EEE会議（米国の「クリーン石炭計画」：DOE長官の演説）...................................................03.11.19


ブッシュ政権は、石炭から生ずる二酸化炭素を隔離・固定化する技術開発を中心とす
る「クリーン石炭計画」を関係国との協力により推進しようとしています。１１月１
７〜１８日ワシントンで開催された「クリーンな石炭と発電会議」(Clean Coal and
Power Conference)でエイブラハム・エネルギー省長官が行なった基調演説では、そ
うした方法により米国のCO2排出の大幅削減が可能としています。　この会議には、
石炭大量消費国である中国とインドからも官民合同の大型代表団が出席していたよう
で、同長官はとくに中国との共同研究の重要性を強調しています。

京都議定書離脱宣言以来、米国の温暖化対策への取り組みが国際的に批判を浴びてき
ましたが、最近の米国の動きを見ていると、(１）石炭起因CO2の隔離・固定化による
クリ―ン石炭計画、(2)水素エネルギーによる燃料電池計画、(3)原子力の再活性化計
画（新規原発建設を含む）、(4)アラスカの北極野生生物保護区(ANWR)における石油
・ガス開発計画などが柱となって相当強力に進められていることがよく分かります。
（ただし、（４）については、包括的エネルギー法案審議でも環境保護グループの反
対が強く実現していません。）

ところで、日本では国産の石炭は今や完全に姿を消し、輸入石炭が使われているのみ
で、こうした「クリーン石炭計画」にはどの程度関与しているのか、していないの
か、小生不勉強で知りません。どなたかご意見や情報をお持ちの方はご教示くださ
い。
--KK

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Date:  Tue, 18 Nov 2003
Text:  Abraham Says U.S. Pursuing Clean Coal Projects with Other Countries
(Remarks delivered at clean coal conference in Washington)


U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham says the United States is moving
ahead in an unprecedented international effort to make clean energy the
cornerstone of economic growth, improved health and closer ties among
nations.

Abraham called clean coal a crucial element of the nation's overall energy
policy when he spoke November 17 at the Clean Coal and Power Conference
being held in Washington, D.C. The two-day conference -- sponsored in part
by the Department of Energy -- includes representatives from foreign
governments and companies that, together with the United States, account
for most of the world's coal production and consumption.

The Washington conference, being attended by a delegation from the
People's Republic of China, is being conducted in conjunction with the
Second Joint United States-People's Republic of China Conference on Clean
Energy.

Abraham said that many governments, private companies, universities and
research laboratories are joining together to tackle the challenges of
clean coal through bilateral agreements such as the recent protocol signed
by the United States and China, and a recent agreement between the United
States and India to cooperate on clean coal projects.

Abraham said multilateral agreements are also flourishing, such as the
U.S.-initiated Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF). In June of
this year, 14 countries, including China, India and the European Union
joined the United States in signing a CSLF charter to pursue the
development of carbon capture and storage technologies, seeking to
eventually make the process commercially viable and environmentally safe.

"Carbon sequestration has rapidly grown in importance to become one of
this administration's highest clean coal priorities," Abraham said.
"Current activities include 65 carbon sequestration research projects
across the country, funded with $110 million in public and private funds."

Since about one-third of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions come from power
generation, with most of that from coal, Abraham said, carbon
sequestration alone offers the potential to reduce and eventually
eliminate nearly one-third of the nation's heat-trapping greenhouse gas
emissions.

In the 30-year period between 1970 and 2000, using current clean coal
technologies, the United States has reduced emission rates of sulfur
dioxide from coal-based power generation by over 75 percent and cut
emission rates of nitrous oxides nearly in half. Under President Bush's
proposed Clear Skies Initiative, emissions rates for these two pollutants
will drop another 70 percent by the year 2018, and mercury emissions from
power generation will be controlled for the first time.