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Study finds coal trains add significant amount of PM2.5 pollution in urban areas

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Coal trains and terminal operations add a significant amount of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) pollution to urban areas—more so than other freight or passenger trains— according to a study conducted in Richmond, California, by the University of California, Davis. The results indicate coal trains add on average 8.32

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Study finds methane emissions from coal mines ~50% higher than previously thought

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The amount of methane released into the atmosphere as a result of coal mining is likely approximately 50% higher than previously estimated, according to research presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. The authors point out that less coal production doesn’t translate to less methane.

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New catalyst opens door to CO2 capture in coal-to-liquids process

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World energy consumption projections expect coal to stay one of the world’s main energy sources in the coming decades, and a growing share of it will be used in CT—the conversion of coal to liquid fuels (CTL). By 2020, CTL is expected to account for 15% of the coal use in China. —Wang et al.

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Gold Hydrogen Program coalition launches program for subsurface biomanufacturing of hydrogen

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The Gold Hydrogen Program , a coalition of organizations seeking to support the scale of this clean energy resource, announced its launch and the debut of a pilot microbial Gold Hydrogen Process. Found naturally deep in the Earth, “gold hydrogen” is a resource that is produced biologically and in the subsurface.

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BloombergNEF: clean energy investment in developing nations slumps as financing in China slows; coal burn surges to record high

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While the number of new clean power-generating plants completed stayed flat year-to-year, the volume of power derived from coal surged to a new high, according to Climatescope , an annual survey of 104 emerging markets conducted by research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF). But like trying to turn a massive oil tanker, it takes time.

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DOE awards $19M to 13 initiatives in fossil-fuel areas to produce rare earth elements and critical minerals

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San Juan River-Raton-Black Mesa Basin (Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico): New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology plans to determine the rare earth elements and critical minerals resource potential in coal and related stratigraphic units in the San Juan and Raton basins in New Mexico. DOE Funding: $1,204,129.

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Study finds total greenhouse gas footprint of blue hydrogen “quite high” due to fugitive methane

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“Blue” hydrogen—produced through steam methane reforming (SMR) of natural gas or coal gasification, but with CO 2 capture and storage—is being described as having low or zero carbon emissions. Carbon dioxide emissions, including emissions from developing, processing, and transporting the fuels, are shown in orange.

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