CCS

“It is now virtually certain that legislation will pass the Congress imposing controls during the coming four years,” Boucher said. “When carbon dioxide controls are imposed, CO2 from coal combustion must be captured and sequestered.”

Boucher was speaking in Russell County, Virginia, at the launch of a test site that will determine whether an unmineable coal seam there is suitable for sequestering carbon dioxide.

Coal seams are attractive places to store carbon since they are often situated near major emitters such as power plants and coke making ovens.

“Today we begin the process of demonstrating to the nation that coal seams can realise this potential,” Boucher said.

The project is funded by the US Energy Department, which is spending $4.4 million on the test. Industrial partners have contributed another $1.1 million to the project. The test will last until next January when results are expected.

If the initial results look good, the next step will be to inject 100,000 tons of CO2 into the coal seam, which will cost the federal government $60 million and state and private partners $40 million.

About half of all US electricity production comes from burning coal, which is found in abundance in the US. Most US politicians, especially Democrats, support the development of carbon capture technology as well as increased funding for renewable energy sources.

But some environmentalists argue that carbon capture and storage technology is still in the early stages of development and won’t be ready for widespread deployment in time to significantly impact climate change.

Meanwhile, Boucher’s office is said to be drafting cap-and-trade legislation to be introduced when Congress reconvenes in September. Capitol Hill sources say it will borrow heavily from the Senate’s cap-and-trade bill, which was defeated in June. That bill sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2050.

Even if the House does introduce a bill, few expect it to pass before the presidential election in November.