The Future Use of Coal
March 14, 2007
09:18 AM
Two newsmakers today for those tuned to climate change issues:
- In Washington, academics from MIT issued a major report that examines how the world can continue to use coal, an abundant and inexpensive fuel, without increasing emissions of greenhouse gases. The two-year study, “The Future of Coal – Options for a Carbon Constrained World,” advocates the U.S. assume global leadership on this issue through adoption of significant policy actions. It states that carbon capture and sequestration is the critical enabling technology to help reduce Carbon emissions significantly while also allowing coal to meet the world’s future energy demands. Here is Senate Energy Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s response to this report:
“This landmark report comes at a very opportune time. Its recommendations will carry a lot of weight here in Congress, as we deal with the important issues surrounding the future use of coal. As the report notes, a robust and comprehensive approach towards carbon sequestration is an essential part of future coal technology development and implementation. The Committee will hear from the report’s authors and other relevant experts next week, in what I see as the beginning of a thorough look at one of our most significant domestic energy resources.”
- Next Thursday, March 22, at 2:30 p.m. in Dirksen 366, Senate Energy will have a full committee hearing on the findings and recommendations of this important study. The hearing will focus on several major topics addressed in the report: the role of coal in energy growth and Carbon emissions; coal-based electricity generation; geological carbon sequestration; coal use in China and India; analysis, research, development and demonstration; and public attitudes toward energy, global warming and carbon taxes.
The full report can be found at http://web.mit.edu/coal/
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