Coal is an abundant natural resource. It’s currently the largest energy source for electricity generation, steelmaking and cement production. And it’s also the largest source of CO2 emissions from human activity: around 41% of the world’s fossil fuel carbon emissions come from burning it. Other emissions include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and methane.
How can the coal industry reduce those emissions? We at Topsoe have the solutions and technologies to help. In recent years, we have made quantum leaps in the upgrading of coal and processing of waste products from coke ovens into higher value products and cleaner energy. Our solutions not only make it feasible, but also economically attractive, to process these feedstocks directly at source into SNG, gasoline or other high value products rather than transporting them to be processed closer to market.
Thermal power plants and nations alike are also turning to co-firing alternatives to reduce emissions, and the market for co-firing ammonia or blue hydrogen (also commonly referred to as ‘low-carbon hydrogen’) is rapidly increasing. Blue ammonia (also commonly referred to as ‘low-carbon ammonia’) is ready to clean up coal-fired power plants as the world switches to low-carbon electricity.