Climate Change

Coal will continue to play a vital role in meeting energy needs and its abundance and use in the United States helps to insure our national energy security.  Members of CURC recognize that there is a growing belief among policymakers that reductions of greenhouse gases are necessary to address the global issue of climate change.  Technologies must be available to insure that U.S. coal resources continue to meet energy needs while cost-effectively reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Technology also will play a crucial role worldwide as the demand for energy from coal grows rapidly.  CURC has issued a set of climate principles that ensures technology is the primary enabler to reducing greenhouse gas emissions while providing low cost and carbon friendly electricity from coal. 

As part of CURC’s advocacy before Congress, members of CURC’s Technical Subcommittee have drafted a position paper on the status of technology for carbon capture and storage (CCS) that is intended to provide Members of Congress and their staff with information on the current state of CCS technology development.  CURC has also developed an additional CCS white paper that more fully describe the technologies and what is needed to fully develop CCS technology.

CURC-EPRI Roadmap

For carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be technically and economically capable of contributing to longer-term climate change solutions, a well-funded and focused research, development and demonstration program directed at developing the next generation of CCS technologies is needed.  The Roadmap, developed with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) in consultation with the Department of Energy (the CURC-EPRI Technology Roadmap) defines a research, development and demonstration program that focuses upon the rapid development of cost-effective CCS technologies.  The Roadmap identifies a set of technology options for the electric power sector that once successfully developed, will insure low cost electricity to the American consumer while capturing and permanently storing most of the CO₂ emissions from coal use and defines the steps necessary to develop much more efficient power plant platforms and affordable, safe, reliable CO₂ capture and storage systems.

CURC and EPRI have recently updated the roadmap to identify the critical research areas necessary to accelerate development of carbon capture and storage technologies.  The updated CURC-EPRI Roadmap reflects the critical CCS technology development and demonstrations that must occur if we are to have viable CCS technologies by 2025 and more accurately reflects the combined industry and government commitments that will be required.  CURC is currently updating the projected cost of electricity to more accurately reflect the accelerated CCS technology development path contemplated in the Roadmap.

Fossil Energy Appropriations

In order to achieve the challenging CO₂ emission reduction schedules that have been discussed in Congress, much more significant levels of funding for coal-related technology development, demonstration and deployment will be required, and a multi-year commitment from the federal government is needed that industry can rely upon.  CURC believes Congress should consider funding programs for multiple years through advance appropriations, and that funding for the DOE Clean Coal Power Initiative should be increased in order to support large scale carbon capture and storage technology demonstrations.  CURC is advocating for increased coal RD&D funding in the House and Senate FY 2010 Energy & Water Appropriations measures.  Last year, CURC drafted and submitted testimony  to the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee with specific funding needs and recommendations for the DOE coal programs. 

Congressional Advocacy

CURC annually conducts staff briefings in both the House and Senate to provide Congressional staff with information about coal, its availability, the challenges to its use, the technologies that will insure its continued use in a cost effective and environmentally-acceptable manner and the role government might play in insuring its continued use.  This year, CURC is conducting a briefing for both House and Senate that will focus on the state of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology development. 

Last year several organizations sponsored a similar set of Congressional briefings, including the American Public Power Association, Association of American Railroads, Edison Electric Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, Electric Power Supply Association, National Mining Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, United Mine Workers of America, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

CURC staff also regularly participate in educational meetings and briefings with staff from House and Senate offices and Committees, the Administration, state governments and other interest groups to discuss clean coal issues.  Last year CURC was asked to participate in several advocacy forums with Members and their staff in developing legislation.  CURC provided responses to questions posed by the House Energy & Commerce Committee about carbon capture and storage technology development and renewable portfolio standards, and was invited to brief several Members of the House Science Committee, as well as their staff, on clean coal technologies - House Science Committee Presentation.  This education is important in insuring the industry message for clean coal technologies continues to be heard by those in Washington developing the policies that affect how coal is used.  Members of CURC provide input and materials to help develop the message that CURC delivers to legislators on Capitol Hill.

Membership Meetings

Every year CURC hosts three General Membership Meetings to discuss the status of CURC activities and how CURC should position itself with respect to technology development programs and activities (Winter 2009 Meeting Agenda).  Representatives from nearly all of our 60 member companies attend these meetings, which are chaired by Duke Energy and American Electric Power, Inc., CURC’s 2009 Co-chairs.  These meetings provide attendees with a forum to exchange views as well as provide various perspectives about the way that technology might be utilized to meet our Nation's energy and environmental needs.  They also provide a venue for CURC to conduct official business and outline strategies and activities for proposed CURC initiatives. 

Every March, CURC hosts a two day workshop with the Department of Energy and National Energy Technology Laboratory program managers and selected members of CURC to discuss in detail the DOE coal RD&D programs.  Members of the CURC Steering Committee participate in these small, intimate meetings in order to gain a sense of how the DOE programs align with technology development goals identified in the CURC-EPRI Roadmap and to discuss how industry and DOE can further mutual technology development goals. 

Once a month, CURC holds a Government Affairs Subcommittee meeting in Washington to discuss the status of CURC initiatives with Congress and the Administration among the Washington Representatives of the CURC member companies.  These meetings provide a forum to discuss legislative developments and to coordinate our advocacy resources on issues important to our collective membership.

Development of Helpful Tools and Information

CURC has drafted a document entitled "State Clean Coal Incentives" that has been prepared to assist CURC members in identifying opportunities at the state level for the development of clean coal projects.  

Other useful tools and information are continuously developed by our staff, including a list and description of energy legislation that has been introduced in this Congress that affect the use of coal, bill analysis and reporting, and the development of presentations, charts and other useful tools that help CURC members in their continued advocacy efforts.