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An Experiment in "Cleaner Coal"

(Photo by Simple Rich via Flickr Creative Commons)

“Clean Coal,” refers to technologies that reduce heavy metal, carbon and other emissions from the burning of coal. The development of technologies that could, potentially, filter greenhouse gasses and store CO2 permanently is moving ahead. This week, alarge demonstrationof clean coal technology is being staged in Illinois, testing the viability of so-called “carbon sequestration,” an important step in testing the potential of clean coal technology. 

Maggie Koerth-Baker  is Science Editorfor BoingBoing. She visited a similar demonstration in Alabama, andexplains why some people think carbon sequestration could be a real breakthrough for clean coal…while it’s got others worried about its limits. 

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