Clean Carbon Energy

Coal is one of the dirtiest sources of energy on the planet, and Cape Breton’s coal history has had a long tradition of “mine and burn.” Coal use comes with a cost for Nova Scotia – both an environmental cost, because of the greenhouse gas emissions it produces, and an economic one: most of it is imported from the US and South America.

However, research estimates suggest the Sydney Coal Fields are one of the most significant energy sources in the world, ranking with the Alberta Tar Sands for energy potential.

Coal bed methane (CBM) has emerged as a cleaner method of extracting energy from coal. But the vast majority of the energy remains stored in the coal.

Opportunity

“Mine the energy, not the coal.”

Underground coal gasification (UCG) – otherwise known as in-situ gasification or clean carbon technology – is emerging as a new method of extracting energy from underground coal seams.

Operated remotely from the surface, UCG has the potential to extract large reserves of previously inaccessible energy from the Sydney Coalfield with minimum environmental impact. UCG produces this energy as syngas (hydrogen and carbon monoxide) – the basis for new clean power and liquid fuels technologies.

Replacing Cape Breton’s coal-fired power plants at Lingan with UCG-based energy has the potential to reduce emissions by 2.5 million tonnes annually. Not only is this equivalent to removing 1.3 million cars off the road, it could meet Nova Scotia’s total 2020 greenhouse gas reduction target from the electricity sector. This change would also support lower fuel prices (an estimated 15% reduction), and nearly 9,000 person years of employment.

The opportunity is significant.

But this area requires further research, integrated environmental planning, a better understanding of energy conversion and environmental technologies, and a better understanding of the feasibility of CBM and UCG approaches for sub-sea coal deposits – where much of the resource lies in Cape Breton.

UCG developments are happening worldwide, and there is clear commercial interest from operators to proceed in Cape Breton, with revenue potential in both electricity generation and liquid fuels and chemicals.

Research Focus

The CSEE will investigate modern technologies for extracting clean energy from coal. Possible research topics include:

• Underground Coal Gasification (UCG)
• Coal Bed Methane (CBM)
• UCG and CBM Environmental Integrity
• Product development, including:
  • Clean Electricity
  • Clean Transportation Fuels
  • Hydrogen & Fortified Natural Gas
  • Methanol & derivatives
  • Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG)

Research Chair

Recruitment of Chair in progress