Both the companies, MHI and MC, have received order to conduct a feasibility study (F/S) on the project. The commercial-scale IGCC power plant with CCS capability would generate 530 megawatts (MW) of electricity by capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which is expected to start up operations by 2015.
The ZeroGen project combines IGCC plant that would generate power via fuel produced through gasification of coal, and CCS technology, which captures and sequesters CO2 in deep subsurface brine aquifers.
MHI would operate as the exclusive manufacturer, supplier and builder of the IGCC facility, including CO2 recovery and storage systems. MC would coordinate the overall project and the Queensland State Government owned ZeroGen will be the project implementation body. ZeroGen responsibilities include the selection of potential sites in Queensland both for the IGCC plant and for a carbon transport and storage area, and handle other areas such as infrastructure, coal supply, stakeholder engagement and environmental studies.
The company’s Power Systems Headquarters and the Machinery and Steel Structures Headquarters would be responsible for the IGCC plant and CCS facility, respectively.
MHI’s IGCC system is based on air-blown gasification technology. The plant would generate electricity by gas-turbine and steam-turbine combined cycle. For its fuel, the IGCC power generation system uses gas produced by gasification of fine milled coal in a gasification furnace. MHI has already delivered a 250MW IGCC demonstration plant to Clean Coal Power R&D, located in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture.
In the coal-gasification process, carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen gases are produced through oxygen reaction of coal, then CO2 is separated and recovered through the shift reaction of CO and steam. In the ZeroGen project, CO2 will be recovered from gas before combustion by gas turbine.
