Page 334 - Advances In Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

310 Advances in Productive, Safe, and Responsible Coal Mining

nation’s energy systems and secure leadership in clean energy technologies, pursue
world-class science and engineering as a cornerstone of economic prosperity, and
enhance nuclear security through defense, nonproliferation, and environmental
efforts” [9].
At other levels of government, many states and even some local governments
have recognized the need to provide financial support for technology development.
The author is most intimately familiar with the Illinois Clean Coal Institute (ICCI),
a state agency whose budget was supplied by a small “energy fuel tax” levied on every
utility customer in the state, regardless of whether their power came from a coal-fired
electric generator or a nuclear power plant. The ICCI was strictly a funding agency
that provided financial support to outside contractors to conduct research designed
to “promote the development and application of new and/or improved technologies
that contribute to the economic and environmentally sound use of Illinois coal”
[10]. Sadly, budget cuts brought an end to this program and all others like it.

15.4.3 Private industry research

At the beginning of the author’s career in the private sector, the company he worked
for had a corporate engineering group that focused on research and development
related to improving efficiencies at the mine. Several projects were done as joint ven-
tures between corporate and local mine engineers. Others were collaborations with
local universities where expertise was readily available. It was not unusual at that time
for coal-mining companies, especially the larger ones, to have their own research and
development programs. Unfortunately, in the coal-mining industry, these corporate
programs have all but disappeared as engineering teams have been required to focus
their time and attention on complying with regulations requiring permits for every step
of the mining process from exploration through mining and processing to reclamation
and waste disposal. Independent contractors and consultants have stepped in to par-
tially fill the void created as corporate R&D groups folded, but even so, they have
become caught up in producing the massive volume of paperwork required to obtain
permits.
One bright spot in coal research is the Australian Coal Association Research Pro-
gram (ACARP), established in 1992. ACARP’s research covers a wide range of topics
from production and utilization to health, safety, and the environment [11]. The
research program uses a very effective model that matches the financial resources
of coal producers (obtained through a severance tax) with the technical expertise
available at academic institutions, all with oversight from governmental policy
makers, a model that is self-proclaimed as “the most successful coal research program
in the world” [12].

15.4.4 Proactive versus reactive research
The ACARP model is a shining example of industry, academia, and government for-
ming a synergistic partnership. One of the keys to their success is that coal producers
are not viewed as just program financiers. Rather, executives and engineers from