Alabama coal and gas plant to test Exxon carbon capture technology

• 7 years ago (2016-10-31)
• David Flin

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A 2.7 GW mixed-use coal and gas power plant in Alabama, USA, has been selected by ExxonMobil and FuelCell Energy to test fuel cell carbon capture technology being developed by the two companies. The James M. Barry Electric Generating Station near Mobile – operated by Southern Company subsidiary Alabama Power – will host pilot demonstrations of carbon capture from natural gas-fired power generation.

Under a separate deal between power plant tech developer FuelCell Energy (FCE) and the US Department for Energy, the Alabama facility will also test a system designed to capture carbon from coal generation.

The CCS technology uses carbonate fuel cells to concentrate and capture CO2 streams from power plants and could substantially reduce costs for the coal and gas industry, as well as “lead to a more economical pathway towards large-scale carbon capture and sequestration globally”, the firms said.

The CCS tests will use FCE’s commercial DFC3000 system to concentrate and capture CO2 emissions from the Alabama plant, with flue gas from the power generation directed into the fuel cells’ air intake system to be combined with natural gas. Following capture, the CO2 is then compressed and cooled using chilling equipment, according to FCE, while the fuel cells also eliminate around 70 per cent of NOx from coal.

According to the two firms, installation of the fuel cell plant at the Alabama station will begin after completion of engineering studies that are already under way.