 "The alliance is pleased that DOE and Sen. Durbin have been able to
preserve the $1 billion in funding for advancing clean coal
technologies and the associated jobs," said Steve Winberg, chairman
of the FutureGen Alliance, a coalition of energy companies. "We look
forward to working with them and our new partners in making
FutureGen 2.0 a success."The Tuesday announcement came as a
relief to those involved in the project, who had worried that the
U.S. Department of Energy's decision to change projects could
jeopardize the group's involvement.
"This keeps clean coal technology alive in Illinois," said Phil
Gonet, president of the Illinois Coal Association. "It adds one more
tool to put Illinois coal to work."
The Department of Energy caused quite a stir earlier this month
when it announced that plans to build a new clean coal plant in
Mattoon were being scrapped in order to retrofit an existing
oil-fired plant 120 miles west in Meredosia. Mattoon officials
balked at the government's offer to house waste in the town.
FutureGen board members had a secret meeting in Washington, D.C.,
on Tuesday to debate whether or not to remain with the project they
had spent seven years nurturing. Ultimately, the board decided to
remain in partnership with the department, a move hailed by Sen.
Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who helped steer the project to Illinois.
"The vote by the FutureGen Alliance (Tuesday) affirmed what the
Department of Energy, the state of Illinois and so many potential
Illinois community partners already know -- FutureGen 2.0 is an
exciting opportunity to create jobs in Illinois and put our state on
the cutting edge of clean coal research," he said.
In September the department will send $1 billion to Ameren --
which owns the Meredosia plant -- the alliance and several other
parties involved in the project. That money will be used to help
develop the retrofitting, which is expected to break ground in 2012.
Officials are scouting several areas across the state to store
waste.
As one clean coal project moves forward, the fate of another
rests in the hands of the General Assembly.
The Illinois Commerce Commission will deliver a much-anticipated
report to lawmakers on Wednesday about the costs and concept of the
Taylorville Energy Center, a clean coal plant designed to convert
coal to natural gas and store waste beneath the earth’s surface.
The $3.5 billion plant employs technology similar to the original
FutureGen concept and is distinct from 2.0 in that it already has an
idea of what to do with its carbon emissions. Project developers are
hoping to pump the waste 6,000 feet below the surface and funnel
carbon through a pipeline to the Gulf states, where it can be used
to extract oil from wells.
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Dave Lundy, spokesman for Tenaska Energy, the Nebraska company
behind the project, said Illinois is the ideal location for carbon
capture because of its mix of porous rocks to absorb carbon and
thick cap rock to trap it. It is no accident that Taylorville is
located dead center between Mattoon and Meredosia.
"The center of Illinois is the absolute perfect spot in the world
for carbon sequestration," he said.
Lundy is excited that FutureGen is moving forward and hopes
Taylorville's plant can as well.
"Illinois really has the opportunity to become the headquarters
of the most advanced coal development technology in the world," he
said.
FutureGen has attracted the attention of those involved in the
Tenaska project. Taylorville Mayor Greg Brotherton has said publicly
that he hopes to collaborate with FutureGen developers.
The project has run into objections from several groups, which
argued that the project would raise energy rates. Attorney General
Lisa Madigan capped rate increases at 2 percent over the next 30
years in an effort to curb concerns.
If lawmakers approve the project, building will begin next year
and the plant is expected to be operational by 2015.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BILL McMORRIS]
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