Micronized coal as an energy source for the future

Journal Article · Fri Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Fortnightly; (United States)

OSTI ID:5205354

Underwood, K

Is micronized coal the answer to expensive coal-cleaning technology and rising utility costs The directors of the Rochelle Municipal Utilities Electric/Steam Cogeneration Plant think so. The Rochelle facility has been retrofitted for micronized coal technology to test and demonstrate the co-micronizing of coal and limestone. Rochelle Municipal Utilities hopes to take advantage of the technical, economic, and environmental advantages this technology offers. The $18-million clean-coal-technology project is partially funded by a $3.6-million grant from the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources, with additional funding provided by Rochelle Municipal Utilities. The project was motivated by expectations that micronized coal technology will lessen dependence on natural gas, reduce sulfur dioxide (SO[sub 2]) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) air pollution emissions by up to 50 percent, drastically lower operating costs, and provide the city of Rochelle with the potential benefit of opting in for sulfur dioxide allowances in response to the 1990 Clean Air Act. In Illinois, however, there is another important aspect to using micronized coal: ensuring the continued use of local, high-sulfur Illinois coal. At a time when the high-sulfur coal industry in American is being pummeled by market decisions swayed by the January 1995 deadline for the first phase of the 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act, micronized coal offers utilities a beacon of hope. The technology can remove the offending air pollutants - SO[sub 2] and NOx - while enabling utilities to use the higher energy potential of high-sulfur coal.

• OSTI ID: 5205354
• Journal Information: Fortnightly; (United States), Journal Name: Fortnightly; (United States); ISSN FRTNE8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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