Fossil Energy programs for the 2007 financial year include pollution control technologies at commercial scale; reducing greenhouse gases by increasing power plant efficiencies; using the latest carbon management techniques; and producing hydrogen from coal.
Included in the budget is $54 million for FutureGen – triple the amount from 2006. FutureGen is the world's first zero atmospheric emissions hydrogen and electricity producing power plant. This funding request will keep the program on schedule as outlined in the FutureGen report to Congress, the DOE said.
The FutureGen project is a public/private partnership to demonstrate technology ultimately leading to zero emissions power plants (including carbon dioxide) that are fuel-flexible and capable of multi-product output and electrical efficiencies over 60%.
The clean coal research and development effort will focus on all the key technologies needed for FutureGen – carbon sequestration, membrane technologies for oxygen and hydrogen separation, advanced turbines, fuel cells, coal-to-hydrogen conversion, gasifier related technologies, and other technologies.
Carbon management, along with FutureGen, is one of the highest priorities in the Fossil Energy research and development program, with $74 million allocated funding.
The hydrogen from coal project will receive $22 million, a slight decrease from the financial year 2006 budget.
