Action Shortcuts:

Citizens Lead for Energy Action Now (CLEAN)

Coal Moratorium Now!

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition

 

WE CAN DO THIS

Other Alternatives

Are Nukes an Answer?  They don’t emit significant amounts of carbon.  In the U.S. they have had an abysmal record of construction cost overruns, in an era of terrorism they are a security risk from potential attacks on facilities and the potential proliferation of nuclear bomb fuel, and in 30 years we still have not found a viable solution to the radioactive waste problem.

What about Coal Gasification?  An Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant essentially cooks the coal to release a carbon rich gas that is then burned in a turbine similar to ones that burn natural gas.  A couple of U.S. demonstration plants were completed in the eighties.  IGCC emissions are reputed to approximate those of a natural gas plant but recent air permit applications show higher emission limits.  They are still cleaner than a traditional pulverized coal plant.  Carbon control is performed on the gas before it is burned.  This is technically easier and predicted to be cheaper than extracting carbon after combustion.  No IGCC plants with capture have been built in the U.S.  They are sometimes promoted as “Carbon Capture Ready”; all this means is that space will be left empty to add unspecified capture equipment later – a mostly meaningless claim.  There is no proven technology for extracting carbon from an IGCC plant and experts believe a “market ready” process will not be available for 10 to 20 years. IGCC plants cost about 20% more than a pulverized coal plant.  The much touted “zero emission” Future Gen project was recently scrapped because the price tag had increased 50% before ground was broken.  

What About Coal to Liquids (CTL)?  Similar to IGCC, coal is transformed into liquid fuel that can run vehicles.  This process doubles the CO2 emissions compared to using gasoline, uses enormous amounts of water, and is expensive.  It is a favorite of big coal and gets significant support from the government.  Some of that support comes when bills in support of real renewable energy and efficiency try to pass off this technology as somehow fitting into those categories.