Two Illinois cities were among four sites chosen Tuesday as finalists for a $1 billion federal initiative to build the world’s first virtually pollution-free coal-fired electric power plant.
The cities of Mattoon and Tuscola are potential locations for the ambitious project, which seeks to transform the nation’s abundant but air-fouling coal supply into a clean-burning fuel that could meet the country’s energy needs for the next 250 years. The two other sites chosen are in Texas: Odessa and Jewett.
Along with tackling air pollution, the prototype power plant seeks to address the problem of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. The carbon dioxide produced by the plant will be captured, liquefied and pumped into geologic reservoirs deep below the ground.
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If the pilot plant develops commercially viable technology, the project holds the promise of reviving southern Illinois’ coal industry. Illinois coal burns especially efficiently, making the state’s large deposits a potent source of energy. But Illinois coal also releases lots of sulfur when burned, and concerns about pollution have hurt demand for the coal, contributing to economic decline in southern Illinois.
Instead of burning coal, the prototype plant would use a more energy-efficient and environmentally safer process called gasification. Coal is heated under pressure, setting off chemical reactions that produce gases. Some of the gases are used to turn turbines that produce electricity, and some of the constituent chemicals in the coal are recombined into synthetic fuels and compounds useful to industry.
The winning city, to be chosen by fall 2007, can expect a more immediate economic gain: The project would require up to 1,300 jobs at the peak of construction. Upon completion, the plant would have a permanent workforce of up to 150.
The finalists were chosen from a dozen sites in seven states.
The matchup in the next phase reprises the competition during the late 1980s for the superconducting supercollider, a multibillion-dollar atom smasher for which the Department of Energy selected Texas as the site over Illinois’ Fermilab shortly after Texan George H.W. Bush was elected to the White House. The project was later canceled.
Many critics accused the Energy Department of succumbing to political influence in siting the supercollider, though officials denied the charge.
With a Texan once again in the White House, officials said they would make their selections based solely on science.
“There was absolutely no political influence that went into the final selection of the states,” said Mike Mudd, chief executive officer of the FutureGen Alliance, the consortium of energy companies that is building the prototype plant in partnership with the Energy Department.
The energy companies are contributing $250 million toward the cost and federal taxpayers about $730 million.
In Illinois, officials in the state administration and host communities were ecstatic.
“We’re just tickled to death that we’ve made the next step,” said Brian Moody, who runs Tuscola’s economic development authority.
The two Illinois sites are just 25 miles apart and share many of the same geologic and infrastructure characteristics sought by FutureGen. Both are crisscrossed by freight rail lines, making it easy to bring in coal from all parts of the country to be tested. Thousands of feet below the surface of both communities is a saline aquifer, which the plant would use as a giant subterranean repository for the carbon dioxide it produces. The state has promised FutureGen an $80 million package of grants, tax breaks and low-interest loans if Illinois lands the plant.
Even if one of the Texas sites is the winner, leaders in the Illinois towns are confident that making the short list will help lure other energy investment.
“They don’t give hats and T-shirts till you get to the Final Four,” said Alan Gilmore, the city administrator of Mattoon.
Tuesday’s announcement also carries political benefits for Gov. Rod Blagojevich, whose re-election support is weakest in the southern coal region that would get a big economic shot in the arm if FutureGen’s technology proves to be a success. FutureGen won’t make a final site selection until well after the November election, but Blagojevich can be expected to point to Tuesday’s announcement as an example of his economic development prowess.
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Coal contest
The winning prototype coal-fired plant will use “gasification” instead of burning coal to produce gases that will power turbines and create electricity more cleanly and efficiently. The finalists for the plant site are:
Mattoon, Ill.
Tuscola, Ill.
Odessa, Texas
Jewett, Texas
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