Cassidy and Associates

Outlook

Advanced coal technologies and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are integrally related.

R&D and commercialization efforts to advance both are based on the compelling need to find ways to utilize the nation’s largest fossil energy resource in a manner that is environmentally acceptable and cost effective.

The global distribution of coal resources and growing energy demand of the fast growing Chinese and Indian economies make the continued use of coal a reality, despite climate concerns.

It is with appreciation for climate concerns and national security that the United States will need to take the lead in developing advanced coal and CCS technologies.

Obstacles and Opportunities

The goals of reducing C02 emissions have been centered on three critical areas: power generation, automobiles, and buildings.

Significant improvements in the fossil power generation sector would go a long way towards reducing C02 at existing and new power facilities in the future.

Obstacles still remain despite significant improvements in existing technologies through large federal financial assistance from the Department of Energy via funding mechanisms like cooperative agreements with the private sector.

The costs associated with the deployment of utility scale projects and additional load makes current advanced coal and CCS technologies extremely expensive as compared to current coal power generation and its alternatives.

The development of cost effective technology will require more commercial scale demonstrations and the establishment of a price on carbon so that utilities and public utility commissioners can feel comfortable that the technology will work and that the lifecycle costs will be in the rate payers’ interest.

Concerns with respect to the short and long term liability for carbon storage continue to dampen R&D and commercialization efforts of storage technologies.

Until the jurisdictional liability coverage for CO2 storage is resolved, further progress in this arena will be difficult and slow.

Accomplishments & Experiences

Cassidy & Associates has extensive knowledge and experience working on CCS and advanced coal issues.

Recently, we assisted a university in securing funding for several large-scale, geologic CO2 storage demonstration projects in the West.

Cassidy has also played significant roles in securing funding for research, development, and commercialization of large-scale energy technologies, including assisting the state government of Illinois to design and execute a strategy to secure historic $1bn in funding for the FutureGen near- zero emissions advanced coal technology facility.