out our Citizens for Clean Coal channel on YouTube to see if your interview has been uploaded.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/15/2008 11:18:06 PM
Well, the last presidential debate has come and gone.
We have been proud to be a key sponsor of the CNN Election Express Yourself bus during the campaign. And as we've been happy to notice... both Barack Obama and John McCain have recognized the importance of increased funding for clean coal technology.
We'll be watching the next few weeks closely. Check back for more updates on the campaign trail!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/15/2008 03:10:00 PM
We're here at Hofstra University on Long Island for the final presidential debate.
It's a sunny day and there's a big crowd here at the CNN Election Express Yourself bus, which is where we've set up shop to talk to people about America's energy future.
Here in New York, coal provides 14.7 percent of the electricity. Obviously, that's far below the national average of 50 percent. Due in part to this reliance on more expensive fuels, New York has the third-highest electricity prices in the country.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/15/2008 02:10:02 PM
Yesterday, our team in North Carolina started the day with whistle stops with ABEC members in the downtown Durham area, including the Home Builders Alliance, the Durham Housing Authority and the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, where they presented ABEC members with a clean coal hat, t-shirt, pen and media kit.
The team then took a coal walking detour through Chapel Hill, spending some time in Brightleaf Square next to Duke University.
Of course, no visit to Chapel Hill is complete without visiting the home of the Tarheels, which is exactly what the team did—visiting with students and educating them on our commitment to America’s power: clean coal.
Keep an eye out for the street teams in your neighborhood, and don’t forget to view our photos—and add your own.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/14/2008 01:03:57 PM
Our Ohio street team kicked off the week's activities by attending a Biden-Obama rally; the Los Angeles Times reported that nearly 3,000 people were in attendance.
The team also stopped by the University of Toledo, where most students were surprised to learn that both presidential candidates support clean coal research and technology.
From Toledo, the team stopped by the Trumbull County McCain Victory Center. The staffers took time away from making phone calls to talk with the team about energy security and the important role that coal plays in our energy mix.
Check back for more reports from the road!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/14/2008 01:01:30 PM
Our street teams have been busy, spreading our commitment to clean coal throughout the United States.
We had a team in Colorado last Friday, where they passed out clean coal information, shirts and hats to the passersby around the State Capitol.
From there, the teams moved onto the Adams County Republicans headquarters where they surprised staffers and volunteers with warm coffee. While there, they met Nick Kliebenstein, a candidate from the Colorado state House, and a supporter of clean coal technologies.
The clean coal-coffee posse also traveled to the Obama-Biden state headquarters, again passing out coffee and talking about clean coal initiatives.
A stop in Commerce City, Colo., made the day complete, as the team visited with Mayor and ABEC Member Paul Natale, who spoke with the team about his commitment to improving the environment and making Commerce City greener.
All in all, a successful couple of days in Colorado, raising awareness of clean coal electricity and educating the public on its myriad benefits.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/13/2008 01:29:11 PM
Coal plant owners will invest $200 billion over the next 12 years to retrofit existing systems with scrubber systems that will boost efficiency while tapering CO2, SO2, SO3 and other particulates released by antiquated systems. Furthermore, China — one of the world’s largest emitters of CO2 — will be the largest buyer of these retrofits, followed by plants here at home.
While these clean coal technology projects are an essential part of caring for our environment, they also create jobs that can lift families out of economic hardship. Keep in mind that each of these plant upgrades requires huge construction efforts. In fact, the installation of selective catalytic converters (an advanced technology that reduces NOx emissions) at DTE’s Monroe Power Station was the second largest construction project in the history of Michigan.
Building the infrastructure for America’s energy future will rebuild our economy by creating jobs here at home and positioning the U.S. as a leader in clean energy technologies —a fact you can’t ignore as the worsening economy continues to dominate the daily news.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/13/2008 12:45:14 PM
I just posted our first forum topic over at MySpace debates, called For Energy Enthusiasts. Here’s an excerpt:
"As some of you have noted in other forums, our energy challenges are three-fold: We need to meet the rising energy demand in order to fuel economic growth and heat homes and schools. We also need to break our dependence on foreign energy supplies—all while fulfilling our moral obligation of acting in the best interests of the planet."
We think coal can be a viable part of meeting these challenges. What do you think? Chime in over on the MySpace debates forum, or on the ACCCE Facebook page.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/13/2008 11:16:03 AM
At Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, we gathered students from around campus to help deliver this message.
More from our Citizen for Clean Coal channel.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/08/2008 02:47:09 PM
ACCCE is now on Facebook, giving you a place to connect with other clean coal supporters, ask questions, post your own stories and videos, catch up on energy news, and more.
Join the ACCCE Facebook network and jump into the clean coal conversation.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/08/2008 02:24:32 PM
While some of us have been traveling around to the presidential debate sites, our street teams have been in full force in other parts of the country. Here are some photos from team members in Ohio:
We stopped in to visit the Ohio Democratic (above) and Republican (below) HQs.
Our teams also spent some time with the students at Capital
University in Columbus, OH. Here's a group of students sporting our clean coal
t-shirts.
Do you have photos or stories to share from our tour through Ohio? Share them on the ACCCE Facebook page or through our Flickr group, Clean Coal Electricity.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/07/2008 06:42:05 PM
We've talked to a lot of people today on the Belmont University campus, site of tonight's presidential debate. But no one was more lovable than this dog, named Sosa, whose owner gave him an America's Power shirt to keep him warm in the chilly weather.
Sosa has helped us go around the Belmont University campus today to promote the use of American coal to help us meet our energy needs. And he's been quite a hit!
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/07/2008 04:04:17 PM
The scene here at the site of the Nashville presidential debate is pretty well divided between supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain.
But we've found something that both camps can find handy in the rain here today: clean coal hats.
As we've been saying for awhile now, both Barack Obama and John McCain agree on the need for investments in clean coal technology.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/07/2008 03:53:15 PM
The rain hasn't kept us away from Belmont University, the site of tonight's presidential debate. We've been out talking to folks about energy policy as planned.
WREG-TV (Ch. 3 in Memphis, a CBS affiliate) talked with Cathy Coffey, one of our regional communications directors. As you might imagine, the TV station asked about how our message fits in with today's economic situation.
If you're local to Memphis, tune in tonight to see the interview.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/06/2008 07:25:40 PM
Tomorrow's presidential debate here in Nashville will be town hall-style. Given the stock market's free fall, we're bound to hear a lot about the economy.
Remember, coal is by far our most affordable fuel 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
Natural gas — $7.45
Petroleum liquids —
$9.21
Here in Tennessee, site of tomorrow's presidential debate, 64.8 percent of electricity comes from coal. Remember: it's abundant, affordable and increasingly clean.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/06/2008 07:17:12 PM
Some people seem to think that when it comes to climate change and energy independence, you can't work in favor of one without taking away from the other. That's simply not so.
The United States has more than 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves-the equivalent of 800 billion barrels of oil, which is three times more than Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves. Our most abundant resource is also one of the most affordable-providing electricity at one-third the cost of other major fuels like natural gas and petroleum liquids.
Furthermore, coal has become increasingly clean. Like we've said before, coal is 70 percent cleaner today than it was 35 years ago on the basis of regulated emissions per unit of energy produced. That's due in large part to funding for research and clean coal projects.
New advances in clean coal technology happy every day. Just last week, a scientist in Calgary
These projects, like the clean coal projects before them, may well lead us away from foreign energy sources while meeting our commitment to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
And I guess that's my problem with clean coal naysayers-because we won't know if we don't try. And frankly, nothing productive comes from pessimism. So don't you think it's time we stopped saying "we can't" and started saying, "let's give it a shot"?
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/06/2008 04:31:21 PM
A report recently released by the NextGen
Energy Council poses an unsettling question: Could the U.S. face blackouts
as early as next summer?
It’s certainly possible according to NextGen’s recent
report, “Lights
Out In 2009?”, which warns that if Western regions experience prolonged hot
temperatures, “the potential for local brownouts or blackouts is high, with
significant risk that local disruptions could cascade into regional outages
that could cost the economy tens of billions of dollars.”
The report outlines the problem in simple terms:
1. U.S. baseload generation capacity reserve margins have declined to 17 percent in 2007 (down 30–40 percent since the 1990s).
2. A 12–15 percent capacity reserve margin is the minimum required to ensure the stability of our grid.
3. The projected U.S. demand for electricity in the next 10 years has grown by 18 percent (well beyond the projected eight percent between now and 2016).
On top of all this, the Wall
Street Journal reported this week that American utilities are feeling the
credit crunch.
You see, the utilities need cash to build plants and
transmission lines that help us keep the lights on. Given the tighter national
purse strings, utility companies—just like the rest of us—are finding it
tougher to secure the funds they need.
The situation is so dire that NextGen is recommending at
least a $300 billion investment in generation and transmission facilities by
2016 just to keep the grid stable.
On top of the financial challenges, NextGen cites a handful
of other barriers to getting new plants and transmission lines built, including
the “opposition of well-funded environmental groups that oppose and file
lawsuits against virtually every new infrastructure project proposed.” Among
the thwarted new energy projects: clean coal plants and technologies that take
our most abundant resource and turn it into an affordable source of baseload
power for millions.
As we’ve said before, coal needs to be part of America’s
energy solution. Does that solution include wind and solar? Absolutely. But as
NextGen has shown us this week, coal is still one of our best options for
producing baseload electricity. With a little support and ingenuity, coal can
help us alleviate the pain our current economic and climate crises.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/03/2008 10:42:11 AM
Once again, electric cars are in the news.
According to Reuters, European automaker Renault has announced it "expects to sell between 20,000 and 40,000 electric vehicles in 2011, and break through the 100,000 unit threshold the following year."
That’s a lot of electric cars, which is great news.
We've discussed all of the advantages of electric cars before, but here they are in a nutshell:
• The energy these cars run on will have to come from somewhere – and if it is plugged in, odds are good that the electricity charging them will be coal generated, which will greatly increase America’s energy security.
• If that 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.
Let's hope that other automakers follow the lead of pioneers like Renault – it means a brighter future for all of us.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 11:04:39 PM
Pretty much every network aired the vice presidential debate tonight. But I watched on CNN, which showed the real-time results of a focus group of undecided voters in Ohio.
One of the highest positive reactions in the focus group came when Joe Biden reaffirmed his commitment to investments in clean coal technology. The Delaware senator explained that he wants the United States to become world leaders so that we can export the clean technology to China and India, which are use coal users.
Responding to confusion over a comment he had made at a rope line last week, here's what he said: "My record, for 25 years, has supported clean-coal technology. A comment made at a rope line was taken out of context. I was talking about exporting that technology to China so when they burn their dirty coal it won’t be as dirty, it will be clean.”
In the meantime, we know Sarah Palin supports clean coal technology, meaning both candidates on stage tonight know that American coal is abundant, affordable and increasingly clean.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 10:46:08 PM
All day, we handed out t-shirts to Washington University students, who proudly wore them around campus. In fact, students with clean coal hats and t-shirts could be seen behind the set of MSNBC's "Hardball With Chris Matthews."
Thanks, students, for hosting us on your beautiful campus.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 04:45:17 PM
The government should lead the way in addressing any issues surrounding the large-scale deployment of capture and sequestration, says a recent Government Accountability Office report.
According to E&E News, the report finds that the “high cost of carbon-capture technologies, especially those that could be used to retrofit existing plants … are the key barriers to commercial use of CCS.”
We’ve been saying the same thing for years. Government leadership would help encourage the public-private partnerships we need to keep clean coal technology research and implementation moving forward.
In many cases, we’re talking about first-of-their-kind, first-of-their-scale technologies – and there’s some inherent risk involved in that. By having the federal government get involved and share the financial responsibilities with companies that are funding these technology demonstrations, we’re insulating consumers from bearing 100 percent of the risk of those technology advancements.
In the 1980s, Congress invested in what was called the Clean Coal Technology Demonstration program. The federal government invested $5 billion and private industry invested about $7 billion. This technology partnership led to important clean coal technology: scrubbers, electric catalytic converters, Lenox burners and integrated combined cycle gasification.
There’s no reason a similar partnership – with the goal of capturing and sequestering 100 percent of greenhouse gas emissions – couldn’t work again.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 04:41:29 PM
If plug-in hybrid cars seem like a recurring theme on this blog, that’s because they are.
Just last week, Chrysler announced it has been developing three electric vehicles – and promises one will be available to consumers by 2010.
As I’ve said before, electric vehicles are great for Americans for several reasons.
First, the energy these cars run on will have to come from somewhere – and if it is plugged in, odds are good that the electricity charging them will be coal generated. 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.
That sounds like a win-win to me.
We know it’s going to take all of our resources to solve this energy puzzle, but announcements like these prove we’re speeding in the right direction.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 04:16:29 PM
Washington University is among the leaders in clean coal technology research. While on campus for tonight's vice presidential debate, we ran into James V. Wertsch, director of the McDonnell International Scholars Academy here at the university.
Watch the video below in which he talks about energy technology and proudly introduces two people in his scholars program.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 04:15:01 PM
We've been talking all day with students here at Washington University about the need for a balanced energy portfolio that includes both renewable energy and baseload power sources like coal that can provide power 24 hours per day.
See below a conversation we had with a couple students earlier today.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 04:11:29 PM
Did you know there's a group called "Rednecks for Obama"?
Neither did we... until we met them.
See below our short conversation about the need for advanced technology.
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/02/2008 11:06:32 AM
In the car on the way to the debate site this morning, I heard our radio ad talking about how John McCain and Barack Obama agree that clean coal technology is an important part of America's energy future.
Radio spots like this one are running across the country because we think it's important to remind Americans of the growing political consensus that American coal can help us become less dependent on foreign energy sources.
Remember, you can always find our ads on this page.
In addition, take a look at an Internet video ad we're running on FoxNews.com today and CNN.com at one of the next debates. It's a newscast from the American Power Network:
Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/01/2008 07:11:20 PM
The vice presidential debate is tomorrow, and we'll be in St. Louis all day participating in the atmosphere at Washington University. In particular, we'll be with the CNN Election Express Yourself bus and meeting with people interested in talking about politics and energy policy.
One thing that's sure to come up as we talk to people: coal provides 84.5 percent of Missouri's power, helping the state have the eighth-cheapest power in the nation.
What is the coal usage in your state? Take a look for yourself on this map.
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
