U.S. pulls the plug on funding for FutureGen ("clean coal" project)

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-thu_futuregenjan31,0,2119234.story

U.S. pulls the plug on funding for FutureGen

By Joshua Boak and Monique Garcia
Tribune reporters
January 31, 2008

The Department of Energy on Wednesday officially quashed a $1.8 billion clean-coal project slated for central Illinois, leaving the experimental venture to capture carbon emissions dependent on Congress for survival.

The FutureGen Industrial Alliance was cooperating with the Energy Department to develop a coal-fired power plant designed to gasify and store carbon emissions deep within the Earth, a process known as sequestration. But the Energy Department withdrew its support because of ballooning cost estimates on what was initially supposed to be a $1 billion project.

The surprise move transformed a short-lived celebration after Mattoon, Ill., was selected last month as the plant's home into a legislative battle, once the Bush administration chose instead to spread funding across multiple facilities planned nationwide.

FutureGen Chief Executive Mike Mudd remains confident the Illinois plant will be constructed, saying the Department of Energy's decision is not an automatic death knell for a project with the full backing of the state's congressional delegation.

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[OKIsItJustMe]

1. DOE Announces Restructured FutureGen Approach to Demonstrate CCS Technology at Multiple Clean Coal P

http://www.doe.gov/news/5912.htm

January 30, 2008

DOE Announces Restructured FutureGen Approach to Demonstrate CCS Technology at Multiple Clean Coal Plants

Affirms Commitment to Clean Coal Technology Investments; Requests $648 Million for Coal Research, Development and Deployment for FY09 Budget – Largest Coal Budget Request in more than 25 years

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman today announced a restructured approach to its FutureGen project that aims to demonstrate cutting-edge carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology at multiple commercial-scale Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) clean coal power plants. Under this strategy, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will join industry in its efforts to build IGCC plants by providing funding for the addition of CCS technology to multiple plants that will be operational by 2015. This approach builds on technological research and development advancements in IGCC and CCS technology achieved over the past five years and is expected to at least double the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered compared to the concept announced in 2003. Clean coal technology is a vital component of the Bush Administration’s vision for a cleaner, more secure energy future and this more cost-effective approach will demonstrate IGCC-CCS clean coal technology to enable wider use and commercialization more rapidly.

Secretary Bodman also today announced President Bush’s budget request of $648 million for the DOE Office of Fossil Energy’s advanced coal technology research, development and demonstration program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. The FY09 budget requests $407 million for coal research – including development of more efficient gasification and turbine technologies, innovations for existing coal power plants, and large-scale CCS injection tests - and $241 million to demonstrate technologies for cost-effective carbon capture and storage for coal-fired power plants – including $156 million for the restructured FutureGen approach and $85 million for DOE’s Clean Coal Power Initiative. This $648 million request represents a $129 million increase from the President’s FY2008 request and is the largest amount requested for DOE’s coal program in more than 25 years.

“This restructured FutureGen approach is an all-around better investment for Americans. As technological advancements have been realized in the last five years, we are eager to demonstrate CCS technology on commercial plants that when operational, will be the cleanest coal-fired plants in the world. Each of these plants will sequester at least one million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually and help meet our nation’s rapidly growing energy demand,” Secretary Bodman said. “Coal is our nation’s most abundant energy resource powering over half of the homes in America. To ensure a clean, reliable and affordable energy future, the Department of Energy is planning the largest budget request in over 25 years focusing on demonstrating advanced technology like carbon capture and storage so that the technology can be perfected and rapidly deployed across the country.”

The Department today issued a Request for Information (RFI) that seeks industry’s input by March 3, 2008, on the costs and feasibility associated with building clean coal facilities that achieve the intended goals of FutureGen. Following this period and consideration of industry comment, DOE intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement – or competitive solicitation – to provide federal funding under cooperative agreements to equip IGCC (or other clean coal technology) commercial power plants that generate at least 300 megawatts, with CCS technology aimed at accelerating near-term technology deployment. Initial input from industry will assist in determining how many demonstrations can be commissioned.

...

[LiberalEsto]

2. Clean coal is a myth

There is no such thing as clean coal.

Leveling mountains to mine coal is not clean, especially when they're destroying irreplaceable woods, streams and habitat.

Storing the CO2 created by coal combustion is a very difficult proposition. Pumping it deep into the ocean will acidify the ocean and create potential for a catastrophe if the CO2 should bubble up. I don't know very much about underground storage of CO2, but it sounds like it will not be cost-effective.

The coal industry should hang it up and focus on clean, renewable energy.

[wtmusic]

3. No one knows very much about underground storage of CO2

One of the better proposals involves turning the CO2 into sodium bicarbonate, but there is always the possiblility the CO2 will escape.

You're absolutely correct -- there is no such thing as "clean coal". It's more dangerous and destructive than nuclear power, which is what we should be using until a renewable infrastructure is built.