Cleaning Up CoalWhile renewable energy is the big push, 90
percent of North Dakota's energy comes from coal mined in the
state. At UND's annual R and D showcase Tuesday, the Lignite
Energy Council told the audience what the coal companies are
doing to go green. By: David Schwab, WDAZ Audiences here at
UND's R and D show case are getting a chance to hear from a
line-up of scientists speaking on a range of topics. One of them
being clean energy. "Challenges we see for wind power is that
things like wind, I think is a great resource, but it's not
dispatchable. You can't guarantee the performance of a wind
turbine. Availability is only 30 to 40 percent," Michael Jones,
Vice President of Research and Development for the Lignite
Energy Council, said. Jones says coal will continue to have a
big role, even as renewable energy expands. He says coal-
producing companies in North Dakota have spent $1.4 billion in
the last three years on environmental controls. "You can take
down the sulfer levels, nitrogen levels, fine p