Powerspan CO2 Pilot and FirstEnergy Sequestration Testing Planned for R E Burger Plant

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). The combined efforts of Powerspan Corp. (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), a clean energy technology company, and FirstEnergy Corporation (NYSE:FE) (Akron, Ohio) have resulted in a unique opportunity to demonstrate both carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration at a coal-fired plant in the U.S. Powerspan and FirstEnergy previously announced plans to pilot test a promising CO2 capture technology at FirstEnergy’s R E Burger plant in Shadyside, Ohio. In May, FirstEnergy announced that the Burger Plant was selected as a carbon sequestration test site by the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (MRCSP), one of the seven regional partnerships set up by the DOE (Department of Energy) to research carbon sequestration projects throughout the country. Battelle (Columbus, Ohio) leads the MRCSP, which is looking at a seven-state region covering Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Although both programs are multi-year efforts currently in the preliminary stages, plans are moving forward for the demonstration of CO2 capture at the pilot-scale and subsequent injection of the captured CO2 into a test well on the Burger plant property. Powerspan’s CO2 pilot unit will process a 1 megawatt slipstream from the company’s 50-megawatt (MW) Electro-Catalytic Oxidation (ECO) commercial demonstration unit, which has proven effective in reducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and fine particulate matter. The pilot program will demonstrate the ability of the CO2 capture process to be integrated with the ECO multi-pollutant control process, and will confirm process design and cost estimates.

Both test programs are moving forward with the help of the DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). Under a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), Powerspan is developing a cost-effective CO2 removal process for coal-based power plants.

“To our knowledge, this will be the first time that combined CO2 capture and sequestration from a conventional pulverized coal-fired power plant will be demonstrated in the U.S. If successfully proven, this technology could help keep existing coal-fired power plants economically competitive in a carbon-constrained world,” said Frank Alix, chairman and CEO of Powerspan.

The Burger CO2 pilot follows the successful testing of the ECO technology to reduce sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and fine particulate matter at Powerspan’s 50 MW ECO commercial demonstration unit at the Burger plant in Shadyside. The unit takes an 110,000 scfm (standard cubic feet per minute) slipstream of flue gas from a 156 MW front wall boiler. This represents approximately one third of the plant’s output. The unit processes flue gas from eastern bituminous coals. A successful 180-day performance run was completed in 2005, followed by the decision to install the ECO system on Unit 4 of FirstEnergy’s Bay Shore plant and go ahead with the CO2 pilot testing at the Burger plant to specifically test ECO’s CO2 capture ability.

ECO uses an ammonia solution to capture CO2 in flue gas and release for subsequent sequestration. After regeneration, the ammonia solution is recycled. In initial laboratory testing of the CO2 absorption process, 90% CO2 removal was demonstrated under conditions comparable to a commercial-scale absorber. Initial cost estimates indicate that the aqueous ammonia process would cost less than half of the best CO2 capture technologies currently available for use on coal-fired plants.

In June, MRCSP will start to conduct additional studies at the Burger plant to confirm its suitability for sequestration. Survey crews and trucks with seismic equipment will take measurements around the plant to develop below-surface images to determine the potential for carbon sequestration in the area. If the test results are favorable, MRCSP will begin the permitting process needed to drill a test well on the Burger plant property. The test well will reach a depth of between 1,220 and 2,130 meters. This depth is well below sources of drinking water supplies, which are typically found at a depth of 30 meters. The deep, porous sandstone layers around the plant are capped with a very dense rock.

Extensive monitoring will be conducted both during and after the injection phase and will continue until the demonstration is complete. At the end of the pilot project, the MRCSP research team will review and evaluate the results of the demonstration, and the well will be plugged or capped in accordance with appropriate environmental rules.

Powerspan is a clean energy technology company engaged in the development and commercialization of proprietary multi-pollutant control technology for the electric power industry. FirstEnergy has a minority ownership interest in Powerspan Corp.

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