18-02-04 Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham announced the release of a
solicitation for the second round of proposals under President Bush's Clean Coal
Power Initiative (CCPI). The DoE plans to provide approximately $ 280 mm in
federal matching funds for demonstrating barrier-breaking technologies that
sharply reduce and ultimately eliminate pollution in coal-based power plants.
"Clean coal is a crucial element of our overall energy policy and its goals
of a balanced, diverse energy portfolio that will provide Americans with energy
and economic security and continued environmental improvement," Secretary
Abraham said. "The technologies we seek to foster through Round II will
help make it possible for coal to remain a cornerstone of our domestic energy
portfolio, particularly for power generation, and to continue that role into the
long-term future."
Coal generates more than 50 % of America's electric power and constitutes
more than 90 % of proved fossil fuel reserves. The call for proposals requires
that prospective projects must ensure coal is used for at least 75 % of the fuel
energy input to the process, while electricity is at least 50 % of the
energy-equivalent output from the technology demonstrated. Additionally,
proposals must show the potential for rapid market penetration upon successful
demonstration of the technology concept.
Round II projects will support the President's Clear Skies Initiative to reduce
power plant emissions, particularly mercury, by about 70 % by 2018, and the
Global Climate Change Initiative to reduce carbon emissions growth over the next
ten years. The CCPI projects will also provide the technical foundation for the
FutureGen Initiative to create the world's first zero-emissions, coal-based
power and hydrogen production plant, which will include carbon dioxide removal
and sequestration.
DoE is encouraging proposals for coal gasification system advances that
enhance efficiency, environmental performance, and reliability as well as expand
the gasifier's flexibility to process a variety of feedstocks (including
biomass, municipal and industrial waste co-fired with coal). Advances in
gasification-based systems are required to successfully commercialise
technologies that will attain the near-zero emissions goals of the Clean Coal
Technology Roadmap.
Technologies that permit better management of carbon emissions are also being
strongly encouraged. Roughly one third of the United States' carbon emissions
come from power plants. Recently, as part of his National Climate Change Policy,
President Bush placed a high priority on encouraging new technologies that can
reduce these emissions while keeping energy at reasonably prices.
For each project selected by the Energy Department, industrial sponsors must
be willing to at least match the federal funding share. There will also be a
requirement for repayment from commercially successful technologies, which will
be used to underwrite future clean coal research.
Industry has until June 15, 2004 to submit proposals, and DoE anticipates
selection of winning projects by the end of the calendar year.
Source: PennWell Corporation