The project partners will repower Ameren’s 200MW Unit 4 in Meredosia, Illinois, with advanced oxy-combustion technology. According to DOE, the power plant’s new boiler, CO2 purification and compression unit, and air separation unit will deliver 90% CO2 capture and eliminate most SOx, NOx, mercury and particulate emissions.
Steven Chu, secretary of DOE, said: “This investment in the world’s first, commercial-scale, oxy-combustion power plant will help to open up the over $300bn market for coal unit repowering and position the country as a leader in an important part of the global clean energy economy.”
This project will provide performance and emissions data for future commercial guarantees, and is expected to establish operating and maintenance experience for future large-scale commercial projects.
In addition, the project partners will establish a regional CO2 storage site in Mattoon and a CO2 pipeline network from Meredosia to Mattoon that will transport and store more than one million tons of captured CO2 per year.
