Cleaning

Clean Coal

Clean coal is a term most often used by the media in news stories that reference carbon capture and storage/sequestration (CCS). The phrase "clean coal" is also referred to as "cleaner coal" in an attempt to mitigate criticism. These technologies are in development and aim to reduce CO2 at coal fired power plants in order to mitigate climate change. Scientific consensus on climate change is that it is caused by human activities, which increase production of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Carbon capture and storage is intended to reduce emissions from coal–fired power generation, which is one of the greatest sources of global warming pollution contributing more emissions than all automobiles in the United States. There is no agreement across groups as to when CCS will be available on a commercial scale. Industry leaders emphasize that the technology should be available by 2020. Meanwhile, others question its feasibility in that time frame. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that industrialized or "annexe 1" countries need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 25 and 40% by 2020. No commercial scale coal-fired power plant currently exists that captures the majority of its emissions. (read more)