Milestone For Cleaner Coal Technology
Atlanta GA (SPX) Jun 29, 2009 Marking a significant step forward in the use of cleaner coal technology to help meet the country's future energy requirements, the first major pieces of equipment have arrived at Duke Energy's Integrated Gasification Combined-Cycle (IGCC) plant in Edwardsport, Ind. Using GE IGCC technology, the plant is expected to be the largest cleaner coal IGCC facility of its type in the world when it is complete. "Half of all U.S. electricity comes from coal, and the demand for electricity globally is expected to double by 2030. Meeting U.S. and global energy needs will require innovative technology and a portfolio of energy options including solar, wind, nuclear, natural gas and coal," said Monte Atwell, general manager, IGCC technology, GE Energy. "Thanks to IGCC, today it is possible to use coal to generate large amounts of electricity from coal while attaining lower levels of emissions than previously possible," he added. "IGCC plants already have demonstrated the capability to significantly reduce emissions, compared to conventional coal-fired plants, and gasification technology has been used at commercial scale to separate carbon." Working from GE Energy's specifications, Belleli Energy of Italy manufactured a radiant syngas cooler (RSC); the first sections arrived at the site last week. The remaining pieces will arrive later in the year. GE Energy is supplying gasification, power generation and controls equipment and services for the design and startup of the IGCC plant, which will generate approximately 630 megawatts of power when it enters service in 2012. In an IGCC plant, coal is heated to high temperature to create a synthesis gas or syngas, which is then processed to remove many emissions-NOx, SOx, mercury and particulate matter-before the gas is burned in a specially designed gas turbine to generate electricity. The RSC is under the gasifier and cools the syngas, creating steam, which powers a steam turbine, increasing plant efficiency. Construction of the RSC will take place on-site using mostly local labor and is expected to be completed by the end of 2010. Atwell called for the energy industry and U. S. policy makers to work together to define a clear path for the future of coal. "Duke Energy's project at Edwardsport will further prove that IGCC is a viable technology that can foster the use of coal to help meet future energy needs-which will include replacing older, retired plants as well as meeting new growth demands-with fewer emissions and the ability to capture carbon for storage," he said. GE Energy has been at the forefront of IGCC technology for more than two decades. GE technology was involved in several milestone IGCC projects, including the pilot IGCC plant, Coolwater, in Barstow, Calif.; and the Polk Tampa Electric IGCC plant in Florida that helped to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of IGCC. Today, 65 gasification facilities operate under GE gasification licenses, including 33 GE-licensed gasification plants using commercial technology to separate carbon. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links GE Energy Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com
Solid Waste Industry Managing Trash As A Resource Washington DC (SPX) Jun 29, 2009 Forget your old-fashioned ideas about the solid waste industry. It's not just about hauling garbage anymore. So said Bruce J. Parker, president and CEO of the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA), in a speech today to the Society of Government Economists in Washington. NSWMA represents the private sector solid waste industry in the United States. "Most Americans probably do ... read more |
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |