News

Eastman Chairman Addresses Gasification Technologies 2002 Conference (11/4/02)

Brian Ferguson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Eastman Chemical Company, addressed the keynote session of the Gasification Technologies 2002 conference in San Francisco on October 28. Citing Eastman's long-term operation of its plant in Kingsport, Tennessee, Ferguson said, "gasification is increasingly seen as more than a technology, more than a business, more than a competitive advantage. It is the future for power generation, and we intend to be an important part of that future." A copy of his speech, "Gasification: The Future of Power Generation" can be downloaded.

Washington, DC Gasification Workshop Presentations Available (10/8/02)

On October 1, 2002 the Gasification Technologies Council hosted a workshop on gasification-related public policy issues in Washington, DC. Presentations from the meeting are available in this site's library. The workshop was the fourth the Council has held in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Southern States Energy Board. The workshops are designed to familiarize federal and state agency personnel, representatives of environmental groups, and others with an interest in energy and environmental issues with gasification.

GTC Comments on RCRA Gasification Rule Available (9/20/02)

The Gasification Technologies Council has submitted comments on the proposed U.S. EPA rule that would exclude from solid waste regulations hazardous secondary materials fed to a gasification unit. In the comments the GTC generally supports the intent of the rule, but suggested a number of modifications. A final rule is not expected to be issued earlier than late 2003.

DOE Report: Cost of Mercury Removal with IGCC One-tenth Cost for Pulverized Coal Boiler Plant (9/20/02)

The U.S Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory has released a report, "The Cost of Mercury Removal in an IGCC Plant" , that details the cost advantage of IGCC over coal combustion in mercury removal. Based upon the experience at Eastman Chemical's Kingsport, TN facility the analysis by Parsons Infrastructure & Technology Group Inc. found that achieving 90% mercury removal from stack gases cost $3,412 per pound for an IGCC and $37,800 for a pulverized coal plant with scrubbers.

DOE Announces Clean Coal Power Initiative Submissions (8/27//02)

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced that thirty-six projects have applied for funding under the first round of the Clean Coal Power Initiative (CCPI). The solicitation has $300 million in available funding for this round. Funds sought by the proposals totaled more than $1 billion in federal assistance and represented more than $5 billion in total capital investment. Abstracts of the proposals are available on the DOE's web site .

DOE Issues Report: Industry Perspective on Gasification R&D Needs (8/16//02)

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory has issued a report, "Gasification Markets & Technologies Present and Future: An Industry Perspective". The report presents industry's views of technologies, market opportunities, and both long-term and short-term research needs deemed critical to improving the economics and performance of gasification technologies. It is based on in-depth interviews with Gasification Technologies Council member companies and other industrial participants. The report is available on the DOE/NETL gasification web site . Select "Ref. Shelf" from the left hand menu, then "Publications/Reports".

Largest Coal Syngas-Powered Fuel Cell to be Installed at Wabash River (8/1/02)

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced plans to install a 2 megawatt coal-syngas powered fuel cell at Global Energy's Wabash River IGCC repowering plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Installation is expected in 2003, leading to a one year demonstration run. This will be the first application of commercial scale coal gasification supplying gas for fuel cell power generation.

The linked DOE press release and the web site of FuelCell Energy , the company supplying the fuel cell, provide details regarding the project.

Pittsburgh Coal Conference September 23-27 (7/29/02)

The nineteenth annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference takes place at the Radission Hotel Green Tree, September 23-27. For the conference program and registration form go to www.engr.pitt.edu/pcc

Council Comments on Gasification Incentives Now Before Congress (6/26/02)

The Board of Directors of the Gasification Technologies Council has sent to members of a joint House-Senate conference committee a letter proposing modifications to H.R.4, the Energy Security Act of 2002. The bill provides up to $4 billion in tax incentives and grants for clean coal projects, including those based on gasification. A summary of gasification-specific portions of H.R.4 is also available on this site.

The bill passed the House last year and the Senate in April of 2002. The conference committee to resolve differences between the two versions of the bill begins deliberations on June 27. The conference committee deliberations are expected to be lengthy.

First Phase of BASF Gasification Unit Startup Successful (4/29/02)

On March 24, 2002 BASF and Babcock Borsig Power (BBP Power Plants GmbH) successfully completed the performance and reliability test for the first out of four groups of feedstocks of the BBP waste gasification plant at the BASF plc manufacturing facility in Seal Sands, UK. For more information, see the BBP notice on this site.

IChemE Presentation Available (4/15/02)

GTC Executive Director James Childress made a keynote speech at the recent IChemE conference, "Gasification: The Clean Choice for Carbon Management", held April 8-10 in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. A copy of the visual presentation for the speech, "U.S. Energy Policy: Future Directions & Opportunities for Gasification Technologies" , is available for downloading.

U.S. EPA Issues Proposed RCRA Gasification Rule (3/25/02)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rule under the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) hazardous waste program that would exclude from regulation refinery oily secondary materials fed to a gasification unit. A copy of the proposed rule is available from this site.

The deadline for comments, originally June 24, 2002, has been extended to September 10.

Council Elects Officers for 2002-2003 (2/15/02)

At its recently completed winter meeting the Gasification Technologies Council's Board of Directors elected officers to serve the 2000-2003 term. Charles D. McConnell, Global Vice President for HYCO and Gasification at Praxair was elected to serve as chairman. Other newly-installed officers are: Vice Chairman, David Heaven, Director, Process Engineering at Fluor Corporation; Treasurer, Robert Horton, Manager-Marketing, Chevron Texaco Global Power and Gasification; Secretary, Raymond Batla, Hogan & Hartson; and Executive Director, James Childress, Koleda Childress Inc.

Program & Registration Form Available for 5

The Institution of Chemical Engineers will hold its fifth in a series of gasification conferences, "Gasification: The Clean Choice for Carbon Management" April 8-10 in Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The conference program and registration form are available on the IChemE web site .

Senate Hearing Features Gasification Testimony (2/4/02)

Representatives of GTC member companies testified at a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Wetlands and Climate Change on January 29 regarding "multipollutant" legislation to require coal-fired utility power plants to reduce emissions of SO ₂ , NO _x , mercury and CO ₂ . Phil Amick of Global Energy and Ed Lowe of General Electric addressed the environmental and efficiency benefits of coal-based IGCC technologies. The GTC also submitted a statement to the subcommittee on the topic. Multipollutant legislation (S.556) is likely to be considered by the subcommittee in the near future. Top of the page