Is there such a thing as clean coal?

Look at your power bill and you can see that a signicant portion of your power is supplied from coal. And the coal industry has spent between $35 million and $45 million on advertising in 2008 - most of it on television ads aired during the 2008 campaigns - pitching "clean coal" as a new environmentally friendly fuel. Conversely, other groups have spent tens of millions of television ad dollars in a fight over carbon emissions and the existence of "clean coal."

The concept of "clean coal" is somewhat ambigious. It seems that the clean coal the industry is referring to is made from technology called carbon sequestration, which is 10-15 years from being built for American plants. "Clean coal" supporters say the fact that carbon sequestering technology is not market-ready nationally is not in dispute, and that the environmentalists have put words in their mouths. Other techniques for reducing carbon emissions include chemically washing coal or capturing and storing emissions - both of which create other environmental problems.

"The industry is stepping up to help with carbon reduction, that includes educating the public about why investing in new technologies is very important," said Joe Lucas, senior vice president for the American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy, a group of 48 coal companies and power plants.

But others cry foul. "The hypocrisy comes in when you look at what they're actually doing," said Dan Weiss who co-authored the study on how much the coal industry has spent advertising. Mr. Weiss estimates that for every $17 members of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Energy earned in profits in 2007, they spent $1 on researching carbon reduction technologies. "They spend very little in research and spend a lot of money in trying to convince people not to make them do anything."

Former Vice President Al Gore launched a counter-attack earlier this month, buying advertising disputing industry claims that "clean" coal exists. In addition, the Reality Coalition launched a second television ad Monday, featuring a parody of a coal executive smelling a lump of "clean coal," which leaves a black smudge on his nose.