Clean Air Task Force Director Comments on FutureGen

Statement of John Thompson, Clean Air Task Force Director of Coal Transition Project, on DOE Secretary Bodman’s Decision Not To Fund FutureGen

“It is short-sighted for the Bush Administration to retreat on FutureGen now. This project is important because it would be among the first power plants in the nation to capture large quantities of carbon dioxide. By mid-century, virtually all the nation’s coal, oil and natural gas fueled power plants must capture carbon dioxide if we’re to prevent global warming. President Bush needs to stick by what he started.

This unfortunate decision makes it more important than ever that the Midwest’s other proposed clean coal plants move forward and become “NowGen” projects that capture a portion of their carbon dioxide.

Two large proposed 630 MW commercial coal plants—one near Edwardsport, Indiana and one near Taylorville, Illinois— will use similar gasification technology as FutureGen. Neither plant has firm carbon capture plans, but with support from the states of Illinois and Indiana, both of these plants could capture 20% of their carbon emissions and remain economically competitive.

By building a plant like FutureGen that captures 90% of its carbon dioxide emissions, and flanking it with two commercial-sized plants that capture 20% carbon dioxide, it would be possible to create a trio of plants that could truly change the path of coal world-wide.

Indiana economic regulators gave the Duke Edwardsport plant permission to build in November 2007. As part of the decision, Duke must return with plans for studies to capture and store 20% carbon dioxide within 6 months. Last week, the plant received its air permit.

Yesterday, the USEPA’s Environmental Appeals Board finalized the air permit for the Taylorville, Illinois plant. Legislation enabling Taylorville to move forward with construction unanimously passed the Illinois Senate. The company now needs action from the Illinois House to facilitate construction. The legislature should move forward with this legislation, and also include provisions to fund partial carbon capture.”

About the Clean Air Task Force
The Clean Air Task Force is a national environmental organization that is dedicated to restoring clean air through scientific research, public education, and legal advocacy. The Clean Air Task Force is comprised of twenty professionals with backgrounds in science, engineering, law, economics and public outreach headquartered in Boston but located throughout the United States. CATF is recognized as one of the nation’s leading environmental organizations addressing air quality and atmospheric protection issues, and its work is widely respected in government and industry. For more information about the Clean Air Task Force, see http://www.catf.us/.

See the Source:
Business Wire

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FutureGen Scrapped

On Wednesday the DOE announced a restructuring of the FutureGen project. The initial goal of the project is to demonstrate cutting-edge carbon capture and storage technology in order to advance clean coal power plants. Last year the Department of Energy agreed to spend $950 million to develop the project with FutureGen Alliance, a coalition of coal and oil companies. But this week's announcement cancelled this agreement and issued a new direction requesting a 2009 budget of $648 million for clean coal research.

According to Deputy Secretary Clay Sell, a projected increase of $1.8 billion in the original plan was the reason for the restructuring. The new plan "protects the government's exposure and ensures that it is financially and politically viable," stated Sell.

For the FutureGen Alliance this was a disappointing outcome, as they had lobbied hard for the project demonstration site to be located in Illinois.

According to the Associated Press, Wyoming Gov. Freudenthal, "It's kind of like they invited all of us to go to the prom, picked the date, and then canceled the dance. It seems to me - the absurdity of it - it could only be the federal government that would do this."

See the Source:
DOE - Fossil Energy Techline
The Wall Street Journal - Environmental Capital
C/Net - Green Tech Blog

Find out:
How selective catalytic reduction reduces NOx emissions from coal fired power plants, lean burn engines and gas turbines.

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