An update on DOE's Phase II and Phase III mercury control technology R&D program

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory, under the Office of Fossil Energy's Innovations for Existing Plants Program, carried out a comprehensive Hg research and development program for coal-fired power generation facilities since the mid-1990s. Working collaboratively with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Electric Power Research Institute, power plant operators, state and local agencies, and a host of research organizations and academic institutions, the Program identified the major factors that affect mercury speciation and capture in coal combustion flue gas and funneled this knowledge into the development of a suite of mercury control technologies for the diverse fleet of U.S. coal-fired power plants. The high performance observed during full-scale field testing has given coal-fired power plant operators the confidence to begin deploying technology. As of March 2009, more than 130 full-scale activated carbon injection systems have been ordered by the U.S. coal-fired power generators. These contracts include both new and retrofit installations and represent over 55 GW of coal-based electric generating capacity.