FutureGen and Carbon Capture and Sequestration, House views

The House Committee on Science and Technology's Subcommittee on Energy and Environment held a hearing 15 April on “The Department of Energy's FutureGen Program.” The hearing was held to better understand how the Department of Energy (DOE) is restructuring the program and what impacts it will have on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology in the U.S.

FutureGen was established in 2003 as a plan for the design and construction of a single 275 megawatt power plant that would use new integrated gasification combined-cycle coal (IGCC) and CCS technology. These technologies may allow almost zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to be released into the atmosphere. However, in January 2008 the DOE announced that FutureGen had been restructured as an initiative to instead retrofit multiple existing coal-fired power plants with the same technology the original plant would have used.

Two major discussion points during the hearing were the effects of the program change on timing and cost of commercial-scale CCS technology in the U.S. as well as the world. Subcommittee Chairman Nick Lampson (D-TX) noted his concern over cost increases caused by project changes. Full Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) said that by changing the project after five years of work he is concerned the government is throwing money away. However, Mr. C. H. “Bud” Albright, Under Secretary of Energy at the DOE, reaffirmed that they made the right choice by changing the program to maximize investment and reduce costs, although the program will still require additional funding above what has already been authorized.

Rep. Lampson estimated the restructuring would delay commercial-scale CCS implementation four or five years. When questioned if momentum had been lost due to the changes, Under Secretary Albright replied that it had not, and progress will likely be faster with the new project. DOE estimates the new FutureGen will be operational in 2016 or 2017, although Under Secretary Albright admitted he was reluctant to give a timeline in case DOE does not meet its goals.

Restructuring FutureGen will require scaling back on research that would have been conducted at the original facility. Vice Chairman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) and Rep. Jerry F. Costello (D-IL) also noted that FutureGen was originally an international collaboration. They were joined in their concern by Rep. Lampson, who said that if the U.S. government will “quit” international projects without notice the government cannot expect other countries or the private sector to feel secure collaborating on major projects. A few Members stated their interest in simply shelving the project until a new Administration begins in 2009, and then reinstating FutureGen in its original form.