A better burn

Building on the continuous operation of a prototype coal dryer that uses waste heat to remove moisture from coal, the

(DOE) has given the go-ahead to

to conduct the first-ever full-scale demonstration of the utility company's innovative technology.

Great River Energy will soon begin the demonstration at its Coal Creek Station near Underwood, North Dakota, during the second phase of a cost-shared project with DOE. The $31.5m project, which received $13.5m in funding from DOE, was one of eight projects selected in the first phase of DOE's Clean Coal Power Initiative, a 10-year $2bn commitment to advance of clean coal technologies and an integral part of the US administration's National Energy Policy. The projects are managed by DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory.

‘This unique coal-drying system enables the nation to tap into vast resources of high-moisture coal while simultaneously providing environmental benefits,’ according to Jeffrey Jarrett, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy. ‘The successful demonstration of the system will further indicate that the nation can cost-effectively use its most abundant resource and still contribute to the President's Clear Skies Initiative.’