Salazar: There is clean coal technology

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar told CNN’s John King there is clean coal technology (CCT), but that we need to do more to develop carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).

We are glad that Secretary Salazar realizes that there is more to CCT than the capture and storage of carbon, and share his sentiment that we need to continue to invest in the development of CCS technologies.

He goes on to say that coal is to the United States what oil is to Saudi Arabia, and that President Obama – through the stimulus package – has invested a significant amount of money into finding ways to use coal more cleanly.

It’s great to see America’s leaders voicing their support for CCT, and we look forward to working Secretary Salazar and the rest of the Obama administration in solving the energy puzzle facing America.

Comments

[Gloria Picchetti]

There is no such thing as clean coal. And mountain top mining is the worst thing that has ever happened to the South.

[Monica from ACCCE]

Gloria Picchetti: Actually, clean coal refers to a whole suite of technologies, each working to produce electricity from coal as efficiently and cleanly as possible.These technologies have helped make today’s coal-based generating fleet 77 percent cleaner than it was in 1970 in terms of emissions currently regulated under existing Clean Air Act programs per unit of energy produced – which include sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

[Gloria Picchetti]

You have twisted my complaint about coal so that on line it appears as if I approve of the product. I do not approve of the use of coal.

[Monica from ACCCE]

Gloria: Coal provides 50% of our electricity. To date, the use of technology has made it possible to produce more electricity from coal to meet our country’s growing energy demand with fewer emissions of pollutants regulated by federal and state clean air laws. And by continuing to invest in technology, we can reduce emissions even further, including the capture and safe storage of CO2.

[Gloria Picchetti]

I do not approve of coal. There is no room for this outdated product. Electricity should be made from solar and wind.

[Gloria Picchetti]

It does matter how much electriciy is provided by coal. Coal is dirty. Coal is not necessary. Electricity should be created with solar and wind.

[Gloria PIcchetti]

Corporate America has no shame. You support coal so you made your reply to my post look as if it is a support of dirty, filthy, polluting coal. Coal's days are numbered. Soon all energy will be by solar, wind, and water, enthanol, and hydrogen. You are so slick but it's temporary.

[Monica from ACCCE]

Gloria: When people talk about alternative energy resources, they usually mean solar and wind. These are not replacements for coal. Electricity is produced in base-load power and peaking power. Base-load power is the energy necessary to keep the electricity grid energized and meet a constant demand. Peaking power is energy that comes on and off throughout the day, when electricity usage and energy demand goes up. Peaking power uses intermittent power resources like solar and wind that produce electricity only when there’s sufficient direct sunlight or sufficient sustained wind speed. For base-load power, you must use so-called hard-path fuels such as coal, which can provide power 24 hours per day.