Published on EGEE 401: Energy in a Changing World (https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401)

Home > EGEE 401 > Unit 3, Lesson 6 > Coal-Powered Electricity Generation

Coal-Powered Electricity Generation

Reading Assignments

Visit Department of Energy, Energy Explained [1]

  • Under “Nonrenewable Sources", read "Coal" and all subpages.

Clean Power Plan (CPP)

What is the Clean Power Plan (CPP)? It's a brand new regulation from the EPA that sets state-by-state targets for reducing the carbon emissions from electricity generating power plants. (Previously, there has been no rules limiting the emission of carbon dioxide from power plants.) The CPP gives states different options for meeting their targets. With the CPP, national electricity emissions will be reduced by about 32% in 2030, compared to 2005 levels.

We could do an entire course about the Clean Power Plan! Here's an essential timeline and overview.

First, some context...

The combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity is the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the nation. (EPA, Carbon Dioxide Emissions [2])

In 2015, emissions from electricity generation accounted for about 37% of total energy-related U.S. CO2 emissions.  (EIA Frequently Asked Questions [3])

In 2015, about 33% of US electricity came from coal. Yet, coal accounted for about 71% of CO2 emissions from electricity generation in the United States. (EIA Frequently Asked Questions [3])

Timeline...

Under the Federal Clean Air Act (enacted decades ago) and with the support of a Supreme Court decision in 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is authorized to regulate major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2015, the EPA finalized regulations that address emissions ("carbon pollution") for both existing and new/modified power plans. "On August 3, 2015, President Obama and EPA announced the Clean Power Plan – a historic and important step in reducing carbon pollution from power plants that takes real action on climate change. Shaped by years of unprecedented outreach and public engagement, the final Clean Power Plan is fair, flexible and designed to strengthen the fast-growing trend toward cleaner and lower-polluting American energy. With strong but achievable standards for power plants, and customized goals for states to cut the carbon pollution that is driving climate change, the Clean Power Plan provides national consistency, accountability and a level playing field while reflecting each state’s energy mix. It also shows the world that the United States is committed to leading global efforts to address climate change.' (EPA Rule Summary [4])

In December 2015, "representatives of 195 nations reached a landmark accord that will, for the first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to help stave off the most drastic effects of climate change." (New York Times, Nations Approve Landmark Climate Accord in Paris [5])

On Feb 9, 2016, the Supreme Court made the unprecedented decision [6] to put the Clean Power Plan on hold while a group of states continued to fight it out in lower courts. This surprise decision raised obvious concerns that the same conservative-leaning Supreme Court would ultimately take the case and strike down the Clean Power Plan.  It also raises into question the U.S.'s ability to keep its recent Paris climate action commitments and the domino effect that may have on the international deal altogether.

Four days later, February 13, 2016,the most-conservative judge on the Supreme Court, Antonin Scalia [7], died suddenly. His replacement will be a significant factor in the future of the Clean Power Plan.

Fast forward. Current headlines (Feb 14, 2017), Trump Eyes EPA Visit To Announce Limits On Agency After Pruitt Sworn In [8], with this, "Another [executive] order could direct EPA to begin the process of revoking the Clean Power Plan (CPP) and related new source performance standards to reduce power sector GHGs." While others repor [9]t that the administration may have to, by law, provide some plan for reducing carbon dioxide emissions (per the 2014 Supreme Court decision).

Stay tuned...more about all of this in the final unit of this course!

Carbon Capture and Storage (CSS)

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one group of technologies for managing and controlling carbon dioxide emissions. The International Energy Agency [10] gives this definition, "Carbon capture and storage, or CCS, is a family of technologies and techniques that enable the capture of CO2 from fuel combustion or industrial processes, the transport of CO2 via ships or pipelines, and its storage underground, in depleted oil and gas fields and deep saline formations. CCS can have a unique and vital role to play in the global transition to a sustainable low-carbon economy, in both power generation and industry."

Reading (and a little viewing) Assignments

Visit the Carbon Capture & Storage Association [11] (CCSA). Using tabs at the top,
  • under What is CCS?, read page titled What is CCS? and watch quick video "The Hard Facts"
  • under Why CCS?, read "Tackling climate change" (video not required)
  • under Why CCS?, under CCS projects, read (closely scan) "International CCS projects"

Odd Bedfellows?

You may have noticed...the CCSA descriptions of international CCS projects mention "natural gas development" and the "Weyburn oil field" for "enhanced oil recovery." (Weyburn is a large city in Saskatchewan, Canada, an area that would be served by Keystone XL pipeline).

Weren't we just talking about CCS as a means of cleaning up coal? for capturing carbon? for avoiding emissions and helping in the transition to a low-carbon economy? Let's take a closer look.

Figure 6.2: The Statoil-operated Snøhvit field in the Barents Sea supplies gas to the world’s first LNG plant with CO2 capture and storage.
Credit: Statoil [12]

Investopedia [13] defines enhanced oil recovery (EOR) as "the process of obtaining stranded oil not recovered from an oil reservoir through certain extraction processes. EOR uses methods including thermal recovery, gas injection, chemical injection and low-salinity water flooding."

All of the current CCS projects listed on the CCSA site use captured carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery.

So, we have this very odd triangle: Carbon Capture and Storage technologies : "Clean Coal" power generation : "Oil & Gas" enhanced recovery!

Reading Assignment

Read Clean Coal: Fact or Fiction? [14] (October 2016) in Inside Energy, by Stephanie Joyce

Reading Assignment

Read Is EOR a Dead End for Carbon Capture and Storage? [15] (April 2016) in Power, by Thomas Overton


Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/egee401/content/p6_p3.html

Links
[1] http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/
[2] http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html
[3] http://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=77&t=11
[4] http://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan/clean-power-plan-existing-power-plants
[5] http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/world/europe/climate-change-accord-paris.html?_r=0
[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/us/politics/supreme-court-blocks-obama-epa-coal-emissions-regulations.html?_r=0
[7] http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/02/how-scalias-death-will-change-everything.html
[8] https://insideepa.com/daily-news/trump-eyes-epa-visit-announce-limits-agency-after-pruitt-sworn?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
[9] http://www.eenews.net/tv/videos/2200/transcript
[10] http://www.iea.org/topics/ccs/
[11] http://www.ccsassociation.org/
[12] http://www.statoil.com/en/TechnologyInnovation/NewEnergy/Co2CaptureStorage/Pages/Snohvit.aspx
[13] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/enhanced-oil-recovery.asp
[14] http://insideenergy.org/2016/10/11/clean-coal-fact-or-fiction/
[15] http://www.powermag.com/is-eor-a-dead-end-for-carbon-capture/