Press Releases
February 7, 2008
Contact: Carly Baker (202) 715-1518
FutureGen Alliance Board Unanimously Agrees that FutureGen at Mattoon Remains in the Public Interest
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The FutureGen Alliance Board of Directors reaffirmed the importance of proceeding with the development of the FutureGen facility in Mattoon, Illinois during a Board meeting held this week at the host site. The Board announced its plan to push the project forward as planned, as it believes that FutureGen at Mattoon remains in the public interest.
Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Mudd said that "The FutureGen project at Mattoon is in the best position to move ahead with the urgency that the energy and climate challenges demand."
This project is further along than any other such project in the world to integrate IGCC with 90% carbon capture and sequestration in deep saline geologic formations while generating electricity using a first-of-a-kind hydrogen turbine. As a not-for-profit, the Alliance will be sharing the results with the world, a fact unique to FutureGen as currently configured. These elements must be proven together to commercialize these technologies. Any other proposed projects would likely trail FutureGen by many years.
Mudd noted that the Mattoon site has all of the attributes required to be successful, including a secure water source and the ability to inject CO2 on-site eliminating the need for an extended offsite pipeline. In addition, public support is overwhelming. The Alliance board was moved by the several hundred citizens who attended a public reception to meet the board.
Alliance Board Chairman, Paul Thompson announced the Alliance’s intention to work with the White House, Congress, the Department of Energy, and the Illinois Congressional delegation and other stakeholders to advance the project. He stressed that FutureGen at Mattoon remains the world’s premier project to advance near-zero emissions coal plant technology in the shortest possible time.
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About the FutureGen Alliance
The FutureGen Alliance, a non-profit organization, represents some of the world's largest coal companies and electric utilities including: American Electric Power, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, the China Huaneng Group, CONSOL Energy Inc., E.ON U.S., Foundation Coal, Luminant, PPL Corporation, Rio Tinto Energy America, Peabody Energy, Southern Company, and Xstrata Coal.. These companies provide energy to tens of millions of residential, business, and industrial customers in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and South America. The Alliance is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy to design and build the facility. Learn more about FutureGen and the Alliance at http://www.FutureGenAlliance.org/.