Ergo Exergy - UCG

εUCG™ & Greenhouse Effect

εUCG™ process is a fossil fuel technology and as such must address concerns over global warming. It does so in the following ways:

  • The raw εUCG gas contains CO2 in concentrations that vary depending on process conditions and the choice of oxidant used. The gas is produced under pressure and at a moderate temperature, and easily lends itself to CO2 removal by a range of standard methods, with low energy penalty and at a relatively low cost.
  • So captured and removed, CO2 can be permanently stored (or sequestered) in the underground storage zones created by coal extraction in the εUCG operations. The energy penalty and relative cost of CO2 re-compression and sequestering are comparatively low. In addition, CO2 can be injected into deep saline aquifers and deeper coal seams, as well as used for enhanced recovery of oil, natural gas and CBM.
  • As in conventional IGCC, εUCG gas can be used to generate electricity with a power island efficiency as high as 55%, with the overall efficiency of UCG-IGCC process reaching 43%. These efficiencies translate into very low rates of greenhouse emissions per unit of net power exported.
  • As a result of the high efficiency and C02 capture and sequestration, the greenhouse gas emissions of the UCG-IGCC plant can be reduced to a level 55% less than those of a supercritical coal-fired plant and 25% less than the emissions of an NGCC plant.
  • In chemical manufacturing processes such as Fischer-Tropsch syntheses and production of synthetic methane or fertilizers, CO2 removal is a routine unit operation. Permanent storage of CO2 in the εUCG created permeable zones and other sinks will reduce significantly greenhouse emissions of the overall process from the initial coal conversion right through to the end product.

As a result, the εUCG technology can produce syngas - a low-cost, low-carbon fuel for power generation. It is also a low-cost, low-carbon feedstock for chemical syntheses. In the immediate future, UCG-IGCC is capable of playing a decisive role in meeting the challenges of the global warming while increasing use of fossil fuel in the energy supply mix.

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