August 18, 2010
Task Force Report Recognizes the Importance of Coal with Carbon Capture and Storage
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"Carbon capture and storage (CCS) refers to a set of technologies that can greatly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new and existing coal- and gas-fired power plants [and] play an important role in achieving national and global greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals...While CCS can be applied to a variety of stationary sources of CO2, its application to coal-fired power plant emissions offers the greatest potential for GHG reductions. Coal has served as an important domestic source of reliable, affordable energy for decades, and the coal industry has provided stable and quality high-paying jobs for American workers." Report of the Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, August, 2010
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President Obama has set a goal of an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. The only way this goal can be achieved while maintaining economic progress is through the widespread implementation of CCS. Electricity from coal has, does now and will continue to provide the power for steady improvements in the quality of life not only in the United States but around the world as well. Coal based electricity means more people can live longer and live better. By embracing coal with CCS, and deploying it widely, we can ensure the continuing and expanding benefits of electricity, economic growth and steady progress to climate change goals.
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"...there is widespread agreement that technology for carbon capture and sequestration [is] an essential tool to mitigate global climate change.. current technology can do the job..."
- Clean Air Task Force, 2010
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The National Research Council Has Identified Potential New U.S. Electricity Supply from Various Sources
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Coal with CCS can provide 3,000 Terawatt Hours
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"In combination, the entire existing coal power fleet could be replaced by CCS coal power ...10 GW of demonstration fossil-fuel CCS plants could be operating by 2020 ... 5 GW per year could be added between 2020 and 2025,and a further 10 - 20 GW per year from 2025 ..." National Research Council, 2009
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Construction Related Job-Years by Decade for Projects with CCS
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"These new technologies not only will help fight climate change, they will create jobs now and help position the United States to lead the world in carbon dioxide capture technologies, which will only increase in demand in the years ahead.-- Steven Chu, U.S. Secretary of Energy
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The National Research Council did not include natural gas in its electricity analysis because of concerns about price, supply and greenhouse gas emissions. The role of natural gas in GHG emissions is substantial. First, natural gas development and transportation emit methane-- an extremely powerful greenhouse gas far beyond carbon dioxide. Second, natural gas plants will also require CCS-- a process which will be more expensive than coal with CCS-- leading to higher electricity prices.
The CO2 from coal with CCS will open the door to expanded Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) The National Energy Technology Laboratory found that "next generation" CO2 - EOR technology can yield two million barrels a day:
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Coal's Carbon Content is a Competitive Advantage
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CO2 - EOR can: |
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* Provide access to 70 billion barrels of economically recoverable oil
* Create enough demand for CO2 to offset the emissions of 70 GW of coal-based generation for 30 years
* Yield oil that is 50-80% "carbon free"
Two million barrels of oil per day from EOR would require CO2 from 360 million tpy of coal. |
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"Rapid commercial development and deployment of clean coal technologies, particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS), will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race."
- President Barack Obama, The White House, February, 2010
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