Highlights the work being done at Wyoming’s Integrated Test Center near Gillette.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) highlighted how Wyoming continues to lead the way on carbon capture and sequestration technologies during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing.
Barrasso also questioned Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg and other energy experts about how we can expand the scope of carbon capture projects and encourage other countries like China and India to engage in carbon removal.
Winberg testified at today’s Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing examining the development and deployment of large-scale carbon dioxide management technologies in the United States.
Opening Statement on Future Energy Landscape & WY’s Integrated Test Center:
“The COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown has really offered all of us an opportunity to reflect on the future of our energy landscape.
“I would also like to thank the witnesses who are joining us today because your research and outreach efforts are critical to informing not just lawmakers, but everyone, as we work together to develop policies and strategies to tackle climate change.
“Wyoming is a leader in carbon management. We have the Integrated Test Center in Gillette, where they’re holding the competition, the trip to Aberdeen, Scotland in which I was involved.
“One of those researchers is now part of the finalist group working in Gillette, Wyoming on the prize related to finding better ways to capture carbon and use it. This is located next to Basin Electric’s Dry Fork Power Station.
“Researchers can test scaled up versions of their carbon capture technologies. The University of Wyoming is dedicated to developing these technologies, educating the next generation of carbon management leaders.
“The Environment and Public Works Committee is going to be having a hearing in Gillette on site on this coming up next month, in August.
“I have strongly advocated for the research, development, and implementation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage. It makes me think about 10 years ago that Madam Chairman and I introduced the GEAR Act in 2010, which stood for ‘Greenhouse Gas Emission Atmospheric Removal Act.’ To do just exactly what we are talking about.
“Then the Chairman of the Committee back at that time was the Senator Jeff Bingaman from New Mexico who cosponsored with us and worked on this legislation, so we’ve been at this for a while as you have.
“Since then, we’ve worked hard to enact an expansion of the 45Q tax credit, all of you who have mentioned that today. My current bill, S. 383, the ‘Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies Act,’ the USE IT Act, has now passed the Senate for the second time as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.
“Senator Inhofe, he was a member and former Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, made sure it was in the bill. So we look forward to having that as a policy for our nation soon.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s statement.
On Scaling Up Carbon Capture Projects:
“It’s good to see some old friends back, Mr. Secretary Moniz good to see you again. You and I have discussed the scale of carbon capture removal when you testified before the Committee last year. I think you noted that we have to think about removing carbon dioxide on a gigaton scale.
“So Mr. Hezir, how quickly can we scale up current projects to reach this, as Dr. Moniz described, a gigaton level of removal of carbon dioxide?”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso Question Mr. Hezir on scaling up carbon capture projects.
On How Can We Get India, China Engaged in Carbon Removal:
“This is a question for all or any of the witnesses. To achieve this kind of gigaton scale, the world’s largest CO2 emitters, India, China, they need to actively engage in carbon removal.
“What should we be doing to make sure that China, India and other major global economies are serious about using large scale carbon removal technologies?”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso ask how we can encourage other countries to engage in carbon removal.
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