Aug. 19, 2010

Members of the University Of Wyoming School Of Energy Resources Energy Resource Council will meet from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and meet as the Clean Coal Task Force from 2-3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at the UW Hilton Garden Inn Conference Center.

The Energy Resource Council (ERC), comprised of legislators and representatives from industry, state government and academia, was established by the 2006 Wyoming State Legislature. It is charged with providing direction to UW’s School of Energy Resources (SER) on priorities for academics, research and outreach.

Read more at http://www.uwyo.edu/news/showrelease.asp?id=44701

By Wesley Vaughn -The Crimson White, U. Alabama – 18 August 2010.

On its website, in large, bold typeface, U. Alabama asserts itself as “an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.”

If that is truly the case, then I trust the University will decide not to lease the land it owns near Cordova in Walker County for the purpose of a 1,773-acre coal strip mine.

Read more at http://uwire.com/2010/08/18/column-coal-mine-would-strip-university-of-its-reputation/

by David Roberts. — August 18, 2010

How much coal is there in the world?

It’s tough to think of a more important question for the next half-century. The answer will play a huge role in shaping public policy and directing capital investments. So we’ve got it pretty well nailed down, right?

Turns out, maybe not.

Read more at http://www.grist.org/article/2010-08-18-what-if-theres-much-less-coal-than-we-think/

Issued on: August 18, 2010

Washington, D.C. – Eight projects that will focus on gasification of coal/biomass to produce synthetic gas (syngas) have been selected for further development by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The total value of the projects is approximately $8.2 million, with $6.4 million of DOE funding and $1.8 million of non-Federal cost sharing.

Syngas is a mixture of predominantly carbon monoxide and hydrogen which can subsequently be converted either to power, fuels, or chemicals. The research is aimed at making use of the nation’s abundant coal and biomass resources to produce affordable power, fuels and chemicals in a safe and environmentally clean manner. In addition, the production of fuels and chemicals from coal-biomass feedstocks has the added benefit of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Read more at http://fossil.energy.gov/news/techlines/2010/10036-DOE_Selects_Projects_Focusing_on_g.html

BY Sean Casten — 18 AUG 2010

If power companies have to pay for their CO2 emissions, what will happen to the price of electricity? The answer isn’t as obvious as you think.

The linkage between costs and prices — increase the first and you raise in the second — is predicated on the notion of efficient markets. Yet it would be hard to find a market less efficient and more distorted than the U.S. electric sector, which is responsible for over 40 percent of America’s CO2 emissions. If we want to use a price on CO2 to drive changes in energy use, we better start with an understanding of how the electric industry actually works.

Read more at http://www.grist.org/article/electricity-markets-are-weird/

…So, what does the future hold for the coal economy in the Mountain State? Both West Virginia University and the U.S. Energy Information Administration are forecasting a decline in coal production over the next 20 years. However, there’s a sizable gap between there respective forecasts. EIA is projecting a decline of 35% (164m tons to 107m in 2030) and WVU is expecting a 17% decline in production (158m tons to 130m in 2030). Either way, the trend is downward.

Read more at http://blog.wvpolicy.org/2010/08/17/the-historical-and-future-decline-of-the-coal-economy.aspx

By Ken Ward Jr., By Paul J. Nyden – August 17, 2010

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Massey Energy received far more citations and fines from federal mine safety officials during the second quarter of the year than other publicly traded coal companies, according to new reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Massey was fined more than $4 million and cited for more than 1,200 violations by the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration during the period from April through June, according to the company’s filings.

Read more at http://wvgazette.com/rssFeeds/201008170877

by Ken Ward Jr. – August 17, 2010

This just in from the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration:

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced $542,400 in proposed penalties against Big Laurel Mining Corp. The mining operation, located in Wise County, Va., was cited for five contributory violations in the August 2009 death of an electrician/repairman who was fatally injured when a portion of mine rib collapsed upon him. Two of the violations have been assessed as flagrant.

Read more at http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2010/08/17/va-mine-hit-with-flagrant-violations-in-2009-death/

by ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY DAILY – AUGUST 16, 2010 – BAKERSFIELD, Calif.

…California is not normally regarded as being in “coal country” because it gets most of its electricity from plants that burn natural gas. But coal-producing Western states, such as Wyoming, are anxious to see whether California’s regulators will give power made from “decarbonized” coal or petcoke premium rates that make it competitive with electricity made from natural gas and wind power.

They are intensely interested because between 20 and 30 percent of California’s electricity comes from out of state, most of it produced by coal-fired power plants.

Read more at http://wyofile.com/2010/08/what-does-california-decarbonization-bode-for-wyoming-coal-gas-wind/

By DAVE HADDEN, ROBIN STEINKRAUS and WILL HAMMERQUIST, Posted: Monday, August 16, 2010

Here in Montana, August brings us the county fair and farm harvests. And this year we also celebrate a harvest of victories for Glacier National Park, the North Fork Flathead River and Flathead Lake. In addition to commemorating Glacier’s first 100 years, citizens from across the Montana-British Columbia border, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, and Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester did yeoman’s work to protect this special place.
The victories began this past winter during the Vancouver Olympics when British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced that he would place the Canadian Flathead Valley off-limits to mining and energy development.

Read more at http://helenair.com/news/opinion/article_25611462-a8f1-11df-809e-001cc4c03286.html