On the road for affordable energy Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/31/2009 01:00:00 PM

It’s summer – a time of festivals, fairs, outdoor concerts and baseball. And in the summer of 2009, it’s also a time to focus on affordable energy.

As Americans gathered at public events throughout August, ACCCE sent outreach teams to eight states to talk to people with genuine concerns about energy prices. Our teams attended county and state fairs, participated in parades and met concerned business owners on Main Street.

Each team gave out materials with ACCCE’s message about ensuring that coal stays a part of the energy mix to keep electricity affordable. We gave out flyers, hats, t-shirts, pens, cards, stickers and bumper stickers. In three short weeks, we personally distributed our message nearly 95,000 times. During that time, we drove 41,000 miles, visited 264 cities, and attended 73 fairs, including four state fairs.

We collected the stories of families and small business owners like Denise, owner of the Tangle Salon in Terre Haute, Ind., who said, “We have to dry hair and nails, heat water, run the air conditioner or run the heater. Energy must be affordable or I would be in trouble.”

We visited and spoke at eight Kiwanis club meetings, as you can see in this video.

Reaching out to college students was an important part of our outreach. We visited 43 campuses and heard many stories like this one.

Sporting events were great places to meet folks and talk about keeping coal in America’s energy mix. We attended 44 sporting events, including major and minor league baseball games, preseason football games, NASCAR races, college football practices and even a surfing competition. Check out the reception we got. 

Finally, we have no doubt that the people of America understand the need and role for coal in America’s energy future – listen to the Americans we met in this video.

Carbon capture at work Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/31/2009 10:35:00 AM

It’s amazing, but we still hear things like carbon capture will never be a reality. But, with exciting new projects like AEP’s Mountaineer plant set to go online this week, we thought it would be a good time to remind readers that technology does exist.

The pilot facility at the Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin takes about one percent of its flue gas for use in the carbon capture demonstration project. Using a chilled ammonia process developed by Alstom Power Inc., the test project captures 90 percent of those carbon emissions. The demonstration project began in March 2008 and will last for two years.

The Pleasant Prairie and Mountaineer projects prove that there has never been an environmental challenge facing the coal-based electricity sector for which technology has provided a solution—and that reducing CO2 will not be an exception to the rule.

Curious what CO2 looks like when it is captured from a working power plant? Check out our video from the Factuality Tour. Carbon capture from an existing power plant is a reality…and those are the facts.

Alstom's carbon capture pilot project

Carbon capture in action

Deconstructing the new Washington Post energy poll Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2009 12:08:37 PM

I'll admit it; I love to read poll numbers. Maybe it is a sign of being a political junkie … but I’m always looking at polls. But it’s more than that. Whether it’s a study on best sports city in America, best place for pizza, or thoughts on our energy future, I am fascinated by understanding what people think … and why they think it.

So imagine my excitement to see a story in today's Washington Post had talking about how most American view President Obama’s energy initiative. Knowing that President Obama is a big supporter of clean coal technologies, I quickly put down my morning coffee and began reading. When I finished the article, I realized one thing was inexplicably missing: there were no questions asked about coal or clean coal technologies.

With all due respect to the Post, how in the world can you conduct a poll about the president’s energy initiatives—especially in the wake of climate change proposals—and not mention clean coal?

Coal is only America’s most abundant energy resource. And, with our economy struggling … it is also worth noting that coal is our most abundant energy resource (and we all know that low-cost energy means jobs … especially in the manufacturing sector).

I would like to add an addendum to today’s story…the last time we asked decision makers in the U.S. if coal was a fuel for America’s future; 69 percent agreed that “yes” it was.

For the record, I’m encouraged that energy policy questions and polls are becoming more prominent every day. How we go about providing affordable electricity, while keeping an eye on the environment, remains one of the biggest challenges of our lifetime. And for the record (and since the Washington Post didn’t ask), our 2008 national survey found that 72 percent Americans believe that new technologies would allow coal-based electricity plants to capture and store greenhouse gas emissions within the next 10-20 years.

But we can’t create solutions without taking into account all of our strengths and opportunities. And those include American coal and clean coal technologies.

Do you agree?

Affordable energy: critical to small businesses and local economies Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/28/2009 09:00:00 AM

Recently, team Indiana attended local Indiana Kiwanis club meetings where they talked to Kiwanians about the importance of affordable energy to families and businesses in the state.

Given that Kiwanis’ history is steeped in enriching communities–a mission that has spread to 8,000 clubs in 96 countries—it’s no surprise that the groups were eager to hear from our teams, even allowing them to take up the podium and run much of the meetings.

Just take a look:

At one such meeting, the team spoke with Kiwanis member Mary Eckhart who said we need affordable energy “in these hard times when families are really struggling just to pay their regular bills, if we have energy bills that continue to climb…it’s going to be very hard for them to be able to pay them and exist well in their families.”

Olivia Albright—one of three Americans we’re profiling in our new webisodes—knows all about the stresses that come with tough economic times and higher energy bills. Olivia owns and operates a small business in Toledo, Ohio that depends on affordable electricity to run machines throughout the day (and sometimes into the night)—and leave her enough money to pay her staff.

Olivia has big dreams for her small business, and one of them is providing health insurance for her employees. As you’ll hear her say in her webisodes, she won’t be able to provide these benefits if her energy bills increase.

Low-cost energy truly is a thread that connects our families, business and economies. It’s my hope that this tie becomes clearer to you as you get to know Olivia, Fred, Venita and all the other Americans who are sharing their stories with us from across the country.

What they're saying Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2009 01:24:19 PM

With the congressional climate change bill moving through the Senate and the U.N Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen around the corner, we’ve been hearing a lot of different opinions from government officials, academics and journalists on issues concerning energy and the environment.

On the climate bill:

Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.), Grand Forks Herald (7/17) “We are a major energy producing state. And we have large deposits of coal, which is our country's most abundant form of energy,” he says. “I'm not signing up to create a new financial market to trade carbon securities. In my judgment it is exactly the wrong way to address this issue.”

Rep. Steve Austria (R-Ohio), Lancaster Eagle Gazette (7/18) “We have coal; lots of it. And we shouldn't be penalized in the form of higher electricity rates as a result.” Austria concludes that as the bill moves to the Senate: “It is my hope that they either will vastly improve the legislation, or refuse to pass the bill at all.”

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), E&E News, (7/22) “[The climate bill] penalizes parts of the country that rely primarily on coal and natural gas for their electricity while giving too much benefit to more energy efficient power companies.” Harkin believes that the bill’s provision distributing allowances to all utility sectors “50-50 between companies based on their historic emission levels and retail sales” only “helps people in areas where they have hydroelectric power, for example.”

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), Bluefield Daily Telegraph (7/22) “Improperly drafted legislation could have had a major adverse effect on both our region’s coal industry and electricity rates in our area.”

Wall Street Journal editorial (8/12) “Although President Obama has assured that the pending energy legislation ‘won’t hurt the economy,’ it appears that “at least 10 Senate Democrats disagree. It is ‘better to call the whole thing off,’ rather than ‘opt to impose a huge carbon tax and drive jobs overseas,’ or ‘impose the tax along with a tariff, and kick off a trade war.’”

Economist Thomas Crocker, co-inventor of the cap-and-trade system, Wall Street Journal (8/13) “I'm skeptical that cap-and-trade is the most effective way to go about regulating carbon.”

Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Forbes (8/18) "There is no more devastating piece of legislation for rural America, for the Midwest, for agriculture, for farmers and for small business than this piece of legislation at a time like this economy -- bar none. Electric rates will go up in Midwestern states like Kansas that depend on coal-fired plants because those utilities will have to pay for permission to emit greenhouse gases, as opposed to coastal states that generate electricity by hydroelectric power."

On clean coal technology:

Local communities support new coal plants Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/27/2009 09:00:00 AM

When we were filming in and around Texarkana for our webisodes on affordable energy, we got to see firsthand how excited that community was about the new coal-generated Turk Plant that AEP is building there. There are a lot of jobs associated with that project – construction, operation and maintenance jobs at the plant itself as well as jobs in the community supporting workers at the Turk project. And as Venita told a group of students at the local community college in Hope, there was no incentive for AEP to build a project unless they could show the community that it was also good for the environment. That is true with every new coal project that is being built today.

I honestly think that some of the anti-coal groups would benefit from taking the time to talk more with local people in these communities to gain their perspective before they challenge these projects that not only are needed to meet growing energy demand, but also provide jobs in local communities where they are located.

U.S. families struggle to pay energy bills Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2009 01:54:56 PM

Lately, we’ve been telling you the stories of real, everyday Americans, and how important affordable energy is to jobs and family budgets.

Now, USA Today is reporting that a record number of households are in danger of having their electricity shut off as the weakened economy makes it harder for Americans to pay their energy bills.

The article makes reference to an energy office in Rockville, Ill. that, in 2003, distributed federal funds to households who had their electricity turned off. In 2008, it jumped to 1,834 households – and it’s likely that the number will increase this year.

In a related story, the Wall Street Journal today reported that electricity consumers in Austin, Texas are feeling the wallet crunch, with average monthly energy bills coming in at $235. This has caused about eight percent of Austin residents to become delinquent on their payments.

As we’ve said before, we need to take steps to make sure that energy is affordable for all Americans. Energy costs weigh especially heavy on lower-income and minority families in the U.S., consuming as much as 20 percent of after-tax income from families that earn less than $50,000. This is something we can’t ignore as we wait for our economy to rebound.

One way we can keep energy costs down is by using electricity generated from coal. At one-third the cost of most other fuels, coal-generated electricity has helped hold down energy costs for decades.

But don’t take our word for it. Just listen to Fred Shelton, an energy efficiency consultant near St. Louis who says, “Coal generates the power we need at a price we can afford.”

Where do you recharge? Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/26/2009 09:17:11 AM

Venita McCellon-Allen, one of three Americans we’re featuring in a series of webisodes about affordable energy, recently showed us where her family recharges—at an outlet in her kitchen. That’s where she and her family plug in cell phones, laptops, iPods, blenders and other essential tools that most of us use without much thought.

As our street teams found, Venita and her family are not alone. Just take a look at this footage from the Missouri team:

Did you notice how many people noted that their appliances are always plugged in? We depend on a constant stream of energy, referred to as baseload power—the kind of always-on stuff that allows us to watch TV early in the morning and turn on emergency medical equipment late at night.

Here in the U.S., we get about half of that power from American coal because it’s an abundant, domestic source of always-on electricity.

Take a look at Venita’s webisode about the importance of reliable, affordable energy, and then visit the Power House to see how much your home relies on coal-based electricity.

DOE announces more than $27 million for CO2 storage Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/25/2009 01:00:00 PM

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it would contribute $27.6 million in funding to various carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects across the country.

The funding will be distributed to 19 demonstration projects and will focus on monitoring and tracking the movement of carbon dioxide through geologic storage sites.

These projects, which have stemmed from university programs run by scientists and researchers, have been going on for years – but according to a DOE sequestration director, the time has come “to make an effort to start looking at verification and accounting protocols after the field work.”

As we saw firsthand at RECS, there are many talented minds and dedicated university programs behind the next generation of clean coal technology. This kind of government leadership is exactly what we need to help research programs and CCS projects move to commercial scale.

Aurora Biofuels develop “super-algae” Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/25/2009 09:00:00 AM

The New York Times reports that California start-up company Aurora Biofuels has cultivated a kind of algae that doubles the production of biodiesel by absorbing twice the amount of carbon dioxide than conventional strains.

The new algae strain will be more efficient. Usually, one pound of algae consumes more than two pounds of CO2. But with Aurora’s new “super-algae,” it will consume up to four pounds of gas.

And the more CO2 algae consumes, the better – because instead of releasing CO2 emissions from coal-generated power plants into the air, it will be sequestered into tanks of algae and recycled into alternative fuels.

Currently, Aurora has a pilot facility that produces a gallon of biodiesel a day from an Olympic pool-sized pond, but the company hopes to have a demonstration plant capable of producing 1,000 gallons of fuel a day by 2010.

Scientists and environmental groups have given this process the thumbs up, but there’s still a lot of work to be done to get the project going on a commercial scale. Still, it’s reassuring to know that companies like Aurora are pushing to make it happen.

UPDATE: 8/25/20092 3:00 PM

CNN also has a great article noting the uptick in investments for algae-based biofuels. As we’ve seen with clean coal technologies over the years, these investments—and subsequent public-private partnerships—are crucial to helping new technology make the leap from the lab to commercial use.

Alstom Power CEO says the government must get involved in CCS Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/24/2009 01:00:00 PM

We were very excited to see Alstom Power CEO Pierre Gauthier’s recent interview on E&E's OnPoint – especially because our Factuality Tour team had the opportunity to visit his company’s clean coal technology program in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., just a few months ago.

CO2 capture in action

Gauthier discussed the carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies Alstom is testing in the U.S – including the demonstration project our team got to see in action at We Energies’ Pleasant Prairie Power Plant. The project, developed by Alstom, uses a chilled ammonia process to capture up to 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

Gauthier says that although the We Energies project is only a pilot program, it has been a success. He hopes that by 2015, the U.S. will be able to offer commercial technologies to capture carbon dioxide – “provided that there is legislation, provided there are objectives” and the “motivation needed to be able to bring these technologies to the commercial side,” of course.

He acknowledges that the cost and the risk involved in deploying CCS is going to be “huge,” but Gauthier says that in order to stem the rates and subsidies and balance shareholders’ risk, the government must be involved to reduce these effects.

That’s what we’ve been saying all along. I’m glad that the energy industry has voices like Gauthier to help push CCS forward and encourage government involvement. Make sure to watch his video interview or read the interview transcript.

As only a mother can Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/24/2009 09:00:00 AM

Some of us forget the simple fact that more people plugging more things into the wall means a growing demand for electricity.

When we talked with Venita McCellon–Allen of American Electric Power, her daughter was approaching high school graduation. Mary Carol is an incredible young lady and she’ll be starting school at Columbia University in the fall. (I’m very impressed.) Venita said she went to school she had a wind-up alarm clock and a plug-in lamp. Mary Carol’s dorm room better have more outlets because I’m sure she’ll have a computer, printer, cell phone, iPod and more! No wonder electricity demand is growing.

Helping The Environment And The Economy At The Same Time Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/21/2009 04:00:00 PM

According to a recent study, the majority of West Virginians believe their state’s economic growth should be given priority, even at the expense of protecting their environment.

But West Virginia can have their cake and eat it, too – clean coal technology will make it possible for Americans to boost the economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The importance of advanced technology for carbon capture and storage is that it is a path for us to remove the choice from that poll, which we believe to be a false choice.

We do not have to sacrifice the environment. And we do not have to sacrifice economic recovery.

A study conducted by BBC Research and Consulting says that the commercial-scale deployment of clean coal technology will generate up to $1 trillion of economic output and create more than 7 million man-years of employment.

The takeaway is that we can help both the economy and the environment at the same time.

Against Cost Containment? Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/21/2009 01:00:00 PM

I need some help on the issue of cost containment. Specifically, why are so many in the environmental community against provisions that are designed to keep electricity rates low, while at the same time, preserving environmental goals? Regardless of your position in the energy discussions, isn’t that what we all want?

For those who need more background on cost containments, they are designed to help guide a healthy U.S. carbon market by providing cost relief measures and oversight. According to the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University (PDF) it works in two ways:

1. It offers two cost relief measures to alleviate unexpectedly high prices by expanding flexibility in the market, and

2. It provides an oversight board that watches the market for trends and uses relief measures if necessary while preserving environmental goals.

So, since we know that a sizeable amount of our readers are people who disagree with ACCCE’s vision of a successful energy future, perhaps you can give us your comments about why you don’t like cost containments. Because, for the life of me, I can’t see how anyone could stand against provisions that simultaneously keep an eye on ratepayers and the environment.

Team Virginia says coal is cool, but also important Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/21/2009 11:50:03 AM

During Team Virginia’s trip to Culpeper and Warrenton this week, they wanted to get one point across: coal is cool.

It keeps people connected and entertained. How could we have the Beatles without the power of coal-generated electricity – or the movie “Reservoir Dogs”? (Look out for the team’s dramatic reenactment — it’s pretty funny!)

But coal isn’t just “cool” because it fuels pop culture – it powers jobs, fosters energy independence keeps energy affordable and simply “makes sense.” Those are some reasons residents of Culpeper and Warrenton told Team Virginia in conversations on Main Street.

It also makes sense that Virginia should support coal – it provides for almost half of the state’s electricity. Without coal, the state could lose up to 90,000 jobs and $14 billion in gross economic output by 2015.

But really, the team says, the only way for Virginians to keep energy prices from “exploding” is to call their senators and let them know. Watch the video and take action!

Public policy and uncivil discourse Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/20/2009 01:57:30 PM

As someone who cares deeply about this country and who participates in the policy-making process, I can’t help but be ashamed of the uncivil discourse that has permeated public policy discussions.

Call it my Southern upbringing, but when I see footage of citizens yelling at their elected representatives, I have to shake my head. We’re Americans—weren’t we all taught to treat others as we ourselves want to be treated?

It seems as if we have forgotten how to disagree without being disagreeable. Let’s take health care, for instance. I don’t think anyone in this country is opposed to ensuring that all American’s have access to affordable health care. What we don’t seem to agree on is how to make this happen.

The same is true with our issues. I’m dumbfounded to hear environmental special interest groups say that ACCCE “opposes clean energy efforts.” That would be like me saying that these environmental groups support legislation to increase energy costs.

I recently watched a clip of a town hall meeting hosted by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in which he said that the people who want to disrupt the policy discussion do so because they realize that their arguments aren’t enough to win the day.

Sadly, I think Congressman Frank is right. And I think that most times, it’s easier to stand against something than stand in favor of it.

But I also think that our goals and those of these environmental groups are the same: to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy that is produced right here in the U.S.

If you want to know our position on climate legislation, here it is. We’ve posted it many times before.

The next time you hear someone try to shortchange these principles, think about Congressman Frank. Is that person or group disrupting the conversation because of their flawed arguments? And how do these disruptions stand in the way of achieving our shared goal of a cleaner energy future?

The impacts of high-priced energy Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/20/2009 10:37:08 AM

Recently, the Ohio team stopped in the town of Wooster where they spoke with residents about the potential impact of higher-priced energy in their town.

Said one small business owner, “It’s me trying to figure out how to get that extra little slice out of my customer who’s facing the same issues when their electricity [rate] goes up.”

No one understands this better than Olivia Albright. She relies on affordable energy to run her small business a few hours North in Toledo. In fact, she told us that she currently can’t afford health insurance for her employees—a goal she’s working toward, but would likely be thwarted by higher energy costs.

What would you have to sacrifice if your energy costs went up? Keeping low-cost coal in our energy mix is one way to ensure that we don’t have to worry about answering that question.

All aboard the Affordable Energy Express Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/19/2009 01:00:00 PM

Team Virginia is still on the move. Recently, they stopped in Roanoke—a town steeped in railroad history and the bituminous coal it transported to create affordable energy.

The team picked up some fresh ideas from the Roanoke farmer’s market, where they spoke to residents about the need for affordable energy from domestic energy sources like coal. One resident told us, “It’s a natural resource in our country; it keeps money and jobs in our country. And with new technology coming on, and the new technology we have now, it’s affordable.”

Another resident said, “Abandoning the use of coal is unfeasible at the moment because we have no replacement for the amount of energy it produces.”

This is particularly important to states like Virginia that use coal to generate electricity. In fact, Virginia generates almost half of its electricity from coal.

The team also stopped at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to find out how college students felt about the country’s energy issues. One young man said, “It’s important that we take on the role of… leading the way” in terms of clean coal technology.

We couldn’t agree more!

With conversations like these, we can’t wait to hear what Team Virginia will learn on their next stop, Lynchburg. In the meantime, follow their journey on Twitter.

We can all make a difference Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/19/2009 09:00:00 AM

As I said last week when I introduced the stars of our new ads and videos, Fred Shelton is the head of an all-star team. This energy efficiency consultant and his wife Anita are raising five amazing children in Florissant, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.

Fred helps people cut their energy costs, and he sees every day how important affordable energy is to Americans. Fred has found that some people have to make the choice between heating and eating, and while there are things we can all do to economize (energy-efficient light bulbs, programmable thermostats and even clipping coupons), having low-cost energy options like coal in the mix is very important.

If you haven’t already, check out Fred’s webisodes. His belief that every one of us can make a difference when it comes to our country’s energy situation is one we should all take to heart.

A climate bill must drive down cost of clean technologies Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/18/2009 03:55:13 PM

In a letter to the editor submitted to the Washington Post, I wrote that “a mandatory greenhouse gas reduction program needs to have timelines and cap levels based upon reasonable projections for available technologies to enter the marketplace.” I added that the program “also needs to focus on driving down the cost for deploying these technologies, because at the end of the day, consumers will ultimately bear the cost of any effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

Read the full letter

It's a lot like hockey Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/18/2009 08:00:00 AM

Did you watch the video where Venita McCellon-Allen talks about why we need a mix of fuels to keep our electricity supply reliable?

I think Venita has a real knack for putting the very complex operation of how a utility works in terms we can all understand. If you haven’t watched all of her webisodes, you really should.

AstroTurf? I don’t think so Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/17/2009 04:44:52 PM

If you played sports, you might be familiar with the old saying about AstroTurf (which is rarely used in sports stadiums): It looks real from a distance, but it looks different once you see it up close.

This saying has come to mind a lot lately as our detractors liken our extremely successful grassroots advocacy program to AstroTurf—implying that we run an artificial grassroots movement. But isn’t the AstroTurf argument really an elitist way of suggesting that we couldn’t possibly have supporters without gaming the system?

The fact is, we have more than 225,000 community leaders (including 30,000 local elected officials) who are a part of our America’s Power Citizen Army. These people volunteer their time to promote the message of affordable energy for Americans and the timely legislation that protects it. At ACCCE, we support clean energy legislation … but also believe that we should achieve emissions reductions at the lowest possible cost so as to protect access to affordable, reliable energy for American consumers. Trust me—a lot of people agree with that type of balanced approach.

Want proof? Here are some posts inspired by the notes of our grassroots volunteers, talking to every day Americans who really do believe that we can bring new technologies to the marketplace to reduce emissions, and drive down the cost of deploying these technologies so as to protect access to affordable, reliable energy for American businesses and families.

- Street teams in action

- Listening to the energy concerns of real America

- Team Virginia “Jaywalking” in Staunton

- Talking Affordable Energy in Ohio and Missouri

- America’s Power Weekend Roundup

- Team Virginia Talks Affordable Energy In Richmond

- America's Power hits downtown Richmond

We’re proud of our efforts to be a part of a constructive policy dialogue on energy and environmental issues, and we’re not going to shy away continuing to make the case going forward.

Update: Street teams in action Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/17/2009 03:22:38 PM

What an exciting few days our street teams have had. To recap:

Team Pennsylvania met a man named Matt in Green Co., who just so happened to be the caddy for LPGA golfer, Se Ri Pak. Matt says he plans to wear the hat the team gave him during Pak’s next tournament to help promote our message of affordable energy on the national scale.

Next door, team Ohio spent some time in Cleveland talking to folks about affordable energy (video), with many people noting that increased energy prices would affect budgets for other necessities like food and clothing. One man told us they would have to consider getting a second job if he saw his utility bills increase. Be sure to check out the video to see more of these conversations and share your comments.

Meanwhile, team Indiana stopped at the Indiana State Fair where they spotted the “Fried Everything” food stand. They also spoke to fair-goers about preventing fried household budgets by holding down energy costs with low-cost coal. (OK, cheesy tie-in, but I couldn’t resist using this great photo.)

The team also stopped at an Indians game where they encountered some up-and-coming fans of affordable energy!

Team Arkansas stopped in Little Rock and met lots of folks who were interested in learning more about clean coal technology and what was being done to protect the environment. The team informed Arkansans about the myriad clean coal projects underway throughout the U.S. and how clean coal technology has made today’s coal-generating plants 77 percent cleaner in terms of emissions currently regulated under existing Clean Air Act programs per unit of energy produced.

 

Thanks to all the people who took the time to talk with our street teams and who continue to promote the importance of affordable energy in their communities! Stay tuned for more updates from our traveling teams.

It can't be more personal than putting your name on it Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/17/2009 09:06:03 AM

 

I love that Olivia Albright put her name on her business.

One thing that you might not get from her story is that Olivia and her husband Brian moved to the Toledo area because Brian went back home to take over the family business from his father. Olivia and Brian have two sons, so she knew that she needed to start a business of her own if she wanted both of her sons to be able to take over the “family” business some day. (Remember those messy episodes of Dallas when J.R. and Bobby were both trying to run their daddy’s company?)

I love it that she started small, but today has big dreams. She wants AOA to be a multi-million dollar company, and she wants to help employ some of the people in her community who have lost jobs. She knows that Ohio’s reliance on coal and the affordable energy that it provides has made it possible for her business to compete, and that keeping energy costs affordable is the key to making her business grow.

I’d guess that if more people who are opposed to coal-based power plants had to make payroll at their companies like Olivia, they’d better understand why affordable electricity from coal is an important part of keeping America’s economy rolling.

Real people, real stories Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/14/2009 12:49:00 PM

I’ve been looking forward to today for a long time.

Some of you have heard me say before that I think I have the best job in the world, as I get to work on an issue that I believe is profoundly important. Energy and environmental issues touch just about every facet of our daily lives. And I’m really proud of what the coal-based electricity sector does to provide the low-cost, reliable electricity that powers our daily lives and helps our economy grow. I’m also very proud of the fact that this industry is a leader in bringing new technologies to the marketplace to provide for sustained energy progress in the way of improving air quality, as well as pushing the envelope on a new generation of advanced technologies that will capture and store CO2.

I also enjoy the people I get to meet in my job. And with today’s launch of our new ad campaign, you’re going to get to meet some of those people, too.

We’ve profiled three people – from an industry leader to utility customers just like you and I – to show how important coal-generated electricity is to our country, and created television ads and online webisodes so we can all get to know each other a little better.

Listening to the energy concerns of real America Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/14/2009 12:47:52 PM

This week, Team Virginia focused on listening to the energy concerns of real America – people, as the team says, “who are struggling to pay their electric bill every month.”

The team was able to find those voices in two small towns south of Richmond: Franklin and Emporia. Walking down Main Street, the team members spoke to small business owners, customers, construction workers and even people eating breakfast.

Most of the townspeople agreed that the cost of energy needs to stay affordable.

Many people across the country express the same sentiment.

In our latest ad campaign, we spoke to three everyday Americans who are concerned with the climate change debate and want to make sure that – just like the residents of Franklin and Emporia – legislation keeps energy affordable.

Great work, Team Virginia! You hit the nail right on the head.

Take a look at the video, and make sure to explore our new campaign.

How much CO2 can we store? Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/13/2009 03:34:51 PM

When we start talking about carbon capture technologies, one question I’m often asked is:

Where will we put the CO2? And how much of it can we store?

In its 2007 Carbon Sequestration Atlas, the National Energy Technology Laboratory reported that North America has enough storage capacity at our current rate of production for more than 900 years worth of carbon dioxide.

This storage capacity is located deep underground across the continent in varying types of geological formations – including unmineable coal seams and oil and gas reservoirs.

To break it down, the U.S. and Canada are the source of 3.8 billion tons of CO2 each year, but we have storage space for 3.5 trillion tons. Divide that out and we have, in effect, a 921-year reservoir of carbon dioxide storage.

Scientists, geologists and researchers are continually working to make carbon sequestration safer and more secure. During this year’s Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS), we got the chance to see carbon storage in action and meet the experts behind the technology.

Furthermore, the science and technology community is looking at other mechanisms for CO2 storage, including feeding it to algae, which is being studied for use as a substitute for the gas we feed our cars.

Our vast CO2 storage capabilities will not only help facilitate the commercial growth of carbon sequestration projects in the U.S.—but can help us use our most abundant, low-cost energy source for centuries to come.

Electric cars: great for summer trips – and the environment, too Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/13/2009 09:06:20 AM

Like the rest of the summer months, August is a great time for family vacations. That means lots of folks will be hitting the road for their favorite vacation spots. As hybrid-electric cars become more and more popular, some of those families will probably be traveling in these new fuel-efficient vehicles – and that’s good for several reasons.

The energy a hybrid vehicle runs on has to come from somewhere – and since we get half of our electricity from coal, odds are good that the electricity charging it is 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 clean coal technology 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 utility sector.

That sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Creating energy independence with captured CO2 Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/12/2009 02:48:35 PM

We often talk about carbon capture and sequestration on Behind the Plug, but what happens after carbon dioxide gas is “captured?” Sure, we can store it in the sea, store it underground or feed it to algae, but there’s another thing we can do – we can use carbon dioxide to recover depleted oil fields.

This process is called enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a general term that describes methods to increase the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from an oil field. It can be done in many ways, but the most commonly used approach is to inject captured carbon dioxide into depleted oil fields to help jumpstart recovery.

Because EOR increases oil production here within our borders, it improves local economies and reduces our nation’s dependence on imported oil. Fortunately, the government is helping to fund and develop EOR projects all across the country.

Team Virginia “Jaywalking” in Staunton Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/12/2009 10:31:37 AM

Team Virginia had a bit of fun with folks in downtown Staunton, spoofing Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” segment from The Tonight Show.

While Leno asks questions about current events and pop culture, our team asked, “What does affordable energy mean for Virginia?”

Think you know the answer? Check out the video to find out.

How Much Coal Do We Have? Let’s do the math Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/11/2009 06:17:17 PM

You’ve probably heard me say that coal is our most abundant fuel. But just how abundant is it?

Well, the United States has more coal than any other fuel. A quarter of all of the known coal in the entire world is here in America, and large coal deposits can be found in 38 states. In fact, we've got more coal than the entire Middle East has oil.

Wyoming is America’s biggest coal-producing state. (Click here to learn more about the Black Thunder Coal Mine, which all by itself provides 8 percent of America’s coal supply.)

At the current rate of consumption, we are capable of meeting domestic demand for more than 200 years.

To put 200 years in perspective, that’s longer than we have had electricity as we know it today.

Here’s the math:

• The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that the U.S. had recoverable reserves of 262 billion short tons of coal as of January 1, 2008, the latest period for which data are available. See documentation (PDF).

• By computation, based on current consumption of 1,125.2 million short tons per year, those reserves of 262 billion short tons would last more than 230 years. See documentation.

If you ever hear a debate about this topic, now you know the facts.

Talking Affordable Energy in Ohio and Missouri Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/11/2009 11:27:48 AM

Yesterday was a big day for Team Missouri -- they started at the State Capitol building in St. Charles and ended at the Cardinal's game in St. Louis.

The team discovered that many people in the Show-Me State are concerned with their rising electricity prices and want to know why coal is an important aspect to the state's energy mix -- which of course, the team was happy to answer. Coal provides 82 percent of Missouri's electricity, and if coal was removed from the energy mix, the state could lose 317,000 jobs by 2015.

Team Missouri even met a few folks who had never heard of clean coal before!

Meanwhile, Team Ohio reached out to families at Licking County's Hartford Fair, dubbed "the biggest little fair in the world." Locals agreed that the way to keep jobs in Ohio was by supporting clean coal technology.

The team even overheard a high school student tell her friends they should wear the affordable energy hats our team was handing out because "coal for electricity is good, and work should be done to make it green."

Keep up the good work, teams!

For more live updates from the road, follow our Twitter.

America’s Power Weekend Roundup Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/10/2009 12:50:49 PM

If it seems like the America’s Power Army was everywhere this weekend, that’s because they were!

-Team Pennsylvania visited Greene County, a mining community south of Pittsburgh, and got a firsthand account of life in the coal industry from hardworking Pennsylvanians who are proud to dedicate their lives to powering America.

-Despite stormy weather and tornado threats, Team Michigan traveled from Lansing to Marshall to the Jackson County Fair, stopping to chat with folks along the way about how affordable energy is needed to rebuild our economy.

-Team Ohio got a chance to attend a few Buckeye State events: the Wood County Fair, the Northwest Ohio Rib-off and a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game . The team even participated in a parade in Doylestown and got the whole town pumped about affordable energy.

- It was all work and no play for Team Virginia this weekend, even though they were on the sunny shores of Virginia Beach. They immediately sprung into action and spoke to everyone from beachgoers to energy engineers about the importance of clean coal technology.

-Team Indiana stopped by a custom car and truck show in Indianapolis, the Irvington Farmers Market and an Indians game downtown. The team surprised many Hoosiers with a fact about their state: over 90 percent of their electricity is generated from coal.

Want to know what else the teams have been up to? Follow their journey on our Twitter.

Climate Change Legislation We Can Support Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/10/2009 11:04:57 AM

ACCCE has been clear from the very beginning that we are for federal carbon management legislation and recognize that cap and trade could be part of that solution. When outside groups imply that we are trying the “kill” clean energy legislation, their claims are false. We are trying to make sure that whatever bill Congress passes is “affordable” as well as effective when it comes to protecting the environment.

ACCCE prides itself on being an organization that stands by its commitments and that is why we are disappointed when our loyal opposition misrepresents our mission and our public policy positions.

Let’s agree that climate legislation is a very important issue. It is the nexus of energy, environment, and economic policy … and therefore will have a dramatic impact on the lives of everyday Americans. It deserves better than the politics-as-usual slant some interest groups continue to inject into the debate.

Team Virginia Talks Affordable Energy In Richmond Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/10/2009 09:16:50 AM

In case you didn't catch Team Virginia in Richmond, here's a video of their trip to the state capitol. The team spoke to locals about affordable electricity and what it means to the state.

If you want to follow along with Team Virginia, go to http://twitter.com/americaspower and click the #VA hashtag.

CCS Needs to be Affordable Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/07/2009 04:49:03 PM

An increasing number of countries agree clean coal technologies that capture and safely store CO2 as the best solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the cost of technology has become an issue.

Bloomberg reports that China – the world’s largest producer of coal – is “balking at the cost and effectiveness” of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).

That’s where the U.S. can play a key role.

As President Obama said earlier this year, the cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions has to be affordable. And when it comes to driving down the cost of technologies to reduce emissions, we have a lot of experience in this area. Over the past 30 years, we’ve deployed technologies to reduce traditional pollutant emissions (those currently regulated under existing Clean Air Act programs) and still maintained electricity costs that are a relative bargain for consumers.

One way that we accomplished this goal was through the partnerships between private industry and the federal government to bring these first-of-their-kind technologies to the marketplace (because whether you're talking cell phones or emissions control systems … we all know that the early generations of a new technology are the most expensive).

And the U.S. is showing leadership to the international community because we have the resources and expertise to bring clean coal technologies to the global marketplace – that was the whole point of U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s recent trip to China.

To that end, our organization supported provisions in H.R. 2454 that provided significant funding for CCS development and deployment.

Repeatedly, countries like China (the biggest emitter of CO2), India (fastest-growing emissions and will soon pass the U.S.), and other countries with rapidly-growing emissions of greenhouse gases have said that if we (the developed world) bring them technologies to reduce CO2 that are affordable, they will use them. Without these technologies and the commitment of the developing world to use them, reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale is not possible.

That’s why we must continue to work together to support private-public partnerships to bring affordable CCS technologies to the marketplace as soon as practical.

America's Power hits downtown Richmond Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/07/2009 02:05:03 PM

When we say that America's Power^SM is hitting the streets, we mean it - literally.

This week, Team Virginia (we have teams in many key states across the country) stopped in downtown Richmond to get people excited about clean coal technology and its impact on the U.S. economy.

Free shirts and hats in hand, the team stormed the 17th Street Market, the State Capitol building, Richmond's business district and local food joints, Jo Jo's Pizza and Padow's Ham and Deli.

What did the team discover in Richmond? People are enthusiastic about clean and affordable energy and recognize the value of the coal industry - not only for powering Virginia homes, but for their efforts toward reducing the environmental impact of statewide coal consumption. And the free stuff, too!

On the road again Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/06/2009 10:51:59 AM

Last year, we had a lot of fun on the road during the presidential campaign meeting Americans from all walks of life who are interested in our nation's energy and environmental future. The highlight was most people out there believe that we need a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that will also keep energy costs affordable. They think we have to do what's good for the environment and our economy.

We couldn't agree more.

So we're hitting the road again. We'll be visiting towns and cities across the country to encourage folks to learn more about a plan that allows us to bring new technologies to the market to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while still ensuring access to affordable, reliable energy.

As you visit your state fair, attend a town hall meeting with your elected officials, or head out to the mall, look for the America's Power team, pick up a free hat or t-shirt, and learn more about a climate policy that will do what's good for our environment and the economy.

Clean Coal is ‘Promising,’ Magazine Says Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/06/2009 06:49:00 AM

How clean is clean coal technology? It’s a question that we’ve heard time and time again.

Manufacturing Business Technology cuts through the PR clutter, focuses on the science and discovers that clean coal is “promising.”

Read Roberto Michel’s piece here.

The difference between airlines and your electricity provider Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/05/2009 05:23:33 PM

Maybe it is because I’ve spent the last 15 years or so traveling for work, but anybody who spends anytime with me at all usually gets an earful about how bad I think airlines are. I must be the least lucky person in the world, because I swear I go through phases where every flight I’m on is either severely delayed or canceled. My experience excluded, I believe the industry average is about 60% on-time performance (or something like that).

But think about this: What if your electricity service worked only 60% of the time? The fact is, most Americans can’t even imagine reaching a point where electricity service is not reliable. We’ve gone so long with nearly faultless reliability that in the event there is a service interruption we know that it was probably knocked out by some type of storm.

But one of the reasons we have such reliability is the use of what we call baseload fuels like coal. Traditional energy resources – coal, nuclear, natural gas, hydro and even biomass – produce energy on demand. Other fuel resources – like wind or solar – only produce power when weather conditions permit (i.e. enough direct sunlight or sufficient wind speed). In fact, wind power has a capacity factor (on the high side) of 33% -- meaning it produces power only about 1/3 the time.

Without a doubt, we’re going to need to add renewable resources like wind and solar to the energy mix. But an over reliance on such intermittent or variable resources would make our electricity supply about as reliable as the airlines are today. And I don’t know anybody who thinks that is a good idea.

ACCCE Statement Regarding Falsified Constituent Contacts Made to Congressional Offices by Bonner and Associates Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/03/2009 05:46:00 PM

Click here to read the statement on behalf of Stephen L. Miller, President and CEO of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE), in response to falsified constituent contacts made to congressional offices by Bonner and Associates.

VIDEO UPDATE: Stanford University professor on CO2 storage strategies Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/03/2009 05:45:21 PM

A couple of weeks ago, we introduced you to Dr. Sally Benson, director of the Global Climate Energy Project at Stanford University.

She is an expert on how carbon dioxide flows through rocks, a key to understanding the ways to make CCS effective and safe. At Stanford, she teaches courses on CCS and greenhouse gas mitigation technologies

The video below features highlights from Dr. Benson’s lecture at the Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) in New Mexico:

VIDEO UPDATE: Injecting CO2 into the ground in New Mexico Posted by Joe Lucas on 08/03/2009 05:41:19 PM

We told you last week about New Mexico’s Pump Canyon, where researchers are injecting liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) into the ground for permanent storage. The monitoring effort at Pump Canyon includes using “tracers” to monitor the site and ensure the CO2 is staying where it belongs.

The team we sent to New Mexico returned with photos (posted here on Flickr) and the video below, in which officials from the U.S. Department of Energy and Southwest Partnership on Carbon Sequestration explain the monitoring effort at Pump Canyon.