carbon capture

Governor Mark Gordon held his State of the State address on Wednesday, Jan. 11, and he focused a lot on energy.There was an apparent Wyoming versus the federal government mentality in Gordon’s speech.

A direct air capture project set to begin operations this year in Wyoming could soon be the largest facility of its kind in the world. The commercial companies that founded "Project Bison" estimate it will remove five million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year by 2030

One of Wyoming’s main electricity providers says following state law could come at a huge cost to customers.Pacificorp, also known as Rocky Mountain Power, recently testified to the Wyoming Public Service Commission regarding a 2020 state law that requires public utilities to begin incorporating some carbon capture technology at their coal-fired plants. Some see carbon capture as a way to meet climate goals, while still using coal.

The Lone Star State is the biggest consumer of Wyoming coal and is seeking to keep fossil fuels as a part of their energy profile in the coming years. Wyoming's coal industry could benefit from additional shipments if Texas's carbon capture industry takes off. Carbon capture initiatives are proving to be competitive overall.

The agreement between the State of Wyoming and PacifiCorp will keep a unit of the Jim Bridger Power Plant online past the previous closure deadline of Apr. 30, which has been signed by Gordon. Carbon capture technologies may also lengthen the lifespan of the facility, which has been operating for over 50 years.

While the pandemic has boosted coal production figures, an increase that is likely to continue in 2022, experts say the downward trend will only continue once markets normalize from economic recoveries and other energy sources further challenge the industry.

A new report from Advanced Resources International gives an update on enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and carbon dioxide supplies for CO2 EOR projects for the end of year 2020. Wyoming currently has six CO2 EOR projects.

The Joint Minerals Committee met in Laramie to discuss a host of topics, including the market for carbon credits and nuclear issues.

The Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) considered adopting emergency rules in order to implement a law passed in 2020. HEA 0079, "Reliable and Dispatchable Low Carbon Energy Standards," would require utilities to get a certain amount of electricity from coal plants with carbon capture attached by 2030.

University of Wyoming Professor Tara Righetti will head to France this summer to study how the European state transitioned its economy and culture away…