Gasification of coal is not new, but it’s not been put in service in many plants. The reason generally is because it’s more expensive to produce syngas from coal than to to burn coal. That will change with the importance of reducing CO2 emissions. Keep in mind that of all the coal fired power plants in the United States, only two are using the gasification process. All of the others are using pulverized coal or supercritical pulverized coal. Gasification costs are slightly higher than the cost of pulverized coal technology when CCS is not included. When CCS is included the cost of gasification is less and the efficiency is higher. Environmentalists and most industrialists agree that it’s important to reduce green house gases and coal gasification provides an opportunity to accomplish this.
United States coal gasification success projects:
Dakota Syngas
Wabash Gasification Plant
Coffeyville
European coal gasification success projects:
