SRI (Menlo Park, Calif.) claims its DCFC technology can convert the chemical energy in coal directly into electricity without the need for gasification.
It is said to be two times more fuel-efficient than today's coal-fired power plants, resulting in reduced carbon dioxide emissions, according to SRI. It also produces electricity at a competitive cost from a variety of fuels including coal, coke, tar, biomass and organic waste, according to the organization.
“SRI's system mixes the best features of two demonstrated technologies: solid oxide fuel cells and molten carbon-air fuel cells,” the company said. “The one-step, clean, high-efficiency energy conversion process transforms the chemical energy of pulverized coal (and other carbon-containing fuels) directly into electricity through the electrochemical oxidation of carbon.”
The United States, which has extensive coal reserves, will continue to use coal as its primary source of electricity for many years to come, according to the SRI.
However, today's coal-fired power plants convert coal into electricity with relatively low efficiency. In addition, coal is a source of toxic emissions, greenhouse gases and heavy metal pollutants when used in traditional combustion power plants.
For the U.S. to achieve energy independence in an environmentally sustainable and economically feasible way, a clean, efficient and direct process to convert coal into electrical energy is needed.
"A proposed energy source must meet strict criteria to overtake conventional coal-fueled power plants," said Lawrence Dubois, vice president of SRI, in a statement. "The conversion system must use a low-cost domestic resource, have comparable or lower capital and operating costs, achieve higher efficiency, and capture fuel oxidation products internally to achieve zero emissions of toxic and greenhouse gases. SRI's novel DCFC approach has the potential to satisfy all of these demanding requirements."