Companies spending millions on new clean coal research consortium

Some of our readers still want to know whether our member companies are pursuing clean coal technology projects. You bet!

Last week, three of our members—Ameren, Arch Coal and Peabody Energy—announced that they will form a consortium to research advanced clean coal technologies.

Based at Washington University in St. Louis, the Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization will bring together myriad of experts, including researchers, professors and government organizations, all in efforts to research and advance clean coal technology. We talked to the Wash U folks back in October, at which time they tipped us off that big news was afoot.

In its press release, the university said it has committed “more than $60 million in the past year to advance education and research related to energy, environment and sustainability.” Further support will be provided by Arch Coal and Peabody Energy, who will contribute $5 million to the consortium with an additional $2 million from Ameren, to be paid over five years.

Research and projects are expected to include:

· Co-combustion of coal with biomass or oxygen (which can lead to reductions in carbon emissions)
· Approaches to carbon capture and storage
· Pilot-scale facilities

In a statement, Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said, "From a university perspective, this is an exciting way to take coal — one of the nation's most abundant energy resources — and put it to work for the public good. The university will also work to build public understanding of the energy options for the future. The Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization will place St. Louis as the center for clean coal research."

We couldn’t agree more and look forward to hearing about the progress.

Comments

[kennedy]

clean coal isn’t such a new notion. Clean coal supporters are always quick to point out that coal-fired power plants have slashed sulfur, nitrogen and particulate emissions over the years.

Lately the focus has shifted to emissions of carbon dioxide — the main greenhouse gas — and clean-coal supporters argue that technology can provide a solution to that problem as well.