Washington, D.C. — A database just released by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) documents the worldwide growth of gasification, the expected technology of choice for future coal-based plants that produce power, fuels, and/or chemicals with near-zero emissions.
The 2010 Worldwide Gasification Database, a comprehensive collection of gasification plant data, describes the current world gasification industry and identifies near-term planned capacity additions. The database reveals that the worldwide gasification capacity has continued to grow for the past several decades and is now at 70,817 megawatts thermal (MWth) of syngas output at 144 operating plants with a total of 412 gasifiers.
Gasification is a technological process that uses heat, pressure, and steam to convert any carbon-based raw material into synthesis gas, or syngas. It offers an environmentally friendly alternative to more established ways of converting feedstocks, such as coal and biomass, into useful products, such as electricity or fuels. The use of gasification in more than 27 industrialized countries, as well as the diversity of its products, illustrates the enormous potential for the continued growth of the gasification industry.
The new database is available in Microsoft Excel format, making it easily accessible to parties who are interested in understanding the world’s use of gasification for energy and chemical production. Compiled by the Office of Fossil Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, in collaboration with members of the Gasification Technologies Council, the database includes information about syngas capacity, feedstock, product, gasifier technology, plant owner/operator, and location for all gasification plants worldwide.
As part of the DOE’s efforts to tap the full potential of America’s abundant fossil energy resources in an affordable and environmentally acceptable manner, the Office of Fossil Energy’s Gasification Technologies R&D program supports development of advanced gasification-based technologies that will reduce the cost of coal-based integrated gasification combined cycle plants, improve thermal efficiency, and achieve near-zero atmospheric emissions of all pollutants.
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