More than 30 companies, universities and research entities will receive $56.5 million in funding for development projects focused on advanced coal technologies.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced the winners in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects ranging from innovative uses of domestic coal, steam turbine technologies, coal-fired power plants and energy efficiencies, among other tracks. The funding is broken into six award categories.

“The Department of Energy is committed to advancing technologies that will allow us to meet our energy needs in an environmentally responsible way,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry in a statement. “We will continue our commitment to investing in research, development, and demonstration initiatives to drive these innovative clean coal technologies forward.”

Award winners and research partners include Thermosolv, Battelle Memorial Institute, George Washington University, Ramaco Carbon LLC, University of Illinois, Ohio University, H Quest Vanguard Inc., University of Kentucky, General Electric, Rice University, Siemens, Clemson University, Gas Technology Institute, Infinite Cooling Inc. and West Virginia University Research Corp., among others.

“We are excited about the transformative potential of these projects. Advancing this coal R&D is paving the way for future technology innovation and integration,” said Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg.

The first funding opportunity award is for $10 million for 10 projects focused on develop innovative uses of domestic coal for upgraded coal-based feedstocks used to produce power and make steel.

The second funding opportunity award is for $11.9 million on advancing steam turbines for coal boilers. The two projects selected seek to improve the performance of steam-based power cycles.

The third funding opportunity award is for $9.3 million for 10 projects working to improve performance economics for the existing and future coal fleet. This group support DOE’s Crosscutting Research Program covering a rnage of fossil energy uses.

The fourth funding opportunity award is for $5 million for five projects working on development and deployment of innovative systems for improving efficiency and environmental performance. The projects focus on enhancing the cyclic durability and reducing the cost of materials used in advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) power plants.

The fifth award funds three projects with up to $15 million on recovering rare earth elements and critical materials from domestic coal-based resources via conventional extraction, separation and recovery processes.

The sixth and final award allocates $5.3 million to two projects supporting DOE’s program to improve characterization and prediction of subsurface fluid movement and enhance real-time measurement of critical subsurface properties.

— — — — —

The Future of Coal-Fired Generation is one of the seven Summit tracks offering content at POWERGEN International, which is Nov. 19-21 in New Orleans. The Knowledge Hubs on the POWERGEN Exhibit Floor also offer nearly a dozen sessions on The Future of Conventional Power.