Gillette, Wyoming - The Wyoming Integrated Test Center celebrated its official completion with a dedication ceremony in Gillette yesterday, marking the construction end of this pioneering private-public partnership and launching a new chapter in innovative research and testing.
"This is an exciting day," said Governor Matt Mead. "The opening of the ITC shows Wyoming's commitment to discovering and developing economically feasible uses for CO2. It shows Wyoming's leadership in advancing coal technologies. The XPRIZE and Kawasaki Heavy Industries bring knowledge, resources and innovation, and we look forward to their work at the facility. I thank and congratulate all who made the ITC possible - the Wyoming Legislature, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and many others."
"This is about making coal viable for America," says Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Paul Sukut. "More than ever, in our time, this is one of the most important projects for America."
"Affordable, plentiful and responsible energy is the lifeblood of the West, and through the ITC we see how energy connects us globally," said Rick Gordon, chairman of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. "The ITC brings innovators from around the world to Wyoming to accelerate the development of technologies that can not only sustain our economy and benefit our members, but also have a worldwide impact."
Wyoming Governor Matthew Mead was joined by Chief Executive Officer of Basin Electric Power Cooperative Paul Sukut, Chairman of the Board for Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association Rick Gordon, Senior Vice-President of Business and Technology Strategies for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Jim Spiers, Director of the Ministry of The Environment Government of Japan - Climate Change Projects Office, Climate Change Policy Division, Global Environment Bureau Yoshihiro Mizutani, President of the Japan Coal Energy Center Osamu Tsukamoto, and Senior Director of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE Marcius Extavour at the dedication ceremony. Each made remarks on the importance of the Wyoming ITC in advancing game-changing energy technologies.
"Electric co-ops are committed to a healthy environment and vibrant rural communities as they focus on putting the needs of their members first," said Jim Spiers, NRECA's SVP of Business and Technology Strategies. "As co-ops across the nation work to meet tomorrow's energy needs, this project is poised to crack the carbon code and create a new future for managing carbon dioxide emissions. The Wyoming ITC is proof that public-private partnerships spur innovation."
Representatives from the five final teams competing for the Carbon XPRIZE were also in attendance. The five teams hail from the United States, Canada, India, China and Scotland.
"The ITC will be a cornerstone of carbon innovation in Wyoming, and the entire country for years to come. This is the type of infrastructure we need to accelerate us on the path to a low-carbon future, and XPRIZE is thrilled to be a part of the journey," said Dr. Marcius Extavour, senior director of Energy and Resources at XPRIZE and prize lead of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE.
In addition to teams competing for the XPRIZE, Kawasaki Heavy Industries will be testing their solid sorbent capture technology at the ITC. The State of Wyoming and Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL) have been working together since 2016, when Governor Mead and Osamu Tsukamoto, President of JCOAL, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing to cooperation in coal research and development of technologies and coal trade. JCOAL operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and is supported by more than 120 member coal-related businesses, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
A video of the dedication ceremony as well as photos are available for viewing, download and media use at
http://tiny.cc/ITCdedication.
For photos, please credit Lanna Wing.
About the ITC
The ITC is a public-private partnership designed to foster the next generation of energy technology. The ITC provides space for researchers to test Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) technologies using actual coal-based flue gas from the Dry Fork Station near Gillette.
In 2014, with the support and encouragement of Governor Matt Mead, the Wyoming State Legislature allocated $15 million in funding for the design, construction and operation of an integrated test center to study the capture, sequestration and management of carbon emissions from a Wyoming coal-based power plant. An additional $5 million commitment from private industry was required under the appropriation, which has since been secured from the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association in addition to $1 million from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Basin Electric Power Cooperative is providing additional in-kind contributions including engineering and construction management services at the Dry Fork Station host site, which is jointly owned by Basin Electric and the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency.
The ITC is one of a handful of such facilities around the world and only the second one in the United States. While many carbon capture technologies are being developed and studied in laboratory settings, the ITC will be one of the few research and testing facilities at an operating coal-fired powered plant. The ITC allows for real world testing at an active power plant and alleviates typical concerns over being able to transfer technology from a lab to a plant.
