Demonstration Test Schedule
Overview of the Demonstration Plant Project
IGCC development efforts are currently advancing under the auspices of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) through the joint efforts of eleven corporate bodies, including nine power companies,* the Electric Power Development Co., and the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry.
During the period from fiscal 1986 to fiscal 1996, the Engineering Research Association for Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle Power Systems (IGC Association) served as the principal entity. Based on a commission from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), it performed pilot plant test with coal processing volumes of 200 t/day (equivalent to 2.5 MWe ) in Nakoso, Fukushima Prefecture. The results achieved were material and significant.
Against the backdrop of results obtained from feasibility studies and essential technologies research from fiscal 1997 to fiscal 1998 and preliminary verification test and design research from fiscal 1999 to fiscal 2001, Clean Coal Power R&D Co., Ltd., was founded in fiscal 2001 with funds contributed by nine power companies and the Electric Power Development Co. and charged with the mission of developing air-blown IGCC technology. Project costs are subsidized by the government (the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,; until fiscal 2009) and by eleven corporate bodies (nine power companies, the Electric Power Development Co., and the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry).
Highlights of the schedule for the Demonstration Plant Project include a detailed design of a demonstration plant and environmental assessments performed from fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2004; the construction of a demonstration plant from fiscal 2004 to fiscal 2007; and demonstration test for the four years from September 2007 (initial firing of the gasifier) to the end of fiscal 2010.
This demonstration test comprised reliability verification as well as tests of the operability, durability, and cost-effectiveness of the IGCC technology and the initial objective/indices in each aspect were mostly achieved.
From fiscal 2012 to the end of fiscal 2013 for 2 years, the verification tests will be further implemented with the main focus on reliability, cost-effectiveness and coal type flexibility, for the solution of new challenges and the maturity of IGCC technology targeting at the smooth commercialization.
*Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Tohoku Electric Power Co., Tokyo Electric Power Co., Chubu Electric Power Co., Hokuriku Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co., Chugoku Electric Power Co., Shikoku Electric Power Co., Kyushu Electric Power Co.
