Canada has a 900 year supply of coal and Alberta’s supply contains twice the energy of the province’s conventional crude oil, natural gas and bitumen combined. Globally, coal gasification could be one of the most important tools for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Nearly 40 per cent of global electricity production comes from coal combustion. The gasification process would virtually eliminate smog-related air emissions, and captures carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas.

The gasification process also creates hydrogen – a potential fuel of the future to power tomorrow’s hybrid and electric cars. An IGCC plant would be many times cleaner than vintage coal-fired plants and the best natural gas facility operating today.

The gasification process virtually eliminates smog-related air emissions, and can capture carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas. Compared to vintage coal-fired facilities, IGCC technology has the potential to lower nitrogen oxides by 96 per cent, particulate matter by 98 per cent, and sulphur oxides by 99 per cent.

The IGCC process requires about one-third less water than a pulverized coal plant and could allow for a relatively pure carbon dioxide stream available for Enhanced Oil Recovery, perhaps in the Pembina Oil Fields.

Gasification technology leads to real air quality improvement by reducing smog-related emissions. Supercritical technology such as that in use at Genesee 3 has already achieved a step-change improvement in emissions compared to vintage plants.

Carbon dioxide emissions by technology type

Gasification is the next significant step: emissions from gasification have a fundamentally different profile than those associated with vintage or supercritical coal.

Air emissions by technology type