Coal Conference Underway in Pittsburgh

The 25 annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference kicked off Tuesday morning by focusing on coal’s potential impact on a looming power crisis, energy independence and greener energy. Carbon sequestration was the buzzword for many of the conference speakers. The department of energy has identified enough CO2 storage capacity in the US to hold 3 and a half trillion tons and Eastman Chemicals Vice President Gregory Nelson says their project using sequestration is helping lower demand for imported energy but eliminating the need for 10-20 million gallons of imported oil every year.
Other speakers noted technologies that reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired plants by more than 90-percent are available today but opposition to new coal fired plants is stronger than ever before. Others opined that wind, solar and other renewable sources cannot be brought on line fast enough to cover the nation’s growing demand. The conference continues through Thursday.