IEACCC/101

Towards Zero Emission Coal-Fired Power Plant

AUTHOR: Colin Henderson
DATE: November 2005
PAGES: 40

ABSTRACT:
Two recent IEA Clean Coal Centre reports, on clean coal technology programmes and the technologies themselves, have provided reviews of these as a bridge to near-zero emission technologies (ZETs). This third report in the series looks more closely at technology strategies for moving towards coal-fired power generation with zero or near-zero emissions. Suggestions are made for targets for CO2 removal and for emissions of other substances. The report considers prospects and means of reducing emissions of pollutants such as SO2, NOx, particulates and mercury as well as CO2. It looks at the starting points and presents a view on the best directions in which to proceed. There is an assessment of ZETs economics relative to natural gas fired systems, using literature costs and in-house calculations to arrive at electricity costs, breakeven lines and CO2 avoided costs. There is a discussion of barriers.