Why should the government increase investments in clean coal technology?

• With the right investments in technology, we can continue to pursue even lower emissions profiles for coal-based power plants (including the capture and storage of CO2) and keep energy costs affordable for the American consumer. But there are always risks involved in bringing new technologies to the marketplace. In many cases, we’re talking about first-of-their-kind, first-of-their-scale technologies. By having the federal government share the financial responsibilities with companies that are funding these technology demonstrations, we’re insulating consumers from bearing 100 percent of the risk of those technology advancements. In the 1980s, Congress invested in what was called the Clean Coal Technology Demonstration program. The federal government invested $5 billion and private industry invested nearly $7 billion. This technology partnership led to important clean coal technology: scrubbers, selective catalytic converters, low-NOx burners and integrated gasification combined ...  more