09.18.18

Hoeven Receives Pioneer Award For Work To Advance Carbon Capture Technology

Senator Outlines His Efforts to Support CCS Projects in North Dakota

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, today received the Pioneer Award from the Plains CO2 Reduction (PCOR) Partnership organized by the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) at the University of North Dakota (UND). Hoeven also outlined his continued efforts to advance carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies, such as the Allam Cycle and Project Tundra, for existing coal and natural gas power plants.

“Since my time as governor, I’ve worked with EERC and the PCOR Partnership to advance a true all-of-the-above energy strategy to provide affordable and reliable energy while improving environmental stewardship,” said Hoeven. “Projects like the Allam Cycle and Project Tundra will help our energy producers continue to meet energy demands, develop our domestic resources and limit emissions. The PCOR’s work with stakeholders throughout our region is important in helping these projects become commercially-viable, and we’re committed to advancing CCS technologies that will support our nation’s energy independence both through legislation and the appropriations process.”

The PCOR Partnership’s Pioneer Award is given to individuals who have supported efforts to advance CCS technologies. In the conferenced Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill Congress approved last week, Hoeven secured the following energy research priorities:

  • $30 million to support the development of commercial-scale carbon capture technology to be retrofitted on an existing power plant, funding for which the next phase of Project Tundra would be eligible.
  • $25 million to develop supercritical CO2 technologies for coal and natural gas plants like the Allam Cycle.
  • Increased funding for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) carbon capture and storage research programs.
  • A provision supporting DOE’s cooperative agreements with institutions like EERC.

Last month, DOE awarded EERC nearly $3.5 million to establish a CO2 geological storage field laboratory that could be used as a basis for similar storage in the Williston Basin. Additionally, Hoeven hosted Energy Secretary Rick Perry in North Dakota to demonstrate the breakthrough energy developments happening in the state.

The senator also continues working to advance his CO2 Regulator Certainty Act which would ensure developers of CCS projects can use the Section 45Q tax credit, as well as an extension of the refined coal tax credit.

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