By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, July 26 -- Two sites in Texas and two sites in Illinois were named to the short list of candidates to host the $1 billion FutureGen power plant, a government-sponsored coal-fired electric and hydrogen production plant prototype aimed at reduced emissions.
The FutureGen Alliance and US Department of Energy on July 25 outlined the short list as Penwell and Jewett locations in Texas, and Mattoon and Tuscola in Illinois. Organizers say it will be another year before the final site is chosen for the 275 Mw plant.
The four sites in the two states were selected from 12 sites in seven states. The selection process began in March. Locations were rated on various criteria, including underground storage for carbon dioxide.
Penwell is near Odessa, an area where the oil and gas industry has used CO2 for enhanced oil recovery for decades.
Ken Humphreys, FutureGen Alliance technical support manager, said the alliance is looking for a saline formation several thousand feet deep covered with permeable caprock that has water for cooling and a transmission grid to carry electricity.
He also noted the importance of markets for electricity and hydrogen. Hydrogen will be produced as a byproduct of clean coal gasification process.
"You've got to have a market for that hydrogen to go to," Humphreys said. "If we can also do something with enhanced oil recovery that's great, too."
The FutureGen Alliance represents the following coal companies and electric utilities: American Electric Power, Anglo American, BHP Billiton, the China Huaneng Group, CONSOL Energy Inc., Foundation Coal, PPL Corp., Rio Tinto Energy America, Peabody Energy, and Southern Co.
