News
October 30, 2009
NDIC appoints Mike Jones as Lignite R&D Director
The North Dakota Industrial Commission has appointed Mike Jones, Ph.D., as research, development and marketing director for the Lignite Energy Council and technical representative to the commission. The appointment is effective November 16, 2009.
Jones succeeds Jeff Burgess, who died as a result of a fatal car accident on September 26, 2009. The NDIC also named Clifford Porter as the acting R&D director for the Lignite Energy Council and technical representative to the commission until November 16, 2009.
Jones has been senior research advisor at the Energy & Environmental Research Center and an adjunct professor of physics at the University of North Dakota. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in physics at UND and his B.S. in physics from Bemidji State University.
The North Dakota Industrial Commission, consisting of Gov. John Hoeven as chairman, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, oversees the Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program, which has provided more $65 million in state funds for more than 165 lignite-related R&D projects since 1987.
“Mike’s career with the EERC has focused on many issues important to the lignite industry including the capture and storage of CO2 from lignite-based power plants ,” said John Hoeven, North Dakota Governor. “Reducing the carbon footprint from coal is clearly the chief challenge facing lignite R&D today.”
Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem added, “Mike has been the chief investigator on a number of important Lignite R&D projects and this experience will serve him well as the administrator of the program and technical advisor to the NDIC.”
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said, “Mike’s stellar career with the Energy & Environmental Research Center has included both combustion and environmental system research dedicated to reducing emissions and increasing energy efficiency. He will bring a lot of expertise to his new position.”
“As our new R&D director, Mike will be able to provide valuable insight to numerous Lignite R&D projects currently under contract with the state,” said John Dwyer, president of the Lignite Energy Council. “He will be a great asset to our industry as we advance toward better technologies to maximize the energy stored in the state’s abundant lignite resources.”
The Industrial Commission of North Dakota consisting of Gov. John Hoeven as chairman, Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Agriculture Commission Doug Goehring, oversees the Lignite R&D Program. The program receives approximately $4.3 million annually from a 10-cent-per-ton R&D allococation from the coal severance tax and a percentage of the coal conversion tax. The state dollars are matched with both private and public investments. R&D investments to date for all projects total more than $700 million.###