FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2006
CONTACT: Chris Paulitz
SENATORS HUTCHISON, CORNYN CONGRATULATE FUTUREGEN SITE PROPOSALS FOR TEXAS
Odessa and Jewett submitted as sites for competitive clean fuel energy initiative
WASHINGTON, DC -- Texas Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn today congratulated the towns of Jewett and Odessa which were selected by the state of Texas as the site proposals to bring FutureGen Alliance, Inc. -- a public-private venture with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to build the world’s first near-zero emissions fossil energy facility -- to Texas.
“The East and West Texas sites highlight our state’s diverse resources and experience that make it a leader in the energy field. These proposals leave us well positioned to be a top contender to bring FutureGen to Texas,” Sen. Hutchison said. “I commend all communities which developed proposals to help reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and spur economic growth in the state.”
“These are two excellent locations for this important initiative. We must continue to pursue innovative technologies like FutureGen to adequately meet our growing energy needs and remain good stewards of the environment. This project would generate many new jobs and I’ll continue working with state leaders and our congressional delegation to expand economic opportunities in Texas,” Sen. Cornyn said.
The East Texas proposal from Jewett, based at the Jewett lignite mine, capitalizes on Texas’ abundant lignite resources. The communities of Odessa and Midland worked together to develop the West Texas proposal which showcases Texas’ energy expertise in the use of carbon dioxide and hydrogen by the petrochemical industry.
FutureGen is a $1 billion public-private venture to build the world’s first near-zero emissions fossil fuel energy facility. Cosponsored by the Alliance and the DOE, the FutureGen project will gasify coal to generate electricity and produce hydrogen, capturing and storing carbon dioxide in deep geologic formations.
As both a power plant and research facility, FutureGen will demonstrate the technical and economic viability of clean power generation from coal. The technologies refined and commercialized at this 275-megawatt prototype power plant will lead to the deployment of similar clean energy facilities across the nation and help to shape the global energy future.
The Alliance will announce a Candidate Site List in the summer of 2006. Texas’ leadership, working with the Bureau of Economic Geology, began preparing the state’s bid to host FutureGen immediately after President Bush announced the FutureGen Initiative in 2003.
#