Critics have labeled clean coal an ever-elusive goal that is perpetually over the next horizon, kind of like the hydrogen-powered car. “Clean coal” typically refers to two types of technologies, coal gasification and carbon capture and storage. The former turns coal into a synthetic gas which is then burned in an efficient combined cycle turbine (IGCC). The latter, often discussed in conjunction with gasification, involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, and sequestering the gas underground (CCS).While a number of IGCC projects are being pursued, there isn’t a single one in commercial operation – same is true for carbon sequestration, despite a number of small pilot projects. Cost is the main culprit.
But India and China may have identified an approach that brings clean coal closer to reality – underground coal gasification, which sources say can be done at a significant reduction in cost compared to IGCC:
Welcome to EnerBlog. We’re here to cover the future of energy and the technologies and policies that will take us there, all through the prism of those within the energy industry. EnerBlog is managed and edited by Jim Hutton Johnson and Phil Martin, who also write for EnerBlog along with a team of our colleagues. We both work for EnerNOC, a leading demand response and energy management firm that is changing the energy landscape by producing and selling negawatts instead of megawatts. In our roles at EnerNOC, we work with utilities to deploy virtual power plants in place of traditional supply-side resources, giving us rare insights into the needs and desires of America’s electric utilities. We’re also familiar with electric market design and energy policy from our involvement in regulatory efforts around the country.
Sitting at the intersection of technology, markets, and policy, energy issues are fascinating but complex. Through EnerBlog, we hope to analyze developments that others can only report on, and provide a resource that doesn’t require a PhD to understand. We’re excited to have this opportunity to cover such an important and interesting topic and we hope that you’ll join us as we follow the future of energy.
