Factuality Tour 2009: On the road again Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/15/2009 01:07:08 PM

National Communications Director Steve Gates just visited the 2009 Gasification Technologies Conference as part of the America's Power^SM Factuality Tour. We'll be posting his interviews and videos from the event over the next several days.

The America's Power^SM Factuality Tour is back on the road, and this time we’re off to Colorado Springs for the 2009 Gasification Technologies Conference.

So what goes on at a conference like this? Well, it’s the gasification industry’s biggest event, full of expert presentations on the latest industry trends, developments and cutting-edge technologies. In fact, this year’s conference attracted nearly 750 attendees representing more than 400 companies and organizations from North America, Europe and Asia.

The strong attendance level can be attributed to several factors, including uncertainties surrounding future oil and natural gas prices as well as calls for more stringent control of fossil fuels’ environmental footprint – all of which play to the strengths of gasification technologies.

To learn more about gasification – and find out a little more about the event – I tracked down the conference’s director, Jim Childress of the Gasification Technology Council, and Neville Holt of the Electric Power Research Institute, who has been involved with the conference since its early days. These guys gave us a great overview of the conference and the field of gasification – and they both had a lot to say about how gasification can play an important role in producing low-emission electricity from coal in the very near future. Make sure you check out our video interviews with Jim and Neville to hear everything they had to say.

What they’re saying about clean coal technology Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/14/2009 01:00:00 PM

With climate change legislation passing through the Senate, we’ve heard many opinions from public officials on issues concerning energy policy and clean coal technology:

E&E News article (9/11): “Five influential coal-state Senate Democrats” -- Sens. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Max Baucus of Montana, Mark Warner of Virginia, and Arlen Specter and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania – introduced draft legislation that “they say would help with the widespread commercial deployment of carbon capture and sequestration technologies.”

Bob McDonnell, Republican candidate for Virginia governor, CNBC (10/6): “We're one of the largest coal-exporting states in the country. We've actually got the largest coal exporting port in the world in Hampton Roads, Virginia. I'm a strong supporter of the coal industry. There's a lot of innovation going on with carbon sequestration … coal gasification that in another five or 10 years might provide another use of coal. It's going to be very good for Virginia.”

Our team also had the opportunity last week to attend the Gasification Technologies Conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., where emerging technologies were on display. We noted that:

Neville Holt of the Electric Power Research Institute (10/5): “What we got to do is operate the whole thing -- coal to kilowatts and sequester the CO2 continuously at a million tons a year just as soon as we possibly can.”

Dave Freudenthal, Wyoming governor (10/5): “We should advocate, and advocate fairly broadly, for a fully diverse energy mix in this country going forward. That the current attitude of selecting technologies based on prejudice rather than on analysis is going to be, I think, the undoing of this country.”

Builders hold rally for coal plants in Michigan Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/08/2009 02:44:37 PM

On Tuesday, nearly 2,000 people – mostly ironworkers, electricians, carpenters and other builders looking for work – rallied outside the Michigan Capitol to demand action on the permitting of two new clean coal plants. The state air permits have been pending for two years.

Meanwhile, Michigan’s unemployment rate has climbed to 15.2 percent in August. As unemployment worsens, the pace of workers moving out of the state quickens. Michigan is shedding residents faster than a Siberian Husky loses fur in August. Michigan loses a family to outmigration every 12 minutes.

Given that climate, you would think Michigan’s leaders would quickly embrace projects that would create new jobs, pump money into the economy and provide affordable, reliable electricity for businesses and consumers.

You might think that, but you would be wrong. And that’s why nearly 2,000 mostly unemployed members of the building trades showed up Tuesday for the pro-coal plant rally in Lansing.

Battery-powered transportation extends to the locomotive industry Posted by Joe Lucas on 10/08/2009 01:00:00 PM

Last week, railroad company Norfolk Southern announced it would be unveiling a new kind of locomotive – one that runs completely on battery power.

The new train, equipped with 1,500 horsepower, will operate in Norfolk Southern’s Pennsylvania rail yard, where low-horsepower locomotives are typically used. The company has plans to develop hybrid diesel-and-electric trains for longer trips, which they hope to start testing by the end of next year.

Political leaders and research groups in other parts of the world are taking a serious look at hybrid train technology. Countries are converting their rail fleets to hybrid models – or environmental groups are pressing leaders to make the switch away from diesel trains.

In England, as part of long-term plans to modernize the railway system, the government will roll out hybrid trains over the next several years. In Ontario, Canada, government leaders have approved the use of diesel locomotives over the objections of an environmental coalition that wants rail lines there to be electrified. Officials in Thailand are drawing up a “strategic roadmap” for the industrial industry that includes developing hybrid trains parts.

It stands to reason that new hybrid trains will need electricity from somewhere. In the U.S., where we get nearly half of our electricity from coal, it’s possible that someday our trains will be running on the same kind of coal they ship.

This makes clean coal technologies like carbon capture and storage all the more essential. Imagine the possibilities: reduced greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, cars and trains, all while moving away from imported oil.

Kudos to Norfolk Southern. Read more about the train on its Web site and let us know what you think of this achievement in the comments.

NOTE: Norfolk Southern is a member of ACCCE.

Clean Coal Technology: it’s all around us Posted by Joe Lucas on 09/18/2009 12:59:00 PM

For a while this week, it seemed as though all of Washington was absorbed with clean coal technology. On Monday and Tuesday, not one, but two, conferences focused on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS).

We had to choose which one to attend, and we went with the one organized by the American Conference Institute. (Trade publisher Platts did the second one.)

I have to tell you we came away from ACI’s CCS summit encouraged about where the technology is heading.

Hearing about different CCS projects reminded us of the clean coal technology map wekeep on the AmericasPower.org site to help us track new clean coal projects around the country.

According to our data, there is over $6 billion in clean coal research underway right now in 41 states – even ones not normally associated with coal production.

The projects run the gamut from integrated gasification combined cycle research to advanced fossil energy research. (You can learn a lot about just how complex it is and how many different organizations are working on it just by clicking from one dot to another.)

Check out the map to find a clean coal research project near you – and if we missed any, be sure to let us know in the comment box below.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

RECS: Researchers are injecting CO2 into the ground in New Mexico Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/30/2009 02:13:01 PM

After getting the fundamentals of geological carbon storage through classroom and group exercises, it was finally time for the RECS group to go out into the field and see CCS in action.

Along with RECS, our team went into the field with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Southwest Regional Partnership (SWP) on Carbon Sequestration.

At New Mexico’s Pump Canyon, our team toured SWP’s test project site, where researchers are injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into the ground.

Happy Rain Day 2009! Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/30/2009 09:12:27 AM

Here in Washington, D.C., almost every day this summer has been a rain day.

But in Waynesburg, Pa., there’s only one Rain Day. And it was yesterday.

Rain Day is a Greene County, Pa., tradition dating back to July 29, 1876. All parts of life revolve around coal in Greene County, and folks in the area are proud of the rich heritage it has given them.

We weren’t around for the first Rain Day, but we participated in the celebration last year.

Take a look at the video we put together at Rain Day 2008.

RECS: Students agree on the need for CCS Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/29/2009 10:13:47 AM

There are many ways to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and each has its pros and cons — a successful solution will involve a balanced mix that includes all options available to us.

At the Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) program, Ph.D. and graduate students played the Stabilization Wedge Game developed by Princeton University’s Carbon Mitigation Initiative. The object is to keep CO2 emissions flat using wedges representing different strategies.

Teams included students from academic institutions such as Columbia University, Ohio State University, Indiana University, Penn State University, Rutgers University and Johns Hopkins University.

A major part of the game includes weighing the financial costs of each CO2 reduction strategy. That is, we all want to reduce CO2 emissions, but we need to take into account the need for affordable and reliable electricity and ensure that we protect our economy.

The best Stabilization Wedge Game players put together a realistic option for CO2 reduction that wins over the following stakeholder groups: taxpayers/consumers; energy companies; environmental groups; manufacturers; industrialized nations; and developing nations.

Invariably, this means including CCS as a wedge strategy. Students at RECS agreed that since we rely on coal for 50 percent of our electricity, the solution must include a plan to increase our investments in CCS projects.

That’s what we’ve been saying all along, but it was nice to see a team of academic scholars reach the same conclusion.

RECS: We Believe in Clean Coal Posted by Joe Lucas on 07/28/2009 03:05:42 PM

Sometimes in this job, it’s easy to feel like people just don’t get it. And as I get older, I often feel like my parents when I see young adults who are very firm in their conviction and purpose but just fail to see the bigger picture.

That’s why it was so exciting to see the video posted above, in which the next generation of environmental scientists, geologists, engineers and researchers talk about CCS, the shorthand for carbon capture and sequestration.

These are America’s top minds at places like Columbia University and Rutgers University. And in the face of the energy challenges facing our nation, they’re working toward a solution. They recognize the necessity that we have carbon capture and storage because we will still need to use coal (both here and around the world), but they also get that technology is the solution.

Other voices from the academic community on CCS:

•See video: Dr. Sally Benson, director of the Global Climate Energy Project at Stanford University, is an expert on how carbon dioxide flows through rocks.

•See video: Dr. Klaus Lackner, the director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, is an expert on ensuring that sequestered CO2 stays in the ground in a safe manner.

•See video: Dr. Michael Celia, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Princeton University, is an expert on assessing CO2 storage possibilities.

With so many talented individuals working toward the same goal, it’s all the more evident that clean energy technologies like CCS can and will reduce emissions while allowing us to use our most abundant and affordable energy source: coal.