Press Release

NARUC Publishes New Study of Carbon Capture Technology and Policy

WASHINGTON—A new report from the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners examines the state of national carbon issues. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage: Technology and Policy Status and Opportunities is a valuable tool for state regulators and others to understand current CCUS policy and technology, learn about its successful applications nationally and internationally, and consider actions to bring about more CCUS projects.

Developed by NARUC’s Center for Partnerships & Innovation with key contributions from the National Energy Technology Laboratory, the report is part of the NARUC/U.S. Department of Energy Carbon Capture, Storage, and Utilization Partnership, a cooperative agreement to improve state regulators’ knowledge of CCUS, particularly as it applies to the energy industry.

CCUS is a critical technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants and fuel-intensive industrial processes. Different technologies are available to capture carbon dioxide before, during or after fuel combustion. Once captured, carbon dioxide can be used in enhanced oil recovery, recycled into new products or permanently sequestered underground.

“This report shines a light on major advances in carbon capture and storage, showing how it has been successfully deployed in the U.S. and around the world,” said Commissioner Jeremy Oden, of the Alabama Public Service Commission, and chair of NARUC’s Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Management. “NARUC also suggests pathways for state regulators and other stakeholders to encourage more projects.”

“This report was the result of a collaborative process among NARUC staff, our colleagues at the Department of Energy and the National Energy Technology Lab, industry experts and state commissioners who have invested their time and expertise into advancing a policy and regulatory dialogue around emerging opportunities for CCUS,” said CPI Director Danielle Sass Byrnett.

DOE funds research and development of new capture technologies, sequestration sites and carbon dioxide utilization through public-private partnerships with the National Labs, universities, research institutions and private industry.

NARUC President and Iowa Utilities Board member Nick Wagner recognized the importance of federal leadership in CCUS.

“Public-private partnerships have been and continue to be major drivers for advancing carbon capture and storage technology, with the National Energy Technology Lab stepping forward as a leader,” he said. “NARUC’s report is particularly valuable in highlighting these important partnerships and summarizing future plans to continue pushing innovation.”

In addition to the environmental benefits of preventing greenhouse gas emissions, CCUS also stimulates employment and economic development; particularly, in states that produce or consume significant amounts of coal for electricity, such as Alabama and Wyoming.

“Carbon capture is a critical solution that can reduce emissions from the electricity sector while retaining baseload power plants and domestic coal production,” said Commissioner Kara B. Fornstrom, of the Wyoming Public Service Commission and co-vice chair of NARUC’s Subcommittee on Clean Coal and Carbon Management. “NARUC’s report is a valuable resource to help states understand the costs, benefits and applications of various carbon capture and storage technologies.”

The report, co-authored by CPI staffer Kiera Zitelman and staff from Leonardo Technologies Inc., with important contributions from DOE, NETL, state regulators and others, is available at bit.ly/NARUC2018CarbonCapture.

About NARUC
NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC’s member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of state public utility commissions before the three branches of the federal government.