GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—A Glenwood Springs-based utility is considering buying power generated by methane gas that’s now vented from western Colorado coal mines into the atmosphere.
Del Worley of Holy Cross Energy tells the Daily Sentinel in Grand Junction that a developer is looking at working with the West Elk and Elk Creek coal mines on capturing the gas. He says the developer has experience with the process at mines in the East and Europe.
Environmentalists have said gas freed during coal mining should be collected and used to generate electricity or burned to reduce its effects as a greenhouse gas. The group WildEarth Guardians has sued over the venting of methane gas from the West Elk mine.
The mines have previously said that capturing the methane is economically unfeasible.
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Information from: The Daily Sentinel,
