Charlie Gorecki, chief executive officer of the UND Energy & Environmental Research Center in Grand Forks, is Kate and Geoff’s guest on this week’s podcast. Charlie talks about the history of the Plains CO2 Research (PCOR) project that has been ongoing since 2003 and the many partners who are working with EERC researchers.  He also looks looks globally at countries that are investing in new coal-based generation and how the work at the EERC has the potential to make power plants – not only in North Dakota and America – but throughout the world cleaner and more efficient. 

Charlie Gorecki

Charlie has been with EERC for more than a decade and was named to his current position in July 2019. EERC performs research projects for both the lignite and oil industries. Their work with carbon dioxide involves both industries as CO2 can be used for enhanced oil recovery. Work is ongoing to use CO2 in the Bakken oil fields of western North Dakota. Charlie’s insights into various CO2 projects – both capture and storage – are illuminating as the lignite industry works to reduce its carbon footprint.

Mined: Lignite Energy in America is sponsored and produced by the Lignite Energy Council, a trade association representing the power plants, mines and the Great Plains Synfuels Plant in North Dakota along with more than 300 companies that provide goods and services to the lignite industry.

Kate and Geoff work as a team to conduct the interviews with leaders in North Dakota’s energy industry on a variety of topics. The goal of these podcasts is to connect with others who have the same interest and wish to become more knowledgeable about energy and emerging technologies. 

Here is the link to the Podcast on the LEC Website – https://lignite.com/what-is-lignite/podcast/

This Podcast series is also available on Spotify and Apple Radio.