Part 3 Future Outlook for CCT
Future Outlook for CCT

Looking ahead to the future of clean coal technology from theviewpoint of technical innovation in the coal industry, noted below

65

Power generation efficiency [%]are some very diverse technological trends that are crucial forsociety.
The first trend is that many different technologies or systems
related to coal gasification are now under development. As an
example, R&D on high-efficiency power generation systems,
including the integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC)
and the integrated coal gasification fuel cell combined cycle(IGFC), has steadily progressed toward commercialization.
Another example is conversion into liquid fuel or chemical raw

A-IGFC up to65%

6055

IGFC 55%
IGCC 1500oC-class
GT wet gas cleaning 46%
IGCC demonstration
unit 1200oC-classIGCC
A-PFBC 1300oC-class GT 46%
GT dry gas cleaning 40.5%
1500oC-class
GT dry gas cleaning 48%

50

4540
2000

materials that are clean and contain no impurities, such as

A-IGCC 1700oC-class
GT 57%

A-IGCC 1500oC-class GT 53%

20102020

2030

Year of commercialization

methanol, DME and GTL. These technologies will lead to coproduction systems, including co-generation, with a view to aFig. 1 Projection of improvement of generation efficiency

zero-emission world.

Source: The Institute of Applied Energy

Diesel, naphthalene, etc.

IGCC/IGFC

Electric power

Methanol, acetic acid, etc.

Hybrid gasification of coal,biomass, waste plastics, etc.

BoilerChemicals
DME, GTL

Oil

Coal

Power plant, automobiles, etc.

Co-production manufacturing:raw materials for chemicals

Biomass

Synthesis gas (H2, CO)

Gasification

Commercial,transportation

Co-production manufacturing:
reduced iron

Waste plastics

Reduced ironHydrogen stations
Fuel cell vehicles

H2 production, CO2
separation and recovery

Iron and steel

Gasification furnace

Blast furnace

Stationary fuel cells

SlagH2CO2Effective use
Storage
Blast furnace

Fig. 2 Various CCT developments centering on coal gasification

The second trend is towards efforts to build a hydrogen energy

100.0

society, which is the direction the energy sector is expected to move.
HydrogeneconomyAccording to the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
2000 (IIASA 2000), in terms of the "H/C (hydrogen/carbon)" ratio,
10.0

global primary energy consumption was on a near-constantGas: H/C = 4

H/C

increase between the mid-1800’s to around 1980. In and after1980, the H/C ratio remained almost unchanged at around two

1.0

pre-1980 trend is expected to resume, leading to a situation

Methane economy

Oil: H/C = 2

due to an increase in oil consumption. As a whole, however, theCoal: H/C = 1

where, around 2030, the H/C ratio will equal four. In a society
where the primary energy source is shifting from natural gas tohydrogen, energy consumption derived from carbon combustion
0.1will finally be discouraged. It is even predicted that coal energy

1800

will only be used for HyPr-RING (Hydrogen Production by1850

1900

1950

2000

2050

2100

Fig. 3 Ratio of hydrogen to carbon (H/C) in primary energy
Prepared from IIASA 2000

111

Clean Coal Technologies in Japan

Reaction Integrated Novel Gasification process, where the H/Cgenerated through the direct combustion of coal and to collectratio is approximately one), and society will be forced to deal with

crude oil and gases. The other is to build high-efficiency coal

CO2 emissions resulting from the direct combustion of coal byutilization technologies, including coal gasification, reforming andheavily relying on CO2 separation, recovery, sequestration andconversion technologies, so that the carbon component in coalfixation. Thus, there are basically two important clean coalcan be used as fuel or as a feedstock for the chemical industry,technology challenges. One is to develop a series of upstream

thereby reducing CO2 emissions generated through directtechnologies to separate, recover, sequester and store CO2

combustion.

Separation/recovery

Sequestration/storage

Gas after decarburization
CO2 concentration 2%

Separation/recovery
Pressure injection from a facility on the sea
Pressure injection froman above-ground facility
Tanker transport
Discharged
CO2 concentration
22%

Separated/recovered
CO2 concentration99%
Cap rock(impervious layer)

Sources from which CO2 is discharged

Dissolution
diffusion
Pipeline carriage(including power and steel plants)

CO2
Underground aquifer
Coal bed

Separation/recovery

Transportation

Sequestration/storage-Chemical absorption method-Physical absorption method-Membrane separation method-Ground: Pipeline
after liquefied-Sea: Liquefied CO2transport vessel-Underground: Aquifer
Coal bed-Ocean: Dissolution/diffusion oras hydrates (onto the sea floor)

CO2Fig. 4 CO2 separation, recovery, sequestration, and storage

The third trend is exploiting coal technology’s potential fordevelopment of hyper-coal production technology may bringtechnical development in association with innovative technologies

about novel techniques that allow advanced utilization of thesuch as environmental/energy technology, biotechnology,

carbon within coal. In fact, there exist some specificnanotechnology and information technology, which have been

nanotechnology areas, such as nanocarbon fibers, wherecategorized as priority R&D target technologies in Japan.

potential technical innovation is associated with coal.

Research and development of environmental/energy technology

The progress in information technology will certainly bring about

is focused on achieving a zero-emission society, mainly throughinnovative developments in the modeling and simulation of coal

the implementation of "CO2 control," as mentioned earlier. Thetechnologies.

co-production system is regarded as the final target to beachieved through technical innovation.
Advances in biotechnology could also unlock methods for theSteelChemicals

Other
by-products

Cementfixation and effective utilization of CO2. Furthermore, theSteel-making plants

alicessmproc

heC

tsanokingLight
energyplEnergy and materials linkage between industries

Fuel(gas/liquid)CRaw
material

Hydrogen

Fuel cell vehicle

Iron and steel works
IGCC

Chemicalenergy

IGFC

CO2 recovery

Reformed coal
CO2 sequestration

Coal

Air/watern/ ss
tio ceac oef pr
qu is
Li lysropy

USC

Energy conversion system

Electric & magnetic
energyts

Electric power

Joulentp

Waste, waste plastics Power plant

Coal(solid fuels)

Heatenergyem

SCOPE21

Advanced gasification
furnace

HyPr-RING

Dynamicenergy

lanIron and steel
Blast furnace

CChemicals,
otherCoal partial hydrogenation

Power plants

Hydrogen station

Coal gasification

Gasification/
combustion process

Biomass

Environmental facilities

USB

ExhaustFig. 5 Energy utilization in a future society supported by CCT (2030)

Drainage

Waste heatFig. 6 Co-production system
The ultimate goal for co-production systems is zero emissions(or the discharge of purified water and steam).

112

ElectricityHeat(steam/hot water)

Part 3 Future Outlook for CCT
Future Outlook for CCT

Clean Coal Technologies in Japan

CCT plays an important role in steelmaking as well as in power

Mechanisms, including the Clean Development Mechanism

generation. Coal is used in the steelmaking industry not only as(CDM), which seek to address global environmental problems.

an energy resource but also as a high-quality reducing agent,

Economic growth can only be achieved with a stable supply ofand is one of the raw materials used in steelmaking. A potential

energy, while environmental conservation is a challenge to betask to be assigned to well-established steelmaking processes,

addressed by the whole world. The former is a limiting factor forsuch as the blast-furnace process, is to achieve an innovative

the latter and vice versa. Throughout history, these twolevel of total coal utilization efficiency by using a co-production

conflicting concerns have had the common fundamental problem

system, like DIOS (Direct Iron Ore Smelting reduction process),of explosive population growth. Under these circumstances,in order to simultaneously produce iron and synthetic gas,efforts for environmental conservation, including controllingelectric power, hydrogen/thermal energy, chemical feedstocks,

global warming with a goal of eliminating emissions, must be theetc., from steam coal for the steady implementation of improved

top priority in the development of CCT in Japan. It is, therefore,

environmental measures aimed at zero emissions.

essential to build an efficient, advanced coal energy utilization
system with minimum impact on the global environment, which
will require international cooperation.

As the world’s largest coal importer and as the leader in CCT,
Japan should remain active in international cooperation,
including technical transfers and human resource developmentwith developing countries, mainly in Asia. Such international
activities will not only benefit countries that are trying to improvetheir economic growth by relying on coal energy, but also provide
Japan itself with significant means to achieve a stable supply ofenergy. In addition, it will support efforts to utilize the Kyoto

Promotion of innovative CCT development toward eliminating emissions
With an aim to positioning coal as a source of CO2-free energy by 2030, innovative CCT development will be promoted, including
CO2 fixation technology and next-generation high-efficiency gasification technology, toward the goal of eliminating emissions, while
identifying the role of individual technologies in the overall scheme.

Unification of CO2 separation _and fixation technology

Fixation technology

Coal gasification technology

Improvement in thermal efficiency
6 yen/kWhAir-blown
gasification

6-7 yen/kWh

Demonstration testingZero-emissions
GCC commercial
unit

GFC commercial
unit

46-48%
46-48%
Power
sending
generationend efficiency
efficiency

Oxygen-blown
gasification

Research anddevelopment

55%
Power
generation
efficiency
55%
sending
end efficiency

Demonstration testing
A-IGCC/
A-IGFC

Industrial gasification
furnace

Advanced coalgasification
CO2 separation
and recovery

F/S

Research and development

Research and development

Demonstration testing

Research and development

CO2 fixation

Actualization of zero-emissions

Demonstration testing>65%>65%
sending
Powerendgeneration
efficiencyefficiency

Demonstration testing of new separation
and recovery technology

Development toward full-scale sequestration

Demonstration testing

Current coal thermal generation unit price is assumed to be 5.9 yen/kWh,as estimated by The Federation of Electric Power Companies, Japan.

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Commercialization