Coal-based generation at the crossroads

EPRI is leading an industry-driven initiative called 'CoalFleet for tomorrow' to speed deployment of advanced clean coal power plants by reducing the technical and cost barriers to market acceptance. To date, 42 participants are involved, representing more than 50% of the coal-fired generation in the United States. The initiative's strategy simultaneously addresses the RD & D needs for three major time frames: Near-team refinements or evolutionary technologies for IGCC, USC PC, and SC CFBC plants coming on-line around 2010-2012-the early-deployment projects; Mid-term R & D requiring demonstrations that will conclude after the earliest commercial projects are built (this work will produce technologies that can be readily incorporated in plants coming on-line round 2012-2015); and Longer-term R & D on advanced concepts for IGCC, USC PC and SC CFBC plants - including integration of CO{sub 2} capture systems - for plants coming on-line after 2015-2020. 8 figs.