The Economist (4/23): “[U.S. Energy Secretary Steven] Chu’s policy shift that axed research on hydrogen cars simultaneously poured $1 billion of stimulus money into a clean-coal project called FutureGen that the Bush administration abandoned in 2008. Though it appears to all intents and purposes like a state-of-the-art power station, FutureGen is actually a huge hydrogen production facility in disguise.”
Roll Call (4/27): “In late May, [Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.)] is also expected to visit China on official business. According to a letter signed by Gordon, the delegation will meet with the chairman of the National People’s Congress Science, Education, Culture and Public Health Committee to discuss ‘renewable energy along with a look at China’s work on clean coal and space and aeronautics issues.’”
Calgary Herald (4/27): “In passing Bill 50, the Alberta government appears to have entrenched coal as the dominant fuel source for power generation in the province because it supports the infrastructure of power being generated in the north — by coal plants — and shipped southward. Alberta already is among the largest per capita emitters of CO2 and supporting additional coal-fired electricity by building more transmissions lines appears to go against where [Canada Minister of the Environment Jim] Prentice is heading.”
Virginia Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, The Daily Mail (4/29): “We want to make Virginia the East Coast energy leader with nuclear, coal. We think we have the chance to bring the first American reactor online in 13 years…We’re building a coal-fired electric generating plant in Wise County and have another in consideration in Surry County. And we have the largest coal export terminal in the United States.”
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, The Hindu (4/29): “I agree with you absolutely that China and India are not going to turn their back on coal, and so we have to develop the technologies that can use coal cleanly…The United States, quite frankly, I don’t believe will turn its back on coal as well. So we need to develop these clean coal technologies.”
The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE) is committed to the idea that America can have the affordable, reliable electricity we need, with the clean environment we want. ACCCE’s Behind the Plug blog is the place for up-to-date news and analysis on clean coal technology developments and energy policy progress.