"We believe that technology is the answer to the challenge of reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants currently in use," said Dr. Frank Burke, vice president of Research and Development for Consol.

 

"Our earlier work with existing power plants and available technologies shows that we can achieve at least a 50% reduction in mercury emissions, particularly at plants using eastern bituminous coals like those that Consol Energy produces," Burke said. "Our objective is to further quantify the amount of mercury that is captured by emissions technologies, and to assess the cost of mercury control."

 

The U.S. Department of Energy, through its National Energy Technology Laboratory in Pittsburgh, granted $US584,422 for Consol to develop an accurate and reliable database on mercury removal in coal-fired boilers with pollution control equipment.

 

The 27-month field test project involves measurements at 10 power plants that are equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. The SCR/FGD equipment reduces emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

 

"We know the SCR/FGD system is capable of removing mercury," Burke said. "Moreover, the additional benefit of removing mercury, SOx and NOx with one emission control system can help to reduce the cost of pollution control and thus minimize its impact on the cost of electricity," he said.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said mercury emissions from power plants must be reduced, and the Department of Energy is evaluating a number of technologies to achieve the necessary reductions.

 

EPA estimates that using technology solely intended to remove mercury - technology such as activated carbon injection - could cost as much as $US40 million per ton of mercury removed. Mercury removal as a co-benefit of the SCR/FGD technology could be, in effect, cost-free.

 

However, the amount of mercury the SCR/FGD system will remove is not known accurately and the fundamental science is not well understood.

 

"Our work will help to provide the scientific information needed to design the most effective and least costly mercury control systems," Burke said. "That information can then be used to help make the best economic and public policy decisions concerning technology choices."