Post a Comment On: Bakersfield Observed

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Turns out we can thank the Obama stimulus package for bringing some much needed jobs to Kern County. The New York Times is reporting that a new power plant that turns coal and waste petroleum into cleaner-burning gas has won the support from state and stimulus funds. The paper says the plant was awarded a $308 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is the largest grant yet from the Department Energy's Clean Coal Power Initiative. Thanks to Trish Reed, head of investor relations over at the Kern Economic Development Corp., for alerting me to this story. (you can read the full piece here)Said Trish:

"Hydrogen Energy’s 250-megawatt facility will take petroleum coke (left over from refining), then will filter out 90 percent of its carbon dioxide for permanent underground storage in an adjacent oil field in Elk Hills, where it will also help with enhanced oil recovery. The hydrogen will power the plant’s turbine electrical generators."