DOE-Funded Premium Coal Products Research Consortium Sets March 1-2 for Organizational Meeting

Penn State Heading University/Industry Partnership

A collaborative research consortium organized to explore new technologies for producing value-added premium carbon products from coal has set March 1 and 2 for an organizational meeting at the Penn State Conference Center at The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA.

The new research group, the Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal is a partnership between The Pennsylvania State University, West Virginia University, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Technology Center (FETC).

The consortium will be made up primarily of industry members who will select strategically important research for the companies they represent. DOE will provide $4,250,000 for the Consortium through 2003 with additional cost sharing from industry. Industry must contribute at least 50% of the cost for each selected project.

The consortium exceeded its goal of 20 members when the 21st new member paid its $1,000 per year membership fee in mid-February. The Consortium has received 20 additional verbal commitments from other organizations. Members come from 12 states and three countries. This level of membership paves the way for the Consortium to begin research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies for non-fuel uses of coal.

The members represent a wide variety of industries including coal preparation, carbon recovery, graphite manufacturing, coal production and sales, activated carbon, composites, coal liquefaction, aluminum production, carbon black, and humic acid.

One of the goals of the March 1-2 meeting is for consortium members to form a council to determine which projects are selected annually for matching funds. Members will present project proposals for 1999 funding at the meeting.

For more information concerning the meeting or membership in the Consortium contact:

Dr. Frank Rusinko, Jr.,
Director, Consortium for Premium Carbon Products from Coal
The Energy Institute
The Pennsylvania State University
407 Academic Activities Building
University Park, PA 16802-2308
Telephone: (814)863-8085
Email: fjr4@psu.edu

FETC, one of DOE's major field organizations, manages and implements a broad spectrum of energy and environmental programs, primarily for the department's Office of Fossil Energy. The two-city lab employs approximately 1,100 federal and support-service contractor employees at its two sites located in Pittsburgh, PA., and Morgantown, WV. FETC is the largest fossil energy research organization in the United States.

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For more information, contact:
Brad Tomer: (304) 285-4692, Federal Energy Technology Center, e-mail: brad.tomer@fetc.doe.gov