The grant is likely to accelerate the construction and commissioning of a 270-megawatt Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) electricity plant utilizing local anthracite with carbon dioxide sequestration capabilities.
The power created by this project would serve the PJM West electricity market and meet Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards required in Pennsylvania, the company said.
According to the company, the technology to utilize coal with such low emission levels results from a global effort of the resources available from the largest coal-bearing countries in the world. Although the project will be manufactured, constructed, and commissioned in the US, gasification technical expertise from China’s Thermal Power Research Institute (TPRI) has been licensed by FPPI. China Huaneng Power Group is the controlling and majority owner of TPRI.
Raj Suri, CEO and president of Future Fuels, the majority shareholder of FPPI, said: “We believe these projects must be financially viable so private industry can work in tandem with government in a way to make progress without significant burdens on taxpayers and ratepayers. Too many projects are not financially viable and thus unsustainable. We would like to do many similar projects in the United States if this first one is successful.”
Jim Palumbo, president of FPPI, said: “There is much work to be done. With this project, we will create more than 1,000 jobs to construct the facility followed by hundreds to run the plant. If the funding comes through, we’ll be ready to move that much faster.”
