South Korea joins India as the second foreign nation to sign on to the project, which is being developed by the DOE and a FutureGen Alliance of electric utilities and international coal mining companies.
South Korean Commerce, Industry and Energy Minister Chung Sye Kyun said Korea has pledged to help build and operate the FutureGen plant and will sit on a government steering committee to oversee the initiative.
The $1 billion FutureGen initiative is a 10-year effort announced by President George W Bush in 2003 to integrate advanced coal gasification technology, hydrogen from coal, power generation, and carbon dioxide capture and geologic storage.
The plant would be the first to test whether greenhouse gas carbon dioxide can be captured and pumped underground for permanent storage.
US Energy Secretary Samuel W Bodman said the agreement signified a collective commitment to global technological leadership on climate change and future energy needs.
“This bold and revolutionary initiative known as FutureGen will ensure that clean coal continues to globally supply our energy needs in ways that are environmentally sustainable and responsible," Bodman said.
The FutureGen project will require 10 years to complete and will be led by the alliance, with the project results being shared among all participants and industry as a whole.
Twelve sites in seven US states have so far been named as candidates to host the power plant, with selection of a final site expected by late 2007.
