A Zero-Emission Coal Technology has been jointly invented by Dr. Hans
Ziock of Los Alamos National Laboratory, Dr. Klaus Lackner of Columbia
University, and Dr. Douglas Harrison of Louisiana State University.
These talented Scientists have shown that coal does not need to be
burned. Energy from coal can be generated via a closed-system chemical
process that does not release waste gases into the atmosphere. The
process involves anaerobic gasification of coal to produce hydrogen
without release to the atmosphere. During the gasification process,
pulverized coal reacts with hydrogen and water vapor (hydrogasification)
leaving solid ash residue in the reactor vessel. Other contaminants
including mercury, nitrogen oxides and ammonia are removed as solids or
liquids in purge streams for appropriate treatment and disposal; without
direct exposure to the atmosphere. Methane from the gasification process
is then reformed to hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and the carbon dioxide
is fixed as calcium carbonate (limestone) by reaction with lime. The
heat of the carbonation reaction drives the reformation of methane to
hydrogen.

The hydrogen generated from the coal (or other carbon based fuels) can
be used to power hydrogen fuel cells to create electricity or used as
chemical feedstock to produce synthetic fuels. The process is
approximately 70% efficient, twice that of a conventional coal-fired
electrical generating station - and with no emissions – zero air
pollution.

The Zero Emission Coal Technology process begins with the simple fact
that carbon (coal or other carbon based fuels) and hydrogen react to
form methane or synthetic natural gas. This gas is then passed, with
steam, over a bed of hot lime or calcium oxide (CaO) in the reformer to
produce twice as much hydrogen as was present at the beginning (half of
the hydrogen comes from the water, half from the gas).

The lime absorbs the carbon from the gas and the oxygen in the water to
form calcium carbonate—limestone (CaCO3).

The calcium carbonate from the carbonation reaction is recycled in order
to regenerate the calcium oxide (lime) which is then used to produce
more hydrogen. The recycling process produces a pure CO2 stream ready
for disposal by mineral carbonation or use in enhanced oil recovery
(EOR) or other form of sequestration, or for reuse in limited amounts as
chemical feedstock.

Sounds great...except for one small detail...coal is a finite
resource...as are most that we have on this Earth..

Sun is free, interestingly enough, solar power, photovoltaic batteries
to store this power...wind is another resource rather under-rated..there
are resources which are passive, non polluting, no emmissions, that are
not given the justice they deserve.

Shadow Eagle if there is a complicated stupid way of doing something and
its a money spinner corporations will go ape shiitt over the idea.sun
shine is free H2O is every where problem is its polluted just about
every were human activity takes place.all ya need is a tank with dirty
water electrodes and a solar panel electrolisis .Hydrogen and oxygen is
produced burn hydrogen H2O is the byproduct how simple is that??did the
experiment at school.