Cleaning up America's Coal: An Analysis of States' Potentials for Carbon Capture and Storage

Abstract

Coal-fired power plants across the United States, though affordable and reliable providers of approximately 39% of the nation's power, emit approximately 25% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the country. Therefore, in moving forward with legislation to reduce the amount of emissions, coal-fired power plants are among the first emitters to be targeted. This research examined individual power plants and states across the country, and after determining the energy profile and amount of coal emissions for each state and analyzing the unique characteristics of each power plant, an analysis was conducted to determine which power plants would benefit most from a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) retrofit. CCS, which captures carbon and prevents it from being released into the atmosphere, provides a unique solution for coal-fired power plants in that it allows them to continue their normal use while reducing emissions. In the framework of the Environmental Protection Agency's regulations for coal-fired power plants through the Clean Power Plan, several states were ranked based on their energy profiles, emission amounts, and CCS retrofit value. With this research, a quantitative outreach strategy was designed for the Department of Energy to implement CCS technology in a select group of states, focusing on cost-effectiveness and efficiency of CCS in each state. The states that were identified as ideal candidates for CCS retrofits included: Illinois, Missouri, North Dakota, and West Virginia.