The projects will work towards demonstrating the effectiveness of generation systems with a capacity exceeding 100MW.
The projects must also capture a minimum of 90% of carbon monoxide emissions, have at least a 50% effectiveness in transferring coal’s energy to electrical power, and have cost no more than $US400/KW without associated subsystems.
The programs will also suport FutureGen, a DOE-sponsored initiative to showcase power system innovations with nearly no emissions, a significant increase in efficiency, assist in producing hydrogen and capture carbon dioxide.
Both will also use the DOE’s Solid State Conversion Alliance (SECA) technology.
The first project is being conducted by General Electric Hybrid Power Generation Systems and partners GE Energy, GE Global Research, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of South Carolina.
It will involve research and development work to develop an integrated gasification fuel system cell that merges GE’s SECA-based solid oxide fuel cell, gas turbine, and coal gasification technologies.
The first phase of the project, awarded $US7.5 million in grant funding, is expected to take about three years.
Work for the second project is being performed by Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation with partners ConocoPhillips and Air Products and Chemicals.
The project will develop large-scale fuel cell systems based on their in-house gas turbine and SECA-modified tubular solid oxide fuel cell technology, for which Conoco will supply its experience with gasifiers.
The first phase of this project is also expected to span about three years and also was given $US7.5 million in funding.
While the first phase of each project will primarily consist of design, testing and analysis, the remaining two phases will focus more on proof-of-concept systems that can be field tested for at least 25,000 hours.
The DOE’s FutureGen facility is a potential site for the innovations’ use, as are existing and future coal gasification units.
