A major contributor to increased atmospheric CO2 levels is fossil fuel combustion. Roughly one third of the carbon emissions in the United States comes from power plants. Since electric generation is expected to grow and fossil fuels will continue to be the dominant fuel source, there is growing recognition that the energy industry can be part of the solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and permanently sequestering CO2. Consequently, an important component of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE) research and development program is dedicated to reducing CO2 emissions from power plants by developing technologies for capturing CO2 and for subsequent utilization and/or sequestration.Injection Of CO2 into geologic formations is being practiced today by the petroleum industry for enhanced oil recovery, but it is not yet possible to predict with confidence storage volumes, formation integrity and permanence over long time periods. Many important issues dealing with geologic storage, monitoring and verification of fluids (including CO2) in underground oil and gas reservoirs, coal beds and saline formations must be addressed. Field demonstrations are needed to confirm practical considerations, such as economics, safety, stability, permanence and public acceptance.This paper presents an overview of DOE's research program in the area Of CO2 sequestration and storage in geologic formations and specifically addresses the status of new knowledge, improved tools and enhanced technology for cost optimization, monitoring, modeling and capacity estimation. This paper also highlights those fundamental and applied studies, including field tests, sponsored by DOE that are measuring the degree to which Co-2 can be. injected and remain safely and permanently sequestered in geologic formations while concurrently assuring no adverse long term ecological impacts. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Electric power generation represents one of the largest carbon dioxide CO2 emitters in the United States. Roughly one-third of all the United States' carbon emissions come from power plants. Since electricity generation is expected to grow, and fossil fuels will continue to be the dominant fuel source, power generation can be expected to provide even greater CO2 contributes in the future. Consequently, an important component of the United States Department of Energy's (DOE's) research and development program is dedicated to reducing CO2 emissions from power plants by developing technologies to capture CO2 for utilization and/or sequestration. A primary goal of this research is to develop technology options that dramatically lower the cost of eliminating CO2 from flue gas and other streams by use of either pre- or post-combustion processes. This research is in its early stages, and is exploring a wide range of approaches, including membranes, improved CO2 sorbents, advanced scrubbing, oxyfuel combustors, formation of CO2 hydrates, and economic assessments. This paper presents an overview of the DOE research program in the area of CO2 separation and capture, while specifically addressing the status of research efforts related to promising pathways and potential technological breakthroughs.

The 1992 Energy Policy Act laid the foundation for a more efficient, less vulnerable, and environmentally sustainable energy future for the United States. The goals of the Act include developing economically advanced technologies both for oil substitution through coal liquefaction and for production of chemicals and chemical intermediates from coal-derived synthesis gas. The development of alternative fuels from coal will provide the U.S. with improved long-term energy security and economic competitiveness. The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Liquid Fuels Program, has actively supported the development of alternative fuels and chemicals from domestic coal resources. Within the Liquid Fuels Program, the primary technologies being investigated are the direct and indirect liquefaction of coal. Indirect liquefaction technologies offer an alternative for converting coal to hydrocarbons and oxygenates that are environmentally acceptable in the transportation fuel market. Engineering analyses indicate that it may be possible to produce liquid products from coal at a cost competitive with crude oil in the near future.

The slurry-phase reactor system is of interest in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis owing to the ability of the reactor system to efficiently remove the heat produced by the exothermic reaction. Iron-based catalysts are active for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and for the water-gas shift reaction, and, in addition, are inexpensive. Hence, they have been examined in slurry-phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis with CO-rich synthesis gas. The role of promoters, carbide phases, and oxide phases in iron-based catalysts is not well understood. The article reviews current knowledge of iron-based catalysts with reference to their application in slurry-phase Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Areas of investigation requiring further research are identified.