U.S. funding clean-coal research

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WASHINGTON, June 7 (UPI) -- Nine universities in the United States will receive about $300,000 to drive research in clean coal technology, the U.S. Energy Department said.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said advancing clean coal technology is part of an effort by the White House to ensure the country has a competitive edge in the energy market.

"These university research projects will help build on extensive progressive made by this administration to promote innovative technologies that help make coal-fired energy cleaner and more cost-competitive, while training the next generation of scientists and engineers in cutting-edge clean coal technologies," he said in a statement.

Each of the universities will receive about $300,000 to train engineers in the development of materials used in coal-fired power plants and gas turbines.

The strategy, the Energy Department said, is part of an effort "designed to accelerate commercial deployment of clean coal technologies, particularly carbon capture and storage, and to position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race."