Leaders say Virginia has the Potential to Become a Leading Energy State December 10, 2009 6:39 PM by Paula C. Squires Change is coming to the energy industry, and Virginia could emerge a leader if it builds on existing coal and nuclear assets and aggressively develops multiple sources of power. That includes the development of offshore wind farms and off-shore drilling for oil and natural gas. “It’s going to take everything,” Kevin S. Crutchfield, CEO of Alpha Natural Resources told a business gathering in Richmond today. That theme was repeated by several speakers during a conference on energy issues sponsored by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce that attracted more than 200 people. “It’s going to take being smart about consumption and looking to renewables for the long term,” said Crutchfield. In the meantime, “coal will remain essential for the foreseeable future,” added the executive who heads the country’s third largest coal company, based in Abingdon. Coal currently provides fuel for 50 percent of the country’s electricity, noted Crutchfield. However, as America continues to focus on cutting greenhouse emissions, carbon sequestration will become the “holy grail if we’re going to continue to pursue this decarbonized environment.” With coal in the crosshairs, Alpha is so concerned about the industry’s long-term future that it became the first coal company to create a department of sustainability. Michael R. Peelish, the company’s new chief sustainability officer, says Alpha created the department about six months ago, after its merger with Foundation Coal Holdings. The company has assigned 41 people to the department and plans to spend $13 million in 2010 to explore several initiatives, including the placing of solar power and wind turbines on reclaimed mining sites and finding different ways of handling coal waste before it gets burned into the atmosphere. Preston Bryant, Virginia’s secretary of natural resources, provided an overview of some of the energy initiatives started under Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. Bryant hopes they will be continued under Gov-elect Bob McDonnell, who takes office in January. A lot of work has been done, Bryant said, to pave the way for commercial wind development off the shores of Virginia Beach. “The resort community is on board …It has endorsed new wind turbines going up a dozen nautical miles off shore. We have mapped the areas in the ocean, showing the greatest potential for the greatest wind and staying out of the way of the Navy and Wallops Island.” Reader Comments COAL?! you have to be joking! -- WHAT! of richmond Dec. 10, 2009 at 08:15 PM if we put the same amount of effort required to make coal clean, we could develop fusion and use that instead. plus, fusion is clean and can’t ever run out. and once it gets going very cheap. it really depends if energy companies want a return in 5 years or 10, and that unfortunately runs our energy use. -- mike of RVA Dec. 10, 2009 at 08:17 PM The article states Virginia could be a national leader in energy (coal and nuclear). One thing is for sure, Virginia is poised to be the leader in biofuels and biomass from algal technology. Jes and Sandra Sprouse with Algal Farms, Inc. has partnered up with the Virginia Clean Energy Business Incubator to take their “best in class” technology to market. Featured this week on Channel 12 prime time news in the Richmond and DC areas, we are supporting Jes and Sandra and their quest for innovation and energy independence. This company is now being approached by many private equity and venture capital firms. Their goal is not to “sell out” and get rich but to be the John Deer of Manufacturing for all algal systems in the world. This is highly possible considering Algal Farms has some big names backing them now. For more information contact Dr. Carole Cameron Inge at (434) 294-1254 http://www.virginiaenergy.network. Channel 12 news clip can be viewed at http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=11642967 -- Dr. Carole Cameron Inge of Richmond Virginia Dec. 10, 2009 at 11:46 PM I have to agree with Dr. Inge. Jes Sprouse harvests energy by burning coal, which harnesses energy comparable to that of straight coal that our energy companies have to blast out of mountains. The operating costs are much less across the board. Fusion is better than coal but let it be known that nuclear energy is not guaranteed to be clean and carries a much higher risk than any other source of energy. Consider the recent shutdown and also the North Anna permitting litigation that transpired recently that shows that energy manufacturers seek ways to circumvent federal clean standards [in the North Anna case, it involved a cooling process in cooling ponds that were not separate from a main body of water…which understandably causes an intense bacterial growth that can be deadly]. The cost associated with nuclear is also tremendous and corporate operations running nuclear energy facilities are exempt from liability in this state just so they can afford insurance. Alternative energy costs are dropping [initial capital investment for a project, manufacturing, implementation, certification, etc.] and the time for recouping the initial capital investment AND additional costs is decreasing. If you want a bigger bang for your buck, consider green and don’t consider coal, especially since our Commonwealth spends $45 million in tax subsidies for coal companies. Considering our budget deficit, we need to think and act responsibly with how we spend money as a state government and what creates jobs. Coal has only shed jobs over the past 50 years while our spending has increased. -- Rob Smith, III of Richmond, VA Dec. 15, 2009 at 08:17 AM