[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 233 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72634-72635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-6902]



[[Page 72634]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Proposed Draft Cost and Performance Goals for the Department of 
Energy's Coal and Related Technologies Program

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of proposed draft cost and performance for the 
Department of Energy's coal and related technologies program, and 
request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Section 962 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct), (42 
U.S.C. 16292), directed the Secretary of Energy to conduct coal 
research and development programs and, in carrying out such programs, 
to identify proposed draft cost and performance goals for coal-based 
technologies that would permit the continued cost-competitive use of 
coal for the production of electricity, chemical feedstocks, and 
transportation fuels. In compliance with section 962(b) of EPAct, this 
notice requests public comment on the proposed goals.

DATES: Comments on the draft cost and performance goals are due 
December 27, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to: U.S. Department of Energy, 
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Fossil Energy, ATTN: Darren 
Mollot, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Darren Mollot, Office of Clean 
Coal, Office of Fossil Energy, (202) 586-0429, [email protected] 
or Mr. John Grasser, Director of Communications, Office of Fossil 
Energy, (202) 586-6803, [email protected], 1000 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 962 of EPAct directed DOE to conduct 
a program of technology research, development, demonstration, and 
commercial application for coal and power systems (42 U.S.C. 16292(a)). 
In carrying out these programs, DOE was also directed to identify 
proposed draft cost and performance goals for coal-based technologies 
that would permit the continued cost-competitive use of coal for the 
production of electricity, chemical feedstocks, and transportation 
fuels (42 U.S.C. 16292(b)). Proposed draft cost and performance goals 
for program activities currently funded and undertaken by DOE to 
facilitate production and generation of coal-based power are summarized 
in the table below.
    These aggressive goals are for technology that does not yet exist. 
The goals provide a basis for guiding technology development, and 
program funding. They are not being proposed as the basis for present 
or future regulations or legally binding standards, nor do they attempt 
to project dates by which technologies will be developed or 
commercially available. The dates for achieving the targeted goals 
relate to the projected need for maintaining existing coal-based 
electric plant capability and for significantly increasing coal-based 
electric power capacity beginning in the 2010 to 2020 time frame 
(Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook, February 
2005). Achieving the performance goals within these dates will depend 
on continued availability of funding. The overall program objective is 
to develop coal-based technologies that will enable the continued use 
of coal as a valued energy resource for the Nation.
    These proposed goals were established based on a variety of 
information and data, including the status of current coal-based 
technology and results from on-going research and development programs 
carried out by industry, university, and national laboratories. They 
were developed through feedback from workshops held by DOE that 
resulted in developing a coal program roadmap to meet national needs 
and from workshops on advanced technology to improve environmental 
performance, energy system efficiency, and lower cost of coal-based 
energy systems. In establishing these goals, DOE consulted with coal-
based technology equipment vendors, users (e.g. electric utilities), 
and technology developers. Consultations also included exchanges with 
the Coal Utilization Research Council, the Electric Power Research 
Institute, and with other organizations, including environmental and 
consumer groups.
    An integrated plan to achieve the performance and cost goals is 
presented in the DOE Office of Clean Coal Strategic Plan. The latest 
version of this Strategic Plan is undergoing internal review and will 
be issued shortly and then made available to the public on the National 
Energy Technology Laboratory Web site at http://www.netl.doe.gov/coal/index.html. Detailed program plans, roadmaps, and other documents 
related to the goals of individual programs are currently available on 
the Web site.
    Some of the program activities to facilitate production and 
generation of coal-based power listed in section 962(a) of EPAct have 
not been funded to date. Therefore, no cost and performance goals have 
been established for those activities, which include advanced 
combustion systems, the liquid fuels portion of coal-derived liquids 
and transportation fuels (except for hydrogen), liquid fuels derived 
from low rank coal water slurry, and solid fuels and feedstocks.
    The following table identifies cost and performance goals for 
currently funded program activities under DOE's coal and related 
technologies program. Some of the activities include more than one of 
those listed in section 962(a). Advanced Power Systems includes cost 
and performance goals for gasification systems, turbines for synthesis 
gas derived from coal, and advanced separation technologies (oxygen). 
Carbon Sequestration also includes advanced separation technologies 
(carbon dioxide) and work on advanced combustion technology. Hydrogen 
and Fuels activities are part of coal-derived chemicals and 
transportation fuels and also include advanced separation technologies 
(hydrogen). All of the below listed program activities encompass some 
aspect of advanced coal-related research activities.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Performance goals *
          Program activity           ----------------------------------------------------      Cost Goals *
                                             Efficiency               Environmental
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Innovations for Existing Plants.....  Maintain current plant    Mercury (Hg): 50-70%      70% of today's cost
                                       efficiency while          reduction by 2007; 90%    (per lb of mercury
                                       achieving the             reduction by 2010         removed).
                                       environmental
                                       performance and cost
                                       goals
                                      ........................  Nitrogen Oxides (NOX):    50-75% of current
                                                                <0.15 lb/million Btu by    selective catalytic
                                                                 2007; <0.10 lb/million    reduction (SCR)
                                                                 Btu by 2010               capital cost.

[[Page 72635]]

 
Advanced Power Systems..............  45-50% higher heating     Sulfur Dioxide (SO2):     2012 goal: <10%
                                       value (HHV) efficiency   >99% removal               increase in cost of
                                       to electricity by 2010   NOX: < 0.01 lb/million     electricity services
                                      Multi-product capability   Btu                       in zero emission
                                       (e.g. power and          Hg: >90% removal Carbon    advanced gasification
                                       hydrogen) with over 60%   Dioxide (CO2) capture:    plants integrated
                                       efficiency by 2015        >90%                      with carbon
                                                                                           sequestration.
Carbon Sequestration................  Efficiency of current     90% CO2 capture and       2012 goal: <10%
                                       and new plants            sequestration             increase in cost of
                                       consistent with cost of                             electricity services
                                       electricity target                                  to separate, capture,
                                                                                           transport, and
                                                                                           sequester carbon
                                                                                           using either direct
                                                                                           or indirect systems.
Hydrogen and Fuels..................  Efficiency consistent     Emissions consistent      Hydrogen at $0.90/gal.
                                       with advanced power       with advanced power       gasoline equivalent
                                       systems                   systems                   (gge) by 2010 and
                                                                                           $0.79 gge by 2015
                                                                                           with no incentives or
                                                                                           tax credits when
                                                                                           integrated with
                                                                                           advanced coal power
                                                                                           systems.
Fuel Cell Systems (Coal-based fuel    40-60% (40% for kilowatt  Emissions consistent      $400/kW capital cost
 cell/turbine hybrids).                sizes; 60% for megawatt   with advanced power       for fuel cell power
                                       class hybrid systems      systems                   modules (in kilowatt
                                       integrated with coal                                sizes by 2010 and
                                       gasification)                                       megawatt class
                                                                                           hybrids by 2015).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* All dates shown are meant to indicate the completion dates for ongoing research. The referenced technologies
  will still have to be commercially demonstrated before they are ready or are available for commercial
  deployment.


    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 30, 2005.
Mark R. Maddox,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Fossil Energy.
[FR Doc. E5-6902 Filed 12-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P