1.0Citizens Utility Boardhttps://www.citizensutilityboard.orgrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="ISNXwMaovx"><a href="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/02/28/illinois-future-of-gas-additional-decarbonization-technologies-january-27-2025/">Illinois Future of Gas: Additional Decarbonization Technologies – January 27, 2025</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/blog/2025/02/28/illinois-future-of-gas-additional-decarbonization-technologies-january-27-2025/embed/#?secret=ISNXwMaovx" width="600" height="338" title="“Illinois Future of Gas: Additional Decarbonization Technologies – January 27, 2025” — Citizens Utility Board" data-secret="ISNXwMaovx" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); /* ]]> */ </script> By Scott Allen This workshop was in some ways a Part II to the previous “alternative fuels” workshop in that it also focused on what I’ll call “Carbonization Pathways.” I give it that label, because, aside from the University of Illinois Chicago, none of the presenters from the last two meetings seemed to have any intent to decarbonize. Here was the lineup for the latest workshop:  The Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois presented on Carbon Capture Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS);  The Energy Resource Center at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) presented on Combined Heat and Power (CHP); GTI (formerly the Gas Technology Institute) presented on “additional decarbonization technologies;” i.e. gas heat pumps.   You can view all the Jan. 27 presentations here, but my main concern coming out of this workshop is with the way Prairie Research Institute (PRI) talked about CCUS. So I will concentrate on that. As far as GTI and their “additional decarbonization technologies” are concerned, I don’t feel like it’s worth giving any more attention to gas-testing facilities or the wild ideas they dream up. (But, if they’re going to keep a cozy relationship with gas, I suggest they regularly test the batteries in their carbon monoxide detectors.) Carbon Capture Utilization and Sequestration has been a contentious policy issue in Illinois since the Inflation Reduction Act increased the value of the 45Q tax credit.  It isn’t that CCUS projects didn’t exist in the state, or were being explored prior to that, but it’s the fact that pollution became a more valuable commodity. Suddenly, polluters from around the country were eyeballing huge swathes of central and southern Illinois as a place to dump their byproducts, and the Prairie Research Institute was leading the charge to encourage them. For more than a year at the tail end of the COVID pandemic, it was hard to miss a webinar from PRI not only extolling the benefits of carbon capture technology, but also showing illustrated maps of Illinois’ unique geology.   Fortunately, Gov. Pritzker last summer signed the SAFE CCS Act, which took steps toward disincentivizing private investment in CCUS and banned the use of sequestered carbon for “enhanced oil recovery.” (Historical note: Carbon capture technology was originally conceived and funded so that the captured carbon could be used to more efficiently extract oil). The Act also banned pipelines until July of 2026 (or until new federal safety rules are established, whichever comes first), and it created some landowner protections, monitoring requirements and assurance that the State never takes ownership of sequestered carbon dioxide. However,  in my mind it fell short of protecting aquifers and environmental justice communities. It also didn’t seem to have much of an effect on PRI’s efforts to make sure that Illinois’ two most prominent publicly-owned coal plants are further subsidized so that PRI can prove that carbon capture on coal plants is a worthwhile pursuit.   What does any of this have to do with decarbonizing the gas distribution system? Doesn’t matter. This presentation was simply another opportunity for PRI to talk about the “carbon capture value chain,” and once again highlight the demonstration […]https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Illinois-Future-of-Gas-Banner.png2560707