According to published reports, American Electric Power will create a new organization that will not only develop renewable power generation technologies, but will also assess the viability of emerging emission control technologies to reduce the release of pollutants and greenhouse gases from the company’s fossil-fueled power plants.

In November 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency filed air pollution lawsuits against AEP and six other electric utility companies in the Midwest and South in an attempt to force the companies to install appropriate air pollution-control technology at ageing power stations. The companies were charged with making modifications to 17 power stations without installing suitable emissions-control technology.

The new organization will be headed by Martin Mearhoff in his new role as vice president of renewable energy and advanced technologies. Reporting to Mearhoff will be Bob Gellenbeck as director of advanced environmental controls and Mario Marrocco as director of renewable energy and advanced power systems.

Gellenbeck’s organization will assess the viability of emerging emission control technologies to reduce or eliminate the release of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and other emissions from the company’s fossil-fuelled power plants.

Gellenbeck’s group will also evaluate and structure AEP’s involvement in the development and commercialization of the new technologies.

Meanwhile, Marrocco’s organization will assess the technical feasibility and commercial viability of new and emerging renewable energy technologies including solar, wind, biomass and landfill gas, as well as generation options such as fuel cells and microturbines. The group will evaluate and structure AEP’s involvement in developing and commercializing the technologies in the energy marketplace. The group also will provide green energy solutions to the needs of institutional, commercial, and industrial customers.