Journal Gazette Times-Courier: FutureGen Proponents Confident

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FutureGen Proponents Confident

Journal Gazette Times-Courier

by Herb Meeker

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin grinned before he offered an assessment on whether the FutureGen energy project will receive final federal approval in January.

"We politicians like to downplay expectations. But we have a significant historic commitment by this administration to FutureGen," Durbin said Friday. "I see spinoff projects from FutureGen that will be a tremendous boost to the local economy. I do think it will happen. I feel confident about it."

The announcement by the Department of Energy is a couple months away on whether the final green light goes to FutureGen Alliance for the $2 billion coal-gasification power plant with underground storage of carbon dioxide emission at Mattoon. Durbin's confident-yet-cautious comments Friday sound familiar to those uttered two years ago this month when the clock was winding down on the announcement for a FutureGen site by the alliance. Mattoon got the nod in December of that year and then a few weeks later DOE under the Bush administration scrapped support for FutureGen, claiming it was too expensive.

But in the past 12 months there has been almost a 180-degree turn on the project under the Obama administration. More than $1 billion in federal funding was restored to the experimental program to prove high-volume carbon capture from coal-fueled power generation is commercially viable and safe with technology that can reduce 90 percent of the emissions.

A recent conversation with Energy Secretary Steven Chu bolstered Durbin's confidence even more.

"I personally asked Secretary Chu: ‘Do you see any problems.' He said ‘I think things are moving in the right direction,'" Durbin said.

Brian Brau, director of project development with Peabody Energy, one of the FutureGen Alliance members, also said things are moving in the right direction. One stipulation was the alliance increase its membership, down to nine, to meet its share of the costs for the private-public financing of the power plant.

Brau said negotiations are moving forward globally. He could not identify any firms Friday as the negotiations move forward, but he said the international negotiations have been very positive.

In addition, Brau said the design team has been ramped up to make the project more cost effective.

"The costs are trending down," Brau said, adding delivery of some FutureGen plant equipment came through this week.

He also said the project's goal is to reduce emissions by 90 percent by design, though 60 percent might be acceptable in the early months of the project. Some critics claim the project greatly reduced its claim of "near-zero" emissions by allowing the lower figure, but Brau said FutureGen Alliance wanted flexibility when it started the plant.

"The 60-percent figure allowed flexibility on a short-term basis. The goal has always been to hit 90 percent and that is still part of the design. If you have a test flight of a new plane that you want to reach Mach 3 and you only reach Mach 2 at first that doesn't mean it is a failure," Brau said.

State Senators Dale Righter and Kirk Dillard are working on an agreement for the state of Illinois to purchase FutureGen electricity under a long-term contract. Righter said that legislation is a "work in progress" as elected officials try to meet the needs of FutureGen Alliance, while guaranteeing the best deal for Illinois taxpayers.

Dillard, a Republican candidate for governor, cautioned against allowing the state fiscal crisis to derail any power contract with FutureGen.

"Obviously, you have to watch out for the taxpayers' pocketbooks," Dillard said. "We understand the importance of FutureGen, not only for eastern Illinois, but for Southern Illinois as well. This is a top priority for the state. You can't let it slip away."

A recent Associated Press story said some residents in the Netherlands oppose carbon storage under one of their cities due to fears of possible risks, including fears of a poisoning incident of more than 1,700 Africans in 1986.

Coles Together President Angela Griffin said safety concerns over FutureGen appear to ignore the "exhaustive scientific review" of carbon storage more than 7,000 feet below the surface and multiple shale and other geolgic barriers to prevent leakage. She added underground storage of natural gas has been safe and successful near Champaign for three decades, and carbon sequestration has also been completed for years in Northern Europe.

"I would say 98 percent of the community here is convinced this is safe. That has been proven by experts with no vested interests in the success of this. It is something as inhabitants of the earth we have to pursue for our children to reduce global warming," Griffin said.

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