The
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting of energy ministers took place this past
weekend in Japan, as many nations’ leaders agreeing on a Declaration
On Low Carbon Paths To Energy Security, with
the three goals of enhancing regional energy security, increasing economic
growth and lowering emissions. These leaders emphasized carbon capture and
storage technologies as a key part of that path, and emphasized a CCS
deployment plan as critical to achieving energy security:
Cost-effective technologies for carbon
capture and storage (CCS) are essential to reducing carbon emissions from power
generation within the many APEC economies that still rely on coal and other
fossil fuels for a significant portion of
their electricity generation. Clean coal technologies are available to make the
use of coal more efficient and lower-emitting. We therefore urge redoubled
efforts to develop and deploy such technologies and share information on them
through multilateral fora.
We instruct the EWG to extend and reinforce
its analysis of technology options for CCS and its dissemination of best
practices for applying these technologies to new and existing powerplants,
working with the EGCFE and other multilateral fora. We also instruct the EWG
and EGCFE to develop an initiative for deploying advanced clean coal
technologies such as Ultra Super Critical (USC) and Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle (IGCC) to make coal-fired powerplants more efficient.
It’s
clear that our allies are making their investments in clean
coal technology. They understand the
investments will help create the clean energy future we are striving for.
Congress, too, should support CCT in energy in any clean energy policy it takes
up.
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.
Deploying advanced clean coal technologies to make coal-fired power plants more efficient, is worth the investment for clean energy for our future.