Power of gasification

has selected

coal gasification technology for

’s first low-CO

integrated gasification combined cycle power plant (IGCC).

The demonstration plant near

, has an installed capacity of approximately 270MW and is scheduled to come into operation in 2015.

Siemens will initially provide the technology license, plus the process and basic engineering design for the coal gasification island based on its SFG-500 coal gasifier.

After completion of the front-end engineering design of the plant, EPCOR intends to enter into an agreement with Siemens to supply the gasification reactor and components of the feed system.

The system will produce syngas (synthetic gas - a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) from coal, which will be used to fire a gas turbine in the plant to provide electricity to the local grid.

According to Siemens, the emissions from IGCC plants are significantly lower than those from today’s conventional coal-fired power plants.

A plant in Genesee has been designed to capture approximately 85 per cent of the CO₂ contained in the coal for enhanced oil recovery in existing oil fields.