Coal, Study and Water

DOE to award $32M for FEED studies for production of rare earths and critical minerals and materials from coal

Green Car Congress

JULY 15, 2023

Coal and coal production waste contain a wide variety of valuable rare earth elements that can be converted into clean energy technology components. The US currently has more than 250 billion tons of coal reserves, more than 4 billion tons of waste coal, and about 2 billion tons of coal ash at various sites across the country.

Coal

Coal Production Waste Clean

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

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

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 study is one of the first to account for methane leaking from old, abandoned mines.

Coal

Coal Emissions Escape Ukraine

OSU team develops process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare earth elements

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 4, 2023

Researchers at The Ohio State University have developed a novel process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare-earth elements from it. Coal mine drainage (CMD) impairs tens of thousands of kilometers of U.S. CMD, coal mine drainage; TEP, trap-extract-precipitate. Miranda et al. —Jeff Bielicki. Miranda, Jeffrey M.

Coal

Coal Clean Cleaning West Virginia

CSIRO study finds little to no environmental impact from fracing in Queensland

Green Car Congress

APRIL 27, 2020

A comprehensive three-year scientific study into the air, water and soil impacts of hydraulic fracturing (HF) in coal seam gas (CSG) in Queensland, Australia has found little to no impacts on air quality, soils, groundwater and waterways. Source: CSIRO.

Coal

Coal Water Australia Gas

Converting Coal Power Plants to Nuclear Gains Steam

Cars That Think

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

On a planet aspiring to become carbon neutral, the once-stalwart coal power plant is an emerging anachronism. It is true that, in much of the developing world, coal-fired capacity continues to grow. But in every corner of the globe, political and financial pressures are mounting to bury coal in the past.

Coal

Coal Convert Power Powered

Study finds high sodium bicarbonate concentrations in water from coal-bed natural gas production harms aquatic life; water treatment can mitigate effects

Green Car Congress

JUNE 14, 2012

Produced water from coal-bed natural gas (CBNG) production may contain sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) at concentrations that can harm aquatic life, according to a new study by the US Geological Survey; Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; the Bureau of Land Management and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Sodium

Sodium Water Coal Montana

DOE awards $1.95M for conceptual designs that extract critical minerals and rare earth elements from coal sources

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 7, 2020

million in federal funding to develop conceptual designs of commercially viable technologies that will extract rare earth elements (REEs) from US coal and coal by-product sources. Winner Water Services Inc. The conceptual designs of each project include an option for up to a $2-million feasibility study. Sharon, PA).

Coal

Coal Design West Virginia North Dakota

NYK Line invests in waste-to-biofuel company

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 29, 2022

which has developed its own integrated subcritical-water organic-waste power-generation system (ISOP) system, which decomposes organic substances using subcritical-water-treating technology and ultimately produces green energy products such as biofuels. The products can be reused as green energy products such as bio-coal, biogas (e.g.,

Waste

Waste Companies Water Coal

DOE awarding $6.5M to 9 large-scale Phase I pilot coal projects

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

This FOA, issued in August 2017, is a $50-million funding opportunity for projects supporting cost-shared research and development to design, construct, and operate two large-scale pilots to demonstrate transformational coal technologies. Some of these technologies are now ready to proceed to the large-scale pilot stage of development.

Coal

Coal North Dakota Illinois Universal

Design study for SA underground coal gasification plant underway

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 13, 2011

South Africa state-owned power utility Eskom reports that a design study is currently under way for an underground coal gasification (UCG) demonstration plant, which will include a 250,000 Nm 3 /h gas production plant and a 100 MW to 140 MW gas turbine plant. The coal seam lies between 280 m and 300 m deep. Mining Weekly.

Coal

Coal Design South Africa Gas-Electric

SAF company DG Fuels closes investments with two Japanese companies

Green Car Congress

JULY 29, 2023

These facilities typically use approximately one ton of coal to produce one BBL of hydrocarbons, with a life cycle CO 2 emissions calculation that is slightly worse than equivalent fuels derived from conventional oil refining. DGF replaces the coal gasification used by others with biomass gasification and natural gas reforming.

Companies

Companies Fuel Louisiana Asia

PNNL study finds 2028 grid resource adequacy likely sufficient for high EV penetration; managed charging strategies can double adequacy

Green Car Congress

JULY 30, 2020

A new study of the impact of high EV adoption on the Western US power grid by a team from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has found that 2028 grid resource adequacy—from generation through transmission—is likely to be sufficient for high EV penetration. Source: PNNL.

Grid

Grid Charging Power Grid California

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

The study will appear next month in the peer-reviewed journal Climatic Change Letters. The study underscores the complex and sometimes conflicting ways in which fossil fuel burning affects Earth’s climate. —Tom Wigley. Methane is an especially potent greenhouse gas. degree Fahrenheit (less than 0.1 degree Celsius). degrees F (0.1-0.2

Coal

Coal Climate Gas Global

OSU team demonstrates Coal-Direct Chemical Looping for more efficient and low carbon coal heat release

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 11, 2013

An Ohio State University team has demonstrated the successful operation of Coal-Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL)—which chemically harnesses coal’s energy and efficiently contains the carbon dioxide produced before it can be released into the atmosphere. Hot iron and coal ash are left behind. 2 millimeters across.

Coal

Coal Carbon Ohio Columbus

Updated NETL study provides more detailed economic and environmental assessment of coal-to-liquids and CTL with modest biomass

Green Car Congress

MAY 15, 2012

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has released a follow-on study to its 2009 evaluation of the economic and environmental performance of Coal-to-Liquids (CTL) and CTL with modest amounts of biomass mixed in (15% by weight) for the production of zero-sulfure diesel fuel. Earlier post.). —White and Gray.

Coal

Coal Diesel Oil Prices Water

ANL: life-cycle water consumption of fuel cell vehicles can be cut in half compared to that of conventional ICE vehicles

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The life-cycle water consumption of fuel cell electric vehicles using hydrogen produced from natural gas with steam methane reforming is almost 50% less than the life-cycle water consumption of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles using gasoline, according to a study by researchers at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).

Water

Water Fuel Vehicles Gasoline-Electric

Argonne LCA study finds many alternative fuels consume more water than petroleum and natural gas fuels

Green Car Congress

MARCH 9, 2016

Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have analyzed the water consumption for transportation fuels in the United States using an extended lifecycle system boundary that includes the water embedded in intermediate processing steps. Increases in population, energy and food demand now strain previously abundant sources of water.

Alternative Fuels

Alternative Fuels Water Fuel Gas

ENEOS begins joint study with Origin on Japan-Australia green hydrogen supply chain; MCH as transport medium

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 26, 2021

ENEOS Corporation and Origin Energy signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct a study on a potential business collaboration for the development of a CO 2 -free hydrogen supply chain between Japan and Australia. Specifically, Origin will focus on use of renewable energy supply and water electrolysis cells for hydrogen production.

Australia

Australia Japan Hydrogen Supplies

Conservation group opposing Thacker Pass lithium mine seeks endangered status for Kings River pyrg (snail)

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

In 2018, Lithium Americas completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on a two-phase project with a production capacity designed to reach 60,000 tpa of battery- quality lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3 ) and 46-year mine life. The sedimentary-clay deposit at Thacker Pass will use similar mining techniques to many coal deposits.

Nevada

Nevada Coal Pollution Argentina

Study finds climate impact of hydropower varies widely

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 14, 2019

earlier post ), a new study by a team at Environmental Defense Fund finds that the climate impact of hydropower facilities varies widely throughout the world and over time, with some facilities emitting more greenhouse gases than those burning fossil fuels.

Climate

Climate Climate Change Coal Gas-Electric

Ignite Energy Resources and TRUenergy Plan Direct Coal-to-Liquids and Coal Drying Demo Project for Supercritical Water Technology

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2009

Ignite Energy Resources supercritical water process diagram. IER’s proprietary supercritical water technology (SCW) transforms low-ranked coals, including lignite, directly into higher-valued oils and cleaner coal products. tonnes of high-ranked coal. Source: IER. Click to enlarge. Source: IER. Click to enlarge.

Coal

Coal Water Energy Australia

Study projects thermoelectric power in Europe and US vulnerable to climate change due to lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures

Green Car Congress

JUNE 3, 2012

A study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that thermoelectric power plants (i.e., nuclear and fossil-fueled generating units) in Europe and the United States are vulnerable to climate change due to the combined impacts of lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures. Compared to other water use sectors (e.g.

Climate Change

Climate Change Water Climate Europe

Argonne study finds shale gas GHG lifecycle emissions 6% lower than natural gas, 23% lower than gasoline and 33% lower than coal; upstream methane leakage a key contributor

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 18, 2011

The base results from a study by a team at the Center for Transportation Research, Argonne National Laboratory indicate that shale gas life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are 6% lower than conventional natural gas, 23% lower than gasoline, and 33% lower than coal. Credit: ACS, Burnham et al. Click to enlarge.

Gas

Gas Coal Emissions Gasoline

Duke study finds China’s synthetic natural gas plants will have heavy environmental toll; 2x vehicle GHG if used for fuel

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Coal-powered synthetic natural gas (SNG) plants being planned in China would produce seven times more greenhouse gas emissions than conventional natural gas plants, and use up to 100 times the water as shale gas production, according to a new study by Duke University researchers published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Gas

Gas Mercury Climate Change Fuel

Researchers demonstrate electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from air and water under mild conditions

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 30, 2013

Natural gas or coal is used as the energy source of the ammonia industry. is well known that some higher plants can synthesize ammonia or its derivatives directly from air and water at room temperature. To the best of our knowledge, there is no report on artificial synthesis of ammonia direct from air and water.

Water

Water 2010 Energy Storage Mariner

USGS/BOEM study identifies method to differentiate between natural seepage and produced oils in waters off Southern California

Green Car Congress

MAY 22, 2012

Resource managers now have a method to determine the source of oil found in the waters off Southern California and differentiate between naturally seeped oils and those produced by offshore oil and gas production. Other platform oils need to go through a more extensive biomarker analysis to distinguish them from natural seepage.

Oil

Oil California Water Mariner

Study finds heavy-petroleum fuels raising vanadium emissions; human emissions outpacing natural sources by factor of 1.7

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 16, 2017

Vanadium is a trace metal found in many earth materials, including petroleum and coal. Excessive V in air and water has potential, but poorly documented, consequences for human health. Human emissions of vanadium to atmosphere now exceed natural sources by a factor of 1.7 —William Schlesinger. Schlesinger, Emily M.

Oil-Sands

Oil-Sands Emissions Mercury Fuel

Modified SOFC anodes allow operation at lower temperatures with carbon-containing gases; potential for much more efficient and cleaner generation of electricity from coal

Green Car Congress

JUNE 25, 2011

gasified coal—by eliminating the coking problem. The resulting lower-temperature SOFCs could provide a cleaner, more efficient alternative to conventional power plants for generating electricity from coal reserves. About half of the carbon dioxide is then recirculated back to gasify the coal to coal gas to continue the process.

Coal

Coal Carbon Cleaner Water

DOE awards $7M to eight oxy-combustion coal technology projects; carbon capture, utilization and storage

Green Car Congress

JULY 26, 2012

The US Department of Energy (DOE) selected eight projects to advance the development of transformational oxy-combustion technologies capable of high-efficiency, low-cost carbon dioxide capture from coal-fired power plants. The Energy Department’s $7 million investment—leveraged with recipient cost-share to support approximately $9.4

Coal

Coal Carbon Gas-Electric Gas

Ethanol-fueled solid oxide fuel cells with HEA internal reforming catalyst for transportation applications

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 27, 2023

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have fuel flexibility; in addition to hydrogen, various kinds of hydrocarbon fuels, such as natural gas (methane), methanol, ethanol, biofuel, and coal can be used via external steam reforming (ESR) or direct internal reforming (DIR). The best ethanol concentration (60:40 v% ethanol: water) provides 0.83

International

International Fuel Transportation Water

ORNL study identifies more biopathways for formation of toxic methylmercury

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 8, 2013

More forms of mercury can be converted to methylmercury—a form of mercury that can be taken into the food chain and eventually can result in mercury-contaminated fish—than previously thought, according to a study led by a team of researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) published in Nature Geoscience. Earlier post.).

Mercury

Mercury Water Convert Coal

Renault makes public its lifecycle study of Fluence ICE vs Fluence EV

Green Car Congress

JULY 11, 2013

Renault recently made public the findings of an internal study, published first in October 2011, detailing and comparing the lifecycle assessments (LCAs) of the battery-electric and two internal combustion engined versions (gasoline and diesel) of the Renault Fluence. water, and non-renewable energies (crude oil, coal.)

Li-ion

Li-ion Gasoline-Electric Ozone Diesel

DOE Selects Seven Projects for University Coal Research Program

Green Car Congress

MAY 14, 2010

The US Department of Energy has selected 7 projects to participate in the University Coal Research (UCR) program. The projects aim to improve the basic understanding of the chemical and physical processes that govern coal conversion and utilization, by-product utilization, and technological development for advanced energy systems.

Coal

Coal Universal West Virginia Kansas City

Syngas Engages Rentech and GE for Clinton Coal and Biomass to Liquids Project in Australia

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 25, 2009

Australia’s Syngas Limited has engaged Rentech to provide Fischer-Tropsch fuels production preliminary engineering services for Syngas’ proposed commercial scale coal and biomass to liquids (CBTL) fuels facility in Southern Australia, known as the Clinton Project. Additionally, the Clinton coal fluidizes well.

Coal

Coal Australia Diesel Oil Prices

WVU opens new research facility to extract valuable rare earth elements from acid mine drainage

Green Car Congress

JULY 22, 2018

West Virginia University (WVU) researchers are opening a new facility to capture rare earth elements (REEs) from acid mine drainage (AMD) from coal mining. It follows on an earlier, phase-one project , worth $937,000, to study acid mine drainage as feedstock for rare-earth extraction. —Paul Ziemkiewicz.

West Virginia

West Virginia Coal Virginia Waste

Multi-western state collaboration to study demo and deployment of NuScale small modular reactor

Green Car Congress

JULY 1, 2013

The participating utilities, Energy Northwest and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, have assessed regional strategies for reducing long-term carbon emissions including replacing aging coal-fired units, as well as meeting forecasted energy demand growth, and concluded that SMR technology is a vitally important option.

Utah

Utah Idaho Water Coal

Chalmers team develops method to reduce levels of mercury in sulfuric acid

Green Car Congress

JULY 10, 2023

It is stored in the soil, water and living organisms, impacting the entire food chain. In 2015, about 2,200 tonnes of mercury were emitted into the air as a result of human activities such as cement manufacture, small-scale gold mining, coal burning, metal production and other manufacturing industries. If the content is below 0.08

Mercury

Mercury Water Environment 2015

Report finds Coal-to-Liquids and Oil Shale pose significant financial and environmental risks to investors

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 19, 2010

Ceres recently released a new report concluding that coal-to-liquid (CTL) and oil shale technologies face significant environmental and financial obstacles—from water constraints, to technological uncertainties to regulatory and market risks—that pose substantial financial risks for investors involved in such projects.

Coal

Coal Oil Water Oil Prices

DOE to award up to $14M to 6 new projects to advance IGCC with carbon capture technology for coal-fired plants

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 10, 2011

The selected projects are intended to improve the economics of IGCC plants and promote the use of the US’abundant coal resources. For example, a 60%-efficient gasification power plant can cut the formation of carbon dioxide by 40% compared to a typical coal combustion plant, the DOE said.

Coal

Coal Carbon North Dakota EPRI

MIT Report Finds Natural Gas Has Significant Potential to Displace Coal, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Role in Transportation More Limited

Green Car Congress

JUNE 26, 2010

Natural gas will play a leading role in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions over the next several decades, largely by replacing older, inefficient coal plants with highly efficient combined-cycle gas generation, according to a major new interim report out from MIT. The first two reports dealt with nuclear power (2003) and coal (2007).

MIT

MIT Coal Gas Emissions

DOE awarding $72M to 27 projects to develop and advance carbon capture technologies, including direct air capture

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 3, 2020

Under this cost-shared research and development (R&D), DOE is awarding $51 million to nine new projects for coal and natural gas power and industrial sources. These efforts aim to design initial engineering studies to develop technologies to capture CO 2 generated as a byproduct of manufacturing at industrial sites.

Carbon

Carbon Coal Gas-Electric Gas

Stanford study quantifies energetic costs of grid-scale energy storage over time; current batteries the worst performers; the need to improve cycle life by 3-10x

Green Car Congress

MARCH 10, 2013

A new study by Charles J. The Stanford study considered a future US grid where up to 80% of the electricity comes from renewables. What little capacity there is comes from pumped hydroelectric storage, which works by pumping water to a reservoir behind a dam when electricity demand is low. Credit: Barnhart and Benson, 2013.

Energy Storage

Energy Storage Grid Cost Of Energy

Inorganic mercury converted to more toxic and bio-accumulative monomethylmercury in ocean waters, possibly by microbes

Green Car Congress

APRIL 28, 2011

A team led by the University of Alberta has confirmed that inorganic mercury (Hg) found worldwide in ocean water is transformed into monomethylmercury (MMHg)—a potent and bio-accumulative neurotoxin—in the seawater. Kirk (2011) Methylation of inorganic mercury in polar marine waters. Fitzgerald and Thomas W.

Mercury

Mercury Water Convert St. Louis

Geely invests in Carbon Recycling Intl.; vehicles fueled by methanol from CO2, water and renewable energy

Green Car Congress

JULY 8, 2015

Geely’s CRI investment and work with renewable methanol is similar to the approach Audi is taking with its own e-fuels projects—producing very low carbon liquid or gaseous fuels using only renewable energy, water and CO 2. Earlier post.). Earlier post.) Methanol in China. —Chen et al. Delving into the emissions side, Chen et al.

Renewable

Renewable Carbon Water Fuel

DOE to award $32M for FEED studies for production of rare earths and critical minerals and materials from coal

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

OSU team develops process to clean coal mine drainage and extract rare earth elements

CSIRO study finds little to no environmental impact from fracing in Queensland

Converting Coal Power Plants to Nuclear Gains Steam

Study finds high sodium bicarbonate concentrations in water from coal-bed natural gas production harms aquatic life; water treatment can mitigate effects

DOE awards $1.95M for conceptual designs that extract critical minerals and rare earth elements from coal sources

NYK Line invests in waste-to-biofuel company

DOE awarding $6.5M to 9 large-scale Phase I pilot coal projects

Design study for SA underground coal gasification plant underway

SAF company DG Fuels closes investments with two Japanese companies

PNNL study finds 2028 grid resource adequacy likely sufficient for high EV penetration; managed charging strategies can double adequacy

Study findings suggest that switching from coal to natural gas would do little for global climate

OSU team demonstrates Coal-Direct Chemical Looping for more efficient and low carbon coal heat release

Updated NETL study provides more detailed economic and environmental assessment of coal-to-liquids and CTL with modest biomass

ANL: life-cycle water consumption of fuel cell vehicles can be cut in half compared to that of conventional ICE vehicles

Argonne LCA study finds many alternative fuels consume more water than petroleum and natural gas fuels

ENEOS begins joint study with Origin on Japan-Australia green hydrogen supply chain; MCH as transport medium

Conservation group opposing Thacker Pass lithium mine seeks endangered status for Kings River pyrg (snail)

Study finds climate impact of hydropower varies widely

Ignite Energy Resources and TRUenergy Plan Direct Coal-to-Liquids and Coal Drying Demo Project for Supercritical Water Technology

Study projects thermoelectric power in Europe and US vulnerable to climate change due to lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures

Argonne study finds shale gas GHG lifecycle emissions 6% lower than natural gas, 23% lower than gasoline and 33% lower than coal; upstream methane leakage a key contributor

Duke study finds China’s synthetic natural gas plants will have heavy environmental toll; 2x vehicle GHG if used for fuel

Researchers demonstrate electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from air and water under mild conditions

USGS/BOEM study identifies method to differentiate between natural seepage and produced oils in waters off Southern California

Study finds heavy-petroleum fuels raising vanadium emissions; human emissions outpacing natural sources by factor of 1.7

Modified SOFC anodes allow operation at lower temperatures with carbon-containing gases; potential for much more efficient and cleaner generation of electricity from coal

DOE awards $7M to eight oxy-combustion coal technology projects; carbon capture, utilization and storage

Ethanol-fueled solid oxide fuel cells with HEA internal reforming catalyst for transportation applications

ORNL study identifies more biopathways for formation of toxic methylmercury

Renault makes public its lifecycle study of Fluence ICE vs Fluence EV

DOE Selects Seven Projects for University Coal Research Program

Syngas Engages Rentech and GE for Clinton Coal and Biomass to Liquids Project in Australia

WVU opens new research facility to extract valuable rare earth elements from acid mine drainage

Multi-western state collaboration to study demo and deployment of NuScale small modular reactor

Chalmers team develops method to reduce levels of mercury in sulfuric acid

Report finds Coal-to-Liquids and Oil Shale pose significant financial and environmental risks to investors

DOE to award up to $14M to 6 new projects to advance IGCC with carbon capture technology for coal-fired plants

MIT Report Finds Natural Gas Has Significant Potential to Displace Coal, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Role in Transportation More Limited

DOE awarding $72M to 27 projects to develop and advance carbon capture technologies, including direct air capture

Stanford study quantifies energetic costs of grid-scale energy storage over time; current batteries the worst performers; the need to improve cycle life by 3-10x

Inorganic mercury converted to more toxic and bio-accumulative monomethylmercury in ocean waters, possibly by microbes

Geely invests in Carbon Recycling Intl.; vehicles fueled by methanol from CO2, water and renewable energy

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