The man charged with guiding the nation's energy policy says it's an unavoidable fact that coal will be a part of America's energy equation for the next several decades.

Steven Chu has been a lifelong advocate for alternative and nuclear power, but says he's come to realize that coal cannot be excluded, it just has to be burned more cleanly.

For 90 minutes at a forum hosted by the University of Charleston, Chu and Senator Jay Rockefeller outlined the problems facing the coal industry. They also discussed possible answers to the carbon capture puzzle and how it can be stored safely and affordably.

The Obama administration's policy toward coal has been criticized in the Mountain State, but Chu says West Virginia miners have nothing to fear from the president.

Chu adds that China is a key partner in the search for the clean coal solution. He says the nation, which is burning coal at record rates, recognizes the fact it must find a way to burn it cleanly. Chu also says he believes China is committed to finding answers for carbon capture.

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