Much has been made about the skyrocketing price of oil lately,
with some saying that drilling in environmentally sensitive
areas is a possible solution. But utilities are testing
technology to make one of America's most abundant fuel source -
coal - a cleaner alternative. Coal is, by far, the dirtiest way
America makes its electric power, but a new ad campaign funded
by the industry promises a future where clean coal is a viable
option. And it's not just the industry. Both presidential
candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, are pushing clean
coal. But exactly what is the technology? The cleanest coal
plant in North America is operated by Tampa Electric, in the
middle of rural Florida. They call it clean because they don't
burn coal exactly - they mix it with water and oxygen and
convert it into a gas. According to company president John
Ramil, gasifying coal allows the company to remove pollutants
like sulphur, nitrogen and soot, which virtually eliminates acid
rain. "And you can do it much cleaner than wi