The Daily Journal of Commerce is reporting that some environmental groups are not buying into the idea that “coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants” are a good idea. Apparently a couple of these plants are on the boards in Washington State.
How clean is coal?
IGCC plants – based on a new energy technology that produces and burns a synthetic natural gas made from coal – emit less mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides than traditional pulverized coal plants and provide for the possibility of carbon capture and storage to reduce global warming pollution.
But the environmental groups are not so sure:
“From the Northwest’s perspective we think that energy efficiency and renewable energy are the resources that should be developed first in meeting the local communities’ needs,” said Nancy Hirsh, policy director for the Northwest Energy Coalition.
One response to “Clean[er] Coal?”
I agree. There are just too many holes in the IGCC platform. The carbon sequestering method is only theoretical. The people working on it aren’t even sure how to do it yet.
This hasn’t stopped the coal industry from touting it as the “be-all, end-all” to our energy needs by buying up TV ads touting it’s benefits. The reality is that burning coal will always produce carbon derivatives as well as churn some pollutants into the air.
And of course, there is the disgraceful environmental destruction caused by mountaintop mining.