Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore Monday took aim at what he sees as one of the most important energy-efficiency options: using the heat generated when electricity is produced from coal

AS VEGAS (Dow Jones)–Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore Monday took aim at what he sees as one of the most important energy-efficiency options: using the heat generated when electricity is produced from coal.

Sponsors

Sponsors

Sponsors

NV Energy Inc. (NVE) Chief Executive Michael Yackira initially tried to deflect a question from Gore, saying that his company generates 70% of its power from natural gas, with the rest from renewable energy and coal. But Gore, who was attending a clean energy summit sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., wouldn’t let the issue drop.

In the U.S., “most of our electricity comes from coal-fired generating plants,” Gore said

In the U.S., “most of our electricity comes from coal-fired generating plants,” Gore said. “It may be a smaller percent of your entire system, but you’ve got them and you don’t have combined heat and power on them,” he said before softening his language.

“I’m sincerely trying to learn from you,” Gore said.

The head of the major power company in Nevada said he was “not familiar with that technology that would do that cost-effectively relative to other forms of generation or even renewable energy.” Yackira concluded that Gore had “given me a homework assignment.”

Source: www.WorldofCogeneration.com