News

March 26, 2010

Three R&D studies nearing completion

Three separate research and development studies recommended by the Lignite Research Council and funded last summer by the North Dakota Industrial Commission are nearing completion.

The studies are to:

• Analyze the market for beneficiated North Dakota lignite;
• Assess the latest advanced technologies for a new lignite-based power plant; and
• Identify the most promising carbon dioxide capture systems applicable to the existing fleet of North Dakota lignite-based power plants.

“These three studies are important as the lignite industry looks toward the future,” said Mike Jones, vice president - research and development for the Lignite Energy Council.

The beneficiated lignite market study is being conducted by the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota and includes $75,000 in funding from the US Department of Energy through a JSRP program at the EERC. The study should be completed by June 2010 and will provide an analysis of the competitive position of beneficiated lignite as a fuel compared to different ranks of coal along with natural gas and renewable energy in this region.

The lignite advanced generation technology study is being performed by Burns and McDonnell, with Microbeam Technologies acting as a subcontractor. The study will evaluate various technologies including supercritical and ultra supercritical pulverized coal combustion along with oxycombustion, gasification and co-firing with both natural gas and biomass. This study would indicate what a new “green-field” lignite-fueled 500 MW electrical generating power plant would entail.

The study of CO2 capture technologies for existing lignite-based generating stations is being conducted by the The Shaw Group, formerly known as Stone & Webster, Inc. The study will identify the most promising potential CO2 capture technology systems for each plant along with assessing the development of each technology with potential for field testing within five years.

The North Dakota Industrial Commission provides funding for the lignite research and development projects through a 10-cent per ton tax on lignite mined in North Dakota.

###