/PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of major manufacturers, agricultural organizations and other industrial energy consumers today cautioned the Senate to avoid legislating new natural gas demand in any energy or climate change bill, saying such an approach would be "misguided" given existing strong demand growth and looming regulatory and political uncertainty surrounding access to major supply sources.
In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, 67 industrial and agriculture energy consumers -- representing farm and food concerns and makers of chemicals, fertilizer, glass, paper and steel -- expressed concern about artificially creating power and transportation sector demand for natural gas through legislative incentives. Doing so, they said, would cause the type of fuel switching that has ripple effects through the economy.
Paul Cicio, president of the Industrial Energy Consumers of America (IECA), said legislating new demand would prompt increased price volatility and higher prices. Higher natural gas prices also mean higher electricity costs.
"The impact will be felt by all consumers, not just industrial users," Cicio said. "Farmers will pay more for fertilizer, natural gas to dry their crops and electricity to run their irrigation systems; homeowners will pay more to heat and cool their homes; and manufacturers would be confronted with greater competitiveness challenges which threaten jobs at home."
The coalition said gas demand has been steadily rising in the past decade without the incentives being contemplated in the Senate and in the absence of carbon caps, which will increasingly shift more power generators from coal to natural gas. The power sector's natural gas demand has grown by nearly 30% since 2001.
"The economic recovery and our energy security will be better served if U.S. energy policy ensures American manufacturing can continue to compete globally and keep its jobs here," said Peter Molinaro, Dow Chemical's vice president of federal and state government affairs. "Our economy needs a diverse base of price-sensitive natural gas consumers -- and a diverse energy supply -- in order to reduce price volatility in all energy sectors."
The letter urges the Senate to allow the market to set supply and demand for natural gas instead of picking 'winners' and 'losers' through legislation.
The coalition acknowledged there is great hope that the large shale gas reserves will materialize as recoverable supplies. "However, history has shown that unforeseen circumstances, including the potential for both federal and state regulations to be placed on shale drilling, can either slow its production, increase its costs or otherwise dramatically alter these types of future projections."
The industrial and agriculture consumers called for a coherent energy policy that balances gas demand with the economy's need for affordable supplies.
Signatories to the letter include: American Forest &Paper Association, Dow Chemical Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Land O' Lakes, Steel Manufacturers Association and The Fertilizer Institute.
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Showing posts with label policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label policy. Show all posts
Friday, July 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
America's Anemic '13 Percent Economy': Experts Warn U.S. Risks Long-Term Growth by Focusing on New Energy at Expense of More Energy Efficiency
/PRNewswire/ -- What will play the biggest role in future U.S. economic growth: the new energy that we find ... or the energy that we avoid using?
Even as Congress and the news media focus almost completely on the question of where America will find new sources of traditional and emerging energy sources, the little-understood fact is that new energy sources are likely to play a much smaller role in the current U.S. economic recovery and future growth than are new advances in energy efficiency, according to leading experts. Even worse, the overwhelming emphasis today on new energy is "crowding out" meaningful national dialogue and progress on achieving greater energy efficiency in an economy that is struggling today at a level of just 13 percent efficiency in terms of energy use, meaning that 87% of the energy we use is wasted.
In a phone-based news conference today - John A. "Skip" Laitner, director, Economic and Social Analysis, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and Robert U. Ayres, emeritus professor, Economics and Political Science and Technology Management, European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), and co-author of "Crossing the Energy Divide: Moving from Fossil Fuel Dependence to a Clean-Energy Future" (2010) - summarized the thinking at a symposium session held Tuesday to mark the 30th anniversary year of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). See http://www.aceee.org/conf/30th/april26.htm for more information.
Among the key facts highlighted during the symposium:
-- America's economy has tripled in size since 1970 and three-quarters of
the energy needed to fuel that growth came from efficiency advances -
not net new energy. Going forward, the current economic recovery and
future economic growth are likely to be even more dependent on new
energy efficiency advances than was the period of 1970-date.
-- Americans may have an overly optimistic impression of how energy
efficient the United States is. Despite the enormous strides achieved
in the last four decades, the U.S. economy remains only about 13
percent energy efficient. That still unacceptably high level of
inefficiency either will be allowed to remain in place and therefore
leave the U.S. mired in lackluster economic activity ... or it will be
tackled head-on, leading to new efficiency advances and unleashing
robust future economic growth in the U.S. For example, Japan and
several European countries are about 20% efficient, a factor of 1.5
higher than the U.S.
-- How big might the next round of potential energy efficiency be? If we
invested in more energy productive technologies, energy efficiency
investments can provide up to one-half of the needed greenhouses gas
emissions reductions most scientists say are needed between now and
the year 2050. And that gain in energy efficiency would not only mean
reduced greenhouse gas emissions, it would result in lower energy bill
for consumers.
ACEEE's Laitner said: "The dirty little secret today is that most economic assessments of the current climate change policies either ignore or greatly understate the potential advances in energy efficiency, even though it is clearly the largest and most cost-effective form of greenhouse gas mitigation. There is no mistaking the fact the cheapest, least polluting and most economically productive energy is the energy that never gets used. Cost-effective investment that can reduce the amount of energy necessary to support a dollar of economic activity is the single most important driver of economic productivity within the United States and around the world. And this makes sense once we stop paying attention to outdated economic policy models and think about what is it that actually powers our economy. Is it expensive and conventional energy resources, or the increased use of more energy productive technologies? The evidence suggests that it is the latter. We ignore that at our considerable peril."
Ayres said: "The greatest barrier of all to more energy efficiency is the mentality of the growth imperative: the deep-seated conviction that growth assures survival in the competitive global race. The focus is on growth, with profits secondary. But we have to ask: The race is to where? Growth that consumes limited resources is itself unsustainable. A new paradigm is urgently needed. The new paradigm must focus on the cost-effective re-use, renovation, remanufacturing and recycling. The energy firms of the future will need to sell efficiency, and energy security, not fuel."
-----
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Even as Congress and the news media focus almost completely on the question of where America will find new sources of traditional and emerging energy sources, the little-understood fact is that new energy sources are likely to play a much smaller role in the current U.S. economic recovery and future growth than are new advances in energy efficiency, according to leading experts. Even worse, the overwhelming emphasis today on new energy is "crowding out" meaningful national dialogue and progress on achieving greater energy efficiency in an economy that is struggling today at a level of just 13 percent efficiency in terms of energy use, meaning that 87% of the energy we use is wasted.
In a phone-based news conference today - John A. "Skip" Laitner, director, Economic and Social Analysis, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and Robert U. Ayres, emeritus professor, Economics and Political Science and Technology Management, European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD), and co-author of "Crossing the Energy Divide: Moving from Fossil Fuel Dependence to a Clean-Energy Future" (2010) - summarized the thinking at a symposium session held Tuesday to mark the 30th anniversary year of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). See http://www.aceee.org/conf/30th/april26.htm for more information.
Among the key facts highlighted during the symposium:
-- America's economy has tripled in size since 1970 and three-quarters of
the energy needed to fuel that growth came from efficiency advances -
not net new energy. Going forward, the current economic recovery and
future economic growth are likely to be even more dependent on new
energy efficiency advances than was the period of 1970-date.
-- Americans may have an overly optimistic impression of how energy
efficient the United States is. Despite the enormous strides achieved
in the last four decades, the U.S. economy remains only about 13
percent energy efficient. That still unacceptably high level of
inefficiency either will be allowed to remain in place and therefore
leave the U.S. mired in lackluster economic activity ... or it will be
tackled head-on, leading to new efficiency advances and unleashing
robust future economic growth in the U.S. For example, Japan and
several European countries are about 20% efficient, a factor of 1.5
higher than the U.S.
-- How big might the next round of potential energy efficiency be? If we
invested in more energy productive technologies, energy efficiency
investments can provide up to one-half of the needed greenhouses gas
emissions reductions most scientists say are needed between now and
the year 2050. And that gain in energy efficiency would not only mean
reduced greenhouse gas emissions, it would result in lower energy bill
for consumers.
ACEEE's Laitner said: "The dirty little secret today is that most economic assessments of the current climate change policies either ignore or greatly understate the potential advances in energy efficiency, even though it is clearly the largest and most cost-effective form of greenhouse gas mitigation. There is no mistaking the fact the cheapest, least polluting and most economically productive energy is the energy that never gets used. Cost-effective investment that can reduce the amount of energy necessary to support a dollar of economic activity is the single most important driver of economic productivity within the United States and around the world. And this makes sense once we stop paying attention to outdated economic policy models and think about what is it that actually powers our economy. Is it expensive and conventional energy resources, or the increased use of more energy productive technologies? The evidence suggests that it is the latter. We ignore that at our considerable peril."
Ayres said: "The greatest barrier of all to more energy efficiency is the mentality of the growth imperative: the deep-seated conviction that growth assures survival in the competitive global race. The focus is on growth, with profits secondary. But we have to ask: The race is to where? Growth that consumes limited resources is itself unsustainable. A new paradigm is urgently needed. The new paradigm must focus on the cost-effective re-use, renovation, remanufacturing and recycling. The energy firms of the future will need to sell efficiency, and energy security, not fuel."
-----
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Subplots Will Signal Whether New Senate Energy Bill Gets Passed
On Wednesday, U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced a bill that would establish for the first time a comprehensive national low-carbon energy program.
Tim Profeta, director of Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, has seen similar legislation introduced on Capitol Hill over the past 10 years, and calls the latest bill “a cautious first move in what must be a bipartisan leap to modernize the U.S. energy economy. The bill leaves question marks, appropriately, on some of the toughest issues.”
Profeta, who served as Counsel for the Environment to Sen. Joseph Lieberman before becoming founding director of the Nicholas Institute in 2005, said there will be telltale signs on whether Democrats and Republicans will be able to reach agreement on this issue.
“Make sure to watch three key subplots in this story develop,” he says. “First, will senators struggle to choose the right policy tool to prevent the costs of energy transition from harming consumers, business or the economy as a whole.
“Second, as the global economy continues to grow as an organic whole, how will lawmakers strengthen U.S. competitiveness in international trade.
“Third, in the wake of last year's Wall Street financial meltdown, will the new market for carbon credits be designed smartly, drawing on all of our knowledge and experience of how efficient markets work.”
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Monday, February 23, 2009
Military, Business Leaders Release Economic Analysis of Energy Security Plan
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Energy Security Leadership Council (ESLC), a project of Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE), today released a study entitled Economic Impact of the Energy Security Leadership Council's National Strategy for Energy Security. The paper, a long-term macroeconomic analysis of policy proposals put forward by the ESLC last September, finds that the U.S. economy would benefit substantially over the long term from implementation of the ESLC policy package.
"In short, the study finds that the policy proposals we have put forward would result in dramatic benefits for the American economy," ESLC Co-Chairman Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, said in a luncheon speech at the National Press Club today. "We are confident that our nation can do this. What we need is the national will and the commitment to secure our own future."
In September, the ESLC released A National Strategy for Energy Security, a comprehensive set of solutions to the very real threats posed by our nation's dependence on oil. The National Strategy presents a bold vision: the transformation of our transportation sector from one dependent on petroleum to one largely powered by electricity. Because that is a long-term goal, the recommendations also detail the policy steps necessary to reach it while preserving our economic and national security in the short and medium term, including dramatic increases in funding and reforms to our research, development, and deployment system; demand reductions; and an expansion of domestic oil and natural gas production.
Shortly after developing the National Strategy, the ESLC commissioned the Interindustry Forecasting Project at the University of Maryland and Keybridge Research to study the long-term economic effects of their policy proposals. In short, the study shows, under the ESLC policy package, employment and disposable income would be higher, the trade balance would improve, and federal budgets would receive a boost from higher economic growth. Most importantly, however, the study finds that the U.S. economy would be far more able to withstand future oil shocks under the ESLC policy plan. In essence, the ESLC energy package can be thought of as a self-financing insurance policy that will make the economy more robust in good times and more resilient when subjected to energy shocks.
Specifically, the study finds that:
-- By 2050, the typical U.S. household would have $4,046 more in annual
income, an increase of nearly 2.1 percent.
-- Over four decades, households would experience an aggregate increase
of $13.9 trillion.
-- When you add in lower energy costs, the average household would be
able to enjoy $5,025 more every year by 2050.
-- By 2050, annual oil imports would be lower by 6.6 million barrels;
cumulatively, we will have imported nearly 60 billion fewer barrels of
foreign oil by then.
-- As a result, the U.S. trade balance would improve by about $275
billion by 2050.
-- Because of the higher levels of income and GDP, net U.S. federal
revenues would be a cumulative $1.46 trillion higher.
-- By 2050, total employment would be 3 million jobs higher, including:
-- 225,000 more jobs in manufacturing
-- 514,000 more jobs in travel and tourism
-- 108,000 more jobs in professional services
-- 44,000 more jobs in agriculture
-- Perhaps most important is what the ESLC policy package will do to help
the economy withstand future oil shocks. Under the plan, in the event
of a severe oil shock in the year 2040:
-- Reduced dependence on imported oil will act as a $400 billion
insurance policy for the U.S. economy.
-- 1.8 million jobs would be saved.
-- Difference in national disposable income would be $448 billion.
Members of the Energy Security Leadership Council
-- Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO, FedEx Corp.
(Co-Chairman)
-- General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.), 28th Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps
(Co-Chairman)
-- General John P. Abizaid, US Army (Ret.), former Combatant Commander,
U.S. Central Command
-- Edgar M. Bronfman, retired Chairman, The Seagram Company, Ltd.
-- General Bryan "Doug" Brown, US Army (Ret.), former Commander, U.S.
Special Operations Command
-- Admiral Vern Clark, USN (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations
-- Adam M. Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International
-- General John A. Gordon, USAF (Ret.), former Homeland Security Advisor
to the President
-- Maurice R. Greenberg, Chairman and CEO, C.V. Starr & Co., Inc.
-- General John W. Handy, USAF (Ret.), former Commander of U.S.
Transportation and Air Mobility Command
-- Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, USN (Ret.), former Commander, U.S. Naval
Forces, Europe
-- Herbert D. Kelleher, Founder, Southwest Airlines Co.
-- John F. Lehman, former Secretary of the U.S. Navy
-- General Michael E. Ryan, USAF (Ret.), 16th Chief of Staff, U.S. Air
Force
-- Eric S. Schwartz, former Co-CEO, Asset Management, Goldman Sachs
-- Michael R. Splinter, President and CEO, Applied Materials, Inc.
-- Jeffrey C. Sprecher, CEO, IntercontinentalExchange | ICE
-- David P. Steiner, CEO, Waste Management, Inc.
-- Michael T. Strianese, President, CEO and Director, L-3 Communications
-- General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy Commander, U.S.
European Command
-- Josh S. Weston, Honorary Chairman, Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America's dependence on oil and improve U.S. energy security to bolster national security and strengthen the economy.
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"In short, the study finds that the policy proposals we have put forward would result in dramatic benefits for the American economy," ESLC Co-Chairman Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO of FedEx Corporation, said in a luncheon speech at the National Press Club today. "We are confident that our nation can do this. What we need is the national will and the commitment to secure our own future."
In September, the ESLC released A National Strategy for Energy Security, a comprehensive set of solutions to the very real threats posed by our nation's dependence on oil. The National Strategy presents a bold vision: the transformation of our transportation sector from one dependent on petroleum to one largely powered by electricity. Because that is a long-term goal, the recommendations also detail the policy steps necessary to reach it while preserving our economic and national security in the short and medium term, including dramatic increases in funding and reforms to our research, development, and deployment system; demand reductions; and an expansion of domestic oil and natural gas production.
Shortly after developing the National Strategy, the ESLC commissioned the Interindustry Forecasting Project at the University of Maryland and Keybridge Research to study the long-term economic effects of their policy proposals. In short, the study shows, under the ESLC policy package, employment and disposable income would be higher, the trade balance would improve, and federal budgets would receive a boost from higher economic growth. Most importantly, however, the study finds that the U.S. economy would be far more able to withstand future oil shocks under the ESLC policy plan. In essence, the ESLC energy package can be thought of as a self-financing insurance policy that will make the economy more robust in good times and more resilient when subjected to energy shocks.
Specifically, the study finds that:
-- By 2050, the typical U.S. household would have $4,046 more in annual
income, an increase of nearly 2.1 percent.
-- Over four decades, households would experience an aggregate increase
of $13.9 trillion.
-- When you add in lower energy costs, the average household would be
able to enjoy $5,025 more every year by 2050.
-- By 2050, annual oil imports would be lower by 6.6 million barrels;
cumulatively, we will have imported nearly 60 billion fewer barrels of
foreign oil by then.
-- As a result, the U.S. trade balance would improve by about $275
billion by 2050.
-- Because of the higher levels of income and GDP, net U.S. federal
revenues would be a cumulative $1.46 trillion higher.
-- By 2050, total employment would be 3 million jobs higher, including:
-- 225,000 more jobs in manufacturing
-- 514,000 more jobs in travel and tourism
-- 108,000 more jobs in professional services
-- 44,000 more jobs in agriculture
-- Perhaps most important is what the ESLC policy package will do to help
the economy withstand future oil shocks. Under the plan, in the event
of a severe oil shock in the year 2040:
-- Reduced dependence on imported oil will act as a $400 billion
insurance policy for the U.S. economy.
-- 1.8 million jobs would be saved.
-- Difference in national disposable income would be $448 billion.
Members of the Energy Security Leadership Council
-- Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and CEO, FedEx Corp.
(Co-Chairman)
-- General P.X. Kelley, USMC (Ret.), 28th Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps
(Co-Chairman)
-- General John P. Abizaid, US Army (Ret.), former Combatant Commander,
U.S. Central Command
-- Edgar M. Bronfman, retired Chairman, The Seagram Company, Ltd.
-- General Bryan "Doug" Brown, US Army (Ret.), former Commander, U.S.
Special Operations Command
-- Admiral Vern Clark, USN (Ret.), former Chief of Naval Operations
-- Adam M. Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International
-- General John A. Gordon, USAF (Ret.), former Homeland Security Advisor
to the President
-- Maurice R. Greenberg, Chairman and CEO, C.V. Starr & Co., Inc.
-- General John W. Handy, USAF (Ret.), former Commander of U.S.
Transportation and Air Mobility Command
-- Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, USN (Ret.), former Commander, U.S. Naval
Forces, Europe
-- Herbert D. Kelleher, Founder, Southwest Airlines Co.
-- John F. Lehman, former Secretary of the U.S. Navy
-- General Michael E. Ryan, USAF (Ret.), 16th Chief of Staff, U.S. Air
Force
-- Eric S. Schwartz, former Co-CEO, Asset Management, Goldman Sachs
-- Michael R. Splinter, President and CEO, Applied Materials, Inc.
-- Jeffrey C. Sprecher, CEO, IntercontinentalExchange | ICE
-- David P. Steiner, CEO, Waste Management, Inc.
-- Michael T. Strianese, President, CEO and Director, L-3 Communications
-- General Charles F. Wald, USAF (Ret.), former Deputy Commander, U.S.
European Command
-- Josh S. Weston, Honorary Chairman, Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Securing America's Future Energy (SAFE) is an action-oriented, nonpartisan organization that aims to reduce America's dependence on oil and improve U.S. energy security to bolster national security and strengthen the economy.
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Friday, December 19, 2008
Pelosi Statement on First Anniversary of Enactment of Historic Energy Bill
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement on the first anniversary of the enactment of the Energy Independence and Security Act, the historic 2007 energy bill:
"The Energy Independence and Security Act's enactment marked a critical turning point in our nation's energy and environmental policy. By committing America to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, increasing the energy efficiency of everything from our cars and trucks to our appliances and buildings, and making an historic new commitment to homegrown biofuels, this legislation is making our nation more secure, encouraging the creation of new, energy-saving jobs, and helping to combat global warming.
"By breaking free of the failed energy policies of the past, the New Direction Congress embraced a clean, renewable and energy independent future for America with the Energy Independence and Security Act. We look forward to building on these achievements next year with an economic recovery package that will invest in green infrastructure, and the science behind it, to create the clean energy jobs that will provide a stronger economy for the future."
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"The Energy Independence and Security Act's enactment marked a critical turning point in our nation's energy and environmental policy. By committing America to reducing our dependence on foreign oil, increasing the energy efficiency of everything from our cars and trucks to our appliances and buildings, and making an historic new commitment to homegrown biofuels, this legislation is making our nation more secure, encouraging the creation of new, energy-saving jobs, and helping to combat global warming.
"By breaking free of the failed energy policies of the past, the New Direction Congress embraced a clean, renewable and energy independent future for America with the Energy Independence and Security Act. We look forward to building on these achievements next year with an economic recovery package that will invest in green infrastructure, and the science behind it, to create the clean energy jobs that will provide a stronger economy for the future."
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Marilyn Brown Briefs Policymakers on Solar Energy
Public Policy Professor Marilyn Brown spoke Monday to a luncheon briefing at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C., about solar power. Brown, a professor in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, was one of three guests invited to give their views on the current state of solar technology, the probable future of these devices and potential barriers to implementing them.
The luncheon was hosted by the American Chemical Society’s Science and the Congress Project and was co-hosted by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX). Julia Hamm of the Solar Electric Power Association and Nate Lewis of the California Institute of Technology also spoke to the gathering.
Brown is one of Georgia Tech’s most sought after experts on energy policy. In addition to informing national leaders about energy policy, she is also the author of Georgia Tech’s quarterly energy sustainability index, the EnergyBuzz (www.gatech.edu/energybuzz).
She joined Georgia Tech in 2006 after a distinguished career at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There she held various leadership positions and led several major energy technology and policy scenario studies. Recognizing her stature as a national leader in the analysis and interpretation of energy futures in the United States, Brown remains affiliated with ORNL as a Visiting Distinguished Scientist.
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The luncheon was hosted by the American Chemical Society’s Science and the Congress Project and was co-hosted by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX). Julia Hamm of the Solar Electric Power Association and Nate Lewis of the California Institute of Technology also spoke to the gathering.
Brown is one of Georgia Tech’s most sought after experts on energy policy. In addition to informing national leaders about energy policy, she is also the author of Georgia Tech’s quarterly energy sustainability index, the EnergyBuzz (www.gatech.edu/energybuzz).
She joined Georgia Tech in 2006 after a distinguished career at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There she held various leadership positions and led several major energy technology and policy scenario studies. Recognizing her stature as a national leader in the analysis and interpretation of energy futures in the United States, Brown remains affiliated with ORNL as a Visiting Distinguished Scientist.
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Friday, November 14, 2008
Cleaner Coal Technology Key to the World’s Energy Future
(BUSINESS WIRE)--GE Energy and the University of Wyoming today announced an agreement to further cleaner coal technology, making coal-fired power generation more viable in America. Under the agreement, GE and the university will develop the High Plains Gasification Advanced Technology Center to accelerate the commercial use of cleaner coal technology.
In the United States, coal supplies more than 50 percent of the country’s current electricity generation and it plays an important role in meeting the nation’s energy needs. Coal is an abundant, low-cost, domestic, natural resource that continues to be a significant part of America’s energy mix.
Wyoming is uniquely positioned in the nation’s energy landscape and has vast coal resources capable of supporting a substantial portion of the nation’s energy needs. The state produces approximately 40 percent of all of the coal used in the United States to generate electricity.
The new center will include a small-scale gasification system that will enable researchers from GE and the university to develop advanced gasification solutions for Powder River Basin and other Wyoming coals. The research is expected to expand the range of coals that can be used with GE’s integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) technology for power plants. The facility is expected to be operational by 2012.
To create a path forward for coal, future climate change policy will be needed to incentivize the deployment of already-available low carbon technology and to foster further improvements that will bring down the cost of carbon capture and sequestration.
“This project underscores the commitment of both the University of Wyoming and GE to work toward U.S. energy independence and plan for future energy needs,” said Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Energy’s Power & Water business. “We believe that our country’s energy and environmental policies should promote a balance of available, reliable, cleaner and low-cost energy. The use of cleaner coal technology helps create jobs, support economic growth and positively impacts the environment.”
GE is a world leader in IGCC technology and has been at the forefront of IGCC technology since the Coolwater project, a 120 MW technical demonstration IGCC project started in 1984. GE's IGCC technology also has operated at the 250 MW TECO Polk I station in Florida for more than 12 years. Today, GE offers a 630 MW IGCC reference plant that produces 75 percent less SOx, 33 percent less NOx, 40 percent less particulate matter, uses 30 percent less water and offers 90 percent mercury capture, compared to a traditional pulverized coal plant.
In addition to providing a cleaner alternative for power generation, IGCC is well-suited for carbon capture. Carbon capture technology is in use in GE’s industrial gasification applications around the world today. IGCC technology will offer cost and efficiency advantages for carbon capture and storage, once clear policies and regulations are in place to support storage and an economically viable value is established for carbon.
Although IGCC technology is relatively new, gasification is more than a century old. The process uses pressure, heat and steam to convert carbon-based materials like coal into a synthesis gas (syngas) that has a variety of uses including the production of chemicals or fertilizers and power generation.
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In the United States, coal supplies more than 50 percent of the country’s current electricity generation and it plays an important role in meeting the nation’s energy needs. Coal is an abundant, low-cost, domestic, natural resource that continues to be a significant part of America’s energy mix.
Wyoming is uniquely positioned in the nation’s energy landscape and has vast coal resources capable of supporting a substantial portion of the nation’s energy needs. The state produces approximately 40 percent of all of the coal used in the United States to generate electricity.
The new center will include a small-scale gasification system that will enable researchers from GE and the university to develop advanced gasification solutions for Powder River Basin and other Wyoming coals. The research is expected to expand the range of coals that can be used with GE’s integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) technology for power plants. The facility is expected to be operational by 2012.
To create a path forward for coal, future climate change policy will be needed to incentivize the deployment of already-available low carbon technology and to foster further improvements that will bring down the cost of carbon capture and sequestration.
“This project underscores the commitment of both the University of Wyoming and GE to work toward U.S. energy independence and plan for future energy needs,” said Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Energy’s Power & Water business. “We believe that our country’s energy and environmental policies should promote a balance of available, reliable, cleaner and low-cost energy. The use of cleaner coal technology helps create jobs, support economic growth and positively impacts the environment.”
GE is a world leader in IGCC technology and has been at the forefront of IGCC technology since the Coolwater project, a 120 MW technical demonstration IGCC project started in 1984. GE's IGCC technology also has operated at the 250 MW TECO Polk I station in Florida for more than 12 years. Today, GE offers a 630 MW IGCC reference plant that produces 75 percent less SOx, 33 percent less NOx, 40 percent less particulate matter, uses 30 percent less water and offers 90 percent mercury capture, compared to a traditional pulverized coal plant.
In addition to providing a cleaner alternative for power generation, IGCC is well-suited for carbon capture. Carbon capture technology is in use in GE’s industrial gasification applications around the world today. IGCC technology will offer cost and efficiency advantages for carbon capture and storage, once clear policies and regulations are in place to support storage and an economically viable value is established for carbon.
Although IGCC technology is relatively new, gasification is more than a century old. The process uses pressure, heat and steam to convert carbon-based materials like coal into a synthesis gas (syngas) that has a variety of uses including the production of chemicals or fertilizers and power generation.
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