SR2462 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR2462 LRB099 24175 MST 51875 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of Energy:

(1) "Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies provide a key pathway to address the urgent U.S. and global need for affordable, secure, resilient, and reliable sources of clean energy";

(2) "There is international consensus that CCUS will play a critical role as part of an economically sustainable route to the emissions cuts needed to limit global warming to 2°C";

(3) "In addition to the critical role that CCUS plays in decarbonizing the electric power sector, deep decarbonization of key sources in the industrial sector will not be possible without CCUS";

(4) "CCUS technology is necessary to meet climate change mitigation goals at the lowest possible cost to society";

(5) "A combination of tax incentives, and research and development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) will be critical in developing transformational carbon capture technologies and to drive down the cost of capture"; and

(6) "As the world now works towards the ... goal agreed upon at the 21st UNFCCC [United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] Conference of the Parties in Paris in December of 2015, CCUS in the industrial and power sectors will become increasingly important"; and

WHEREAS, According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

(1) Absent the broad deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS), fewer than half of the IPCC's climate models can achieve climate "stabilization" - an atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases of 450 parts-per-million - by the year 2100; and

(2) Of the fewer-than-half models able to achieve a level of 450 parts-per-million, the cost of achieving such a goal without CCS is 138% higher - more than double; and

WHEREAS, According to the 17-member Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, "While increased use of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency, and nuclear power all have important roles to play in the mitigation of greenhouse gases, carbon capture and storage (CCS) is the only viable option for addressing emissions from facilities that continue to burn fossil fuels. With the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuels by up to 90%, CCS is a critical technology for reducing emissions to target levels in the required time frame"; and

WHEREAS, According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), "Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is projected to play a crucial role in a carbon-constrained world, as it is currently the only technology able to significantly reduce emissions from the use of fossil fuels"; and

WHEREAS, According to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, "Alongside energy efficiency, renewable energy and other non-fossil fuel sources, carbon dioxide capture, use and storage (CCUS) is another element of the transition to a low emissions future. Not only does CCUS offer the potential to capture emissions from the power sector but it could play a wider role in reducing the GHG emissions from industries with significant process emissions, such as chemicals, cement and steel production, and agricultural processing. In addition, CCUS can assist countries that currently heavily rely on fossil fuels to make the transition to low-emission fuel sources while limiting the disruption to the local economy and employment"; and

WHEREAS, The United States has abundant supplies of coal that provide important economic and energy security benefits to our nation; and

WHEREAS, Reliable and affordable electricity is vital to the economic growth of Illinois, jobs, and the overall welfare of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has the largest recoverable bituminous coal reserves in the United States, sufficient to meet all of America's electricity needs for 50 years; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois coal industry generates over $2.5 billion in annual economic activity within the State, employing approximately 5,000 miners with an average annual salary of $85,000, higher than both the United States and Illinois median household incomes; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois has long been committed to and is a leader in the research and development of technologies that provide clean and safe power generation; and

WHEREAS, A central element of a clean energy strategy for Illinois is continued research and development of carbon reduction strategies, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) capture, utilization, and storage through emerging technologies such as geological sequestration, mineral carbonation, and the beneficial use of captured CO2, in order to maximize environmental benefits and economic opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Illinois institutions such as the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Richland Community College, and others strive to address climate, health, education, and economic impacts, through collaborations on applied CO2 research, practical applications, workforce development and public education; and

WHEREAS, Legislation pending in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate would enhance current federal tax incentives so as to sustain and promote such collaborations and encourage private industry in manufacturing, energy generation, and food production, to implement and support new technologies that increase CO2 capture, utilization, and storage; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we call upon the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign into law, legislation to extend and expand the current federal tax credit for carbon capture, utilization, and storage under Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate Majority Leader, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.