DoE announces carbon-storage funding

WASHINGTON, May 7 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Energy announced $126.6 million in carbon-capture funding.

The money will go to the West Coast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership and the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership adding two more projects to the existing four funded by the department.

The two newest endeavors will conduct large volume tests in California and Ohio to demonstrate the ability of a geologic formation to safely, permanently and economically store 1 million tons of carbon dioxide underground.

Energy Department officials said the investment is part of the administration's efforts to commercially advance clean-coal technology to meet current and future energy needs and stop greenhouse gas emissions growth by 2025.

The new projects will demonstrate the entire CO2 injection process for large-scale injections of 1 million tons or more to test the ability of different geologic settings to permanently store CO2. The Energy Department plans to invest $126.6 million in the two projects over the next 10 years, while the industry partners will provide $56.6 million in cost-shared funds to make these projects a success.