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DOE Completes Large-Scale Carbon Sequestration Project Awards: Regional Partner to Demonstrate ... Storage of Two Million Tons of CO2 at Wyoming Site
Link: http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/press/press_toc.html
Completing a series of awards through its Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership Program, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today awarded $66.9 million to the Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership for the Department’s seventh large-scale carbon sequestration project.
Led by Montana State University-Bozeman, the Partnership will conduct a large-volume test in the Nugget Sandstone formation to demonstrate the ability of a geologic formation to safely, permanently and economically store more than two million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Subject to annual appropriations from Congress, the project is estimated to cost $130.6 million, including the partnership’s cost share. Successful storage of CO2 will help the United States use its extensive domestic fossil fuel resources without contributing to global climate change.
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Big Sky plans to drill a CO2 injection well and then inject up to one million tons per year of CO2 into the Nugget Sandstone formation at a depth of approximately 11,000 feet. These eolian sandstone formations are present throughout the region and present the opportunity to store more than 100 years of CO2 emissions from point sources in the region. The CO2 for the project will be supplied by Cimarex Energy Company’s planned helium and natural gas processing plant at Riley Ridge.
Today’s award to Big Sky is the seventh award in the third phase of the Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships program. Six other large-scale field projects are currently being developed throughout the United States by the other Regional Partnerships. This initiative, launched by DOE in 2003, forms the centerpiece of national efforts to develop the infrastructure and knowledge base needed to place carbon capture and storage technologies on the path to commercialization. The seven regional partnerships include more than 350 organizations from government, industry, and academia and extend across the United States and into Canada.
During the first phase of the program, the partnerships characterized the potential for CO2 storage in deep oil-, gas-, coal-, and saline-bearing formations. When Phase I ended in 2005, the partnerships had identified more than 3,000 billion metric tons of potential storage capacity in promising sinks. This has the potential to represent more than 1,000 years of storage capacity from point sources in North America.
In the program’s second phase, the partnerships implemented a portfolio of small-scale geologic and terrestrial sequestration projects. The purpose of these tests was to validate that different geologic formations have the injectivity, containment, and storage effectiveness needed for long-term sequestration. Phase III large-volume tests are designed to validate that the capture, transportation, injection, and long-term storage of over one million tons of carbon dioxide can be done safely, permanently, and economically.
U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory www.netl.doe.gov
http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/press/2008/08059-DOE_Makes_Sequestration_Award.html
Press Release Dated November 17, 2008
Ten Year Outlook for Electric Reliability Highlights Environmental Initiatives, Transmission among Key Concerns
Link: http://www.nerc.com/news_pr.php?npr=186
The impact of environmental initiatives and the need for transmission infrastructure are among the most important issues facing electric reliability in North America over the coming ten years, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) announced on October 23, 2008 in its 2008 Long-Term Reliability Assessment. While the total miles of transmission additions have increased slightly over the 2007 report, generation additions are projected to significantly outpace new transmission development.
“We need more transmission resources to maintain reliability and achieve environmental goals,” commented Rick Sergel, president and CEO of NERC. “Transmission lines are the critical link between new generation and customers, yet we continue to see transmission development lag behind generation additions. Faster siting, permitting, and construction of transmission resources will be vital to keeping the lights on in the coming years.”
The reports reports also highlight other key reliability developments, including:
Capacity Margins Generally Improved, Desert Southwest and Western Canada Require More Resources By 2010 — Lowered load forecasts for the coming ten years and new market mechanisms have contributed to generally improved capacity margins for most of North America. More resources will be required to meet target capacity margins in the Desert Southwest and Western Canada over the next two years, however.
750% Growth in Proposed Wind Generation Projected by 2017 — As state and provincial environmental regulations begin to come into effect, certain regions of North America, such as Texas, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Western states and provinces, are projecting large additions of wind capacity over the next ten years. Though only approximately 23,000 MW of the total 145,000 MW is projected to be available on peak, these proposed additions, if developed, would help to diversify the fuel mix in those areas and provide needed new energy resources. While progress has been made on methods to integrate these new resources into the electric grid, more work and transmission resources will be necessary to ensure reliability is maintained as these resources come online.
Demand Response Projected to Offset Nearly 80% of U.S. Peak Demand Growth in 2016; Significant Growth in Energy Efficiency Projected — Nearly 34,000 MW of demand response and 11,000 MW of energy efficiency are projected to be in place across North America by 2016, reducing total demand by 3.3%. Several regions, including Florida and the Midwest, are reporting peak demand reductions of more than six percent. These resources are providing critical reliability services, increasing the operational flexibility of the grid and complementing the addition of new variable generation resources such as wind and solar energy.
Protection System Misoperations Identified as a Leading Cause of Bulk Power System Outages in North America — Protection system performance has caused or exacerbated a growing percentage of bulk power system outages over the past several years, contributing to over 40% of these outages in 2007. This developing trend has made this issue a primary reliability concern for the coming years. NERC has begun to expand current efforts to address this issue through its standards and technical analyses.
The 2008 Long-Term Reliability Assessment is available at: http://www.nerc.com/files/LTRA2008.pdf
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) mission is to ensure the reliability of the bulk power system in North America. To achieve that, NERC develops and enforces reliability standards; assesses adequacy annually via a 10-year forecast and winter and summer forecasts; monitors the bulk power system; audits owners, operators, and users for preparedness; and educates, trains, and certifies industry personnel. NERC is a self-regulatory organization, subject to oversight by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and governmental authorities in Canada. Learn more at www.nerc.com.
Changing the Climate: Looking Toward a More Cost Effective, Energy Efficient Future
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy are helping states lead the way in an effort to promote low cost energy efficiency. More than 60 energy, environmental and state policy leaders from across the country have come together to produce the updated National Action Plan Vision for 2025: A Framework for Change. The action plan outlines strategies to help lower the growth in energy demand across the country by more than 50 percent, and shows ways to save more than $500 billion in net savings over the next 20 years. These actions may help to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 90 million vehicles.
“The significant action taken by states, utilities and energy customers advances low cost energy solutions,” said Robert Meyers, principal deputy assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “The plan is a big step toward a more energy-efficient future, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing the American economy.”
“These leaders from state government and the private sector should be commended for their continued progress in promoting energy-efficient technologies as a key part of modernizing our electric and gas infrastructure to meet our Nation’s growing energy needs,” said U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Kevin Kolevar.
The action plan outlines critical steps for state policy makers to take toward the goal of increasing the nation’s investment in low cost energy efficiency. The plan also shows the progress states are making toward these goals. States, utilities and other organizations are spending about $2 billion per year on energy efficiency programs. Through this investment, states, utilities and other organizations have saved the energy equivalent of more than 30 power plants generating 500 megawatts of electricity saving energy customers nearly $6 billion annually. This effort helped reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those emitted from 9 million vehicles.
The updated action plan also identifies areas for additional progress. About one third of the states have established energy savings targets and addressed utility disincentives for energy efficiency. Moreover, about half of the states have established energy efficiency programs for key customer classes and reviewed and updated building codes.
Two technical assistance documents are also available to assist states in achieving the energy goals established under the action plan. The first document provides guidance on establishing cost-effectiveness tests for energy efficiency programs, while the second outlines best practices for providing business customers with energy-use and cost data.
Initiated in 2005, the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency is directed by a leadership group of 30 electric and gas utilities, 20 state agencies and 12 other organizations. This state driven initiative is designed to help electric and natural gas ratepayers increase energy efficiency while saving money. More than 120 organizations have endorsed the original recommendations of the action plan and have committed to making it a reality.
The documents and the action plan are available at: http://www.epa.gov/eeactionplan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.EPA.gov
Press Release dated November 18, 2008
U.S. EPA Performance and Accountability Report Released
Link: http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/par/2008par/index.htm
A new report has been released that describes EPA’s environmental and financial progress over the past year. The Performance and Accountability report highlights the agency’s efforts to ... reduce air pollution, improve water quality, make ... strides in cleaning up Superfund sites, increase health and environmental safety through pesticide and chemical evaluation, and avoid pollution through ... enforcement actions in fiscal year 2008.
The report was delivered to President Bush and Congress on November 17th, 2008 meeting the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and other management-related statutes. The 1993 GPRA requires federal agencies to report to Congress annually on the results of their activities during the fiscal year.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Press Release www.EPA.gov
