Coal-based Clean Energy Production

The results of the “energy production” division of a 4-year development work of an eco-city project at Lanfang, China, are reported. A novel “coal to methane” process has been developed from laboratory scales into a pilot plant, where the coal was treated through a “catalytic supercritical water gasification” process. The overall efficiency achieved in this pilot plant is as high as 75% with thermal energy recovery, compared to the 56% efficiency of “coal to methane” processes using existing gasification technologies. The sequestrated carbon dioxide (CO2) from the production (gasification) process is further used for microalgae growth, which is then refined into biodiesel and other value-added by-products. The whole integrated “energy production” system can achieve low emissions of CO2 and other contaminants.