Wyoming Energy Journal - Six WRI "Energizers"
When the Casper Star Tribune, which is recognized as Wyoming’s statewide newspaper, sought ten “Energizers,” for a special report on “people whose innovative approaches are helping lead Wyoming into a new energy future,” it found six of them at Western Research Institute. The 2008 edition of the “Wyoming Energy Journal” features Alan Bland, Tom Barton, Chris Holp, Song Jin, Andrew Lucero, and John Schabron.
Ethanol could come from natural gas, coal (Andrew Lucero)
LARAMIE – Scientifically, there's nothing new about the fermentation of corn, grains and other food crops into ethanol. Even wood and grasses can be used to produce "cellulosic ethanol.’
Coal industry depends on mercury measurement technology (John Schabron)
LARAMIE – More than 800 coal-fired power plants across the nation must install continuous monitoring systems for mercury in coming years in order to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's mercury reduction rule.
Research could lead to regeneration in coal-bed methane fields (Song Jin)
LARAMIE – The estimated 25 trillion cubic feet of recoverable methane gas residing in Powder River Basin coal may just be the tip of the iceberg.
Wyoming utility gets help from UW grad student (Chris Holp)
LARAMIE – When the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality approved the emissions permit for Black Hills Power's WyGen II coal-fired power plant near Gillette in 2005, it included the most stringent mercury control levels in the nation at the time.
Enhancement process could work at existing power plants (Alan Bland)
LARAMIE – Scientific research isn't necessarily about inventing or discovering something previously unknown. Most of the time, it's about taking something known and applying it in new and practical ways.
Work on turning ag waste into energy could help coal industry as well (Thomas Barton)
LARAMIE – In a world of increasing energy costs, what could be better than turning trash into fuel?