As currently proposed, the FutureGen plant will be a 275MW integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power plant. The plant will be designed to capture carbon emitted by its operation and store it underground.
In addition, the plant will be designed to achieve near-zero emissions of other air pollutants. The US Department of Energy will provide over $1bn in funding to the project if the details of a public-private partnership can be worked out to the satisfaction of all parties, Exelon said.
John Rowe, chairman and CEO of Exelon, said: “Coal plays an enormously important role in our nation’s energy supply, so it is critical that we explore the most promising technologies for reducing – and even eliminating – harmful emissions at coal-fired power plants.
“The FutureGen project represents an important opportunity, here in Illinois, to leverage private and public funds and expertise to advance clean coal technologies that may one day help solve climate change.”
