Report Offers Menu of Choices for Fueling Midwest Economy With Clean Energy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Jeff Greenblatt, 510-658-8008
Dan Cronin, 202-572-3354, dcronin@environmentaldefense.org

(Washington, DC – May 31, 2007) As Midwest states gear up to build more traditional coal-fired power plants, a report issued today by Environmental Defense shows how the region can run more on readily available clean energy sources while helping the climate and remaining competitive in a rapidly changing energy economy.

The Midwest, more than any other region in the U.S., has historically relied on coal as a cheap and abundant energy source to fuel economic growth. That way of doing business needs to change as states to the east and west put limits on greenhouse gas emissions and Congress gets closer to adopting a national emissions cap.

Environmental Defense’s report, Midwest Power: Less Coal, Less Carbon, More Choices, shows that the region can produce more than three times the projected increase in electricity demand while cutting carbon dioxide emissions, by taking advantage of available wind and biomass energy sources, energy-efficient equipment in homes, offices and factories, and adopting new clean coal technologies.

“Midwest states are sitting on a wealth of options for joining the new energy economy, but they are poised to make a choice that will shackle them to yesterday’s dirty coal technologies,” said Jeffery Greenblatt, PhD, High Meadows scientist at Environmental Defense and author of the report.

“Fortunately, the Midwest—sometimes called the ‘Saudi Arabia’ of wind and biomass energy—has many choices when it comes to clean energy,” he said.

Nearly 75 percent of the region’s power comes from coal, and 43 new coal-fired plants are on the drawing board. Those plants would contribute to an additional 137 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year by 2020.

Forecasts by the U.S. Energy Information Administration indicate that electricity demand in the area could increase 16 percent by 2020. According to the report, that demand could be not only met but exceeded through a combination of new approaches to power:

• The Midwest is uniquely situated to take advantage of wind energy. The region is well-endowed with wind — enough to provide four times its current energy needs. Wind could provide 20% of electricity demand by 2020, the equivalent of 47 coal plants.
• Just a fraction of biomass supplies in the region could power nearly 40 percent of the projected increase in energy demand – equaling 20 coal plants.
• Improved energy efficiencies in residential, commercial and industrial sectors could keep demand flat at today’s level – averting another 34 plants.
• New coal plants built in the Midwest could capture and store 85 percent of the CO₂ they ordinarily emit, using carbon sequestration technology such as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC). At least 18 coal plants could be built that way by 2020.

Download Report

• Executive summary [PDF]
• Full report [PDF]