This process is getting much attention. Syngas is made from coal, the by-products are Hydrogen sulfide which is converted to elemental sulfur or possibly sulfuric acid. Most of the CO2 is removed leaving behind H2-rich syngas. The hydrogen-rich syngas is first fed into a gas turbine to generate electricity. The waste heat from the gas turbine is used to power a steam turbine, which in turn creates more electricity.
The process takes advantage of the vast coal resources in the USA but needs more development at the pilot plant level. We produce a clean burning fuel, recycle the by products, produce electricity, and best of all use one of our natural resources instedd of foreign oil.
Is this economically viable? There are engineering initiatives underway to develop this process starting this year. Let's hope this works.
FutureGen - Coal Gasification
