U.S. DOE awards $84M to 18 carbon capture projects
by Matthew Daly THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Any serious effort to protect future generations from climate change must also include technologies that render fossil fuel resources as clean as possible, says U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz
WASHINGTON—The Energy Department has awarded $84 million to 18 projects across the U.S. that help limit carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The projects focus on carbon-capture technologies intended to limit pollution blamed for global warming.
“Coal and other fossil fuels still provide 80 per cent of our energy, 70 per cent of our electricity and will be a major part of our energy future for decades,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “That’s why any serious effort to protect future generations from the worst effects of climate change must also include developing, demonstrating and deploying the technologies to use our abundant fossil fuel resources as cleanly as possible.”
Projects being funded include $12.8 million for SRI International in Menlo Park, Calif., to test carbon-capture technology for use in commercial applications such as enhanced oil recovery or chemical operations.
There is also $15 million to ION Engineering in Boulder, Colo., to test an advanced carbon-capture solvent under realistic conditions.
Moniz announced the grant awards as he hosted a conference of energy ministers from around the world focused on carbon-capture projects. The ministers represent nearly two dozen countries, including Canada, the U.K., China, Brazil, Germany, India and Japan.
The group has endorsed carbon capture as a key international strategy to slow the effects of climate change and cited five new projects—including three in the U.S.—as worthy of study. There are now more than 40 carbon capture projects worldwide currently being studied by the group.
The new projects receiving funds include a $5 billion coal-fired power plant that Mississippi Power Co. is building in Kemper County, Miss., to spotlight its efforts to capture carbon dioxide emissions from burning lignite.
Moniz and Tord Lien, Norway’s minister of petroleum and energy, also announced a joint test centre network that will evaluate carbon-capture technology.
