The Coal Utilization Research Council (CURC) has appointed Shannon Angielski as its new Executive Director of the coalition.

Angielski has been with the coalition since 2001 and will replace Ben Yamagata, who retired from the organisation at the end of 2015, after establishing the coalition over 17 years ago.

Yamagata stated: “with Shannon as Executive Director, I am confident that CURC’s profile as the country’s only coal technology advocacy organization and leading voice for coal will be elevated.”

Commenting on her new position, Angielski, said: “I am excited to serve our members in this new capacity. This is a pivotal moment for coal-based electric generation, and I look forward to both the challenge and the opportunity. I am confident we can build on the progress CURC has made under Ben’s leadership, and I plan to work with the coalition to drive further action on a broad 21st Century Coal Program that pursues technology solutions to enable cost-competitive, low carbon coal generation options in the future and will preserve the reliability and affordability of coal-based electricity generation.”

Angielski’s representation of CURC has included the design and advocacy of federal programmes, including policies to deploy new technologies, leading efforts with CURC and EPRI in the development of several Advanced Coal Technology Roadmaps that prioritise technology development needs, and successfully advocating for federal budgets to support initiatives demonstrating advanced coal and carbon capture and sequestration solutions.

“Shannon is a well-respected voice in Washington,” said 2016 CURC Co-Chair Deck Slone of Arch Coal. “There is no doubt that in her new role she will combine her intricate understanding of effective advocacy with her deep understanding of clean coal technology to build on the progress CURC has made in previous years. CURC is pleased to appoint her as our new Executive Director.”

Fellow Co-Chair Barbara Walz of Tri-State Generation & Transmission added: “as we look to the future of coal generation in this country, Shannon will be a great asset as we navigate the role that technology must play to enable the coal option, particularly given the complexity of the energy landscape we must operate in today.”

A Principal of Governmental Issues at Van Ness Feldman LLP, Angielski served as Associate Director of CURC for 15 years. She is a past President and member of the Board of the Washington Coal Club and serves as an advisor to the Secretary of Energy as a member of the National Coal Council.

“Shannon has been an integral voice in CURC at a critical time facing the industry,” said outgoing CURC Co-Chair Mark McCullough of American Electric Power. “She is the natural choice to take the reins, and her proven expertise and leadership will serve the coalition well.”

Edited from press release by Harleigh Hobbs