The Future of Energy
SAMANTHA CART
Advancements in carbon capture and sequestration have made the Appalachian region a potential hub for hydrogen production and distribution .
For years , energy leaders , environmental experts and government entities have been working to find ways to decrease and divert greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere while burning fossil fuels . While resources like coal and natural gas will continue to be part of West Virginia ’ s economy and the U . S . energy policy for years to come , advancements in carbon capture and sequestration can help mitigate the risks associated with their biproducts .
“ As we develop new , advanced energy technologies , fossil fuel resources will provide the energy America continues to need to power our grid and economy and to remain the superpower of the world ,” says Senator Joe Manchin . “ That said , we have a responsibility to produce and use our fossil fuels cleaner than anywhere else , and carbon capture , utilization and sequestration can help us to do just that .”
Capturing and Converting CO2
The ability to trap these gases , particularly carbon dioxide ( CO2 ), and store them in a solid or liquid form has the power to transform the energy industry and help meet the clean energy standards being set by consumers , businesses and governments . To do this , the emissions from a power plant or industrial facility are processed to extract CO2 , which is then pressurized and converted to a liquid form . According to Curtis Wilkerson , CEO of Orion Strategies , the liquid is pumped deep underground into pore spaces below impermeable cap rock layers to permanently trap the material .
As with any advancement , there are challenges that will need to be overcome , most of which include regulatory burdens and time constraints .
Competitive Power Ventures ( CPV ), a North American electric power generation development and asset management company headquartered in Silver Spring , MD , recently
The world ’ s largest carbon capture facility at the coal-powered Petra Nova plant in Texas . The plant has been closed since 2020 , but is planning to re-open in 2023 .
Photo provided by the NETL .
selected West Virginia as the site for its 1,800-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas power plant with carbon capture technology — a $ 3 billion investment that will employ 1,000 West Virginians in the construction alone .
According to Matt Litchfield , director of external and regulatory affairs for CPV , one of the major challenges facing any current regional energy project is interconnecting the electrical grid . Over the last few years , PJM Interconnection , the regional transmission organization that manages the movement of wholesale electricity in 13 states , including West Virginia and Washington , D . C ., has compiled a massive backlog of projects seeking interconnection .
This barrier could be removed if the U . S . Congress prioritizes updating the process for how an RTO like PJM can prioritize projects as part of much-anticipated permitting reform , which has been proposed by both major political parties . This reform would help overcome many of the challenges facing carbon capture developments .
“ It simply takes too long to permit energy infrastructure in this country , and it is an issue we must solve to realize the benefits of the energy investments we made in the 117th Congress ,” Manchin says . “ While individual states , including West Virginia , can administer their state permitting reform more efficiently than others , carbon capture projects often require federal permits , whether from the Army Corps of Engineers for pipelines or the U . S . Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to inject captured CO2 underground .
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE