Market opportunities for coal gasification in China

Coal gasification is a technology that has been around for 200 yr. With the recent technology advances in the past 20 yr, it has become an option for the clean production of power and other energy forms. China will continue to be the largest user of coal in the world. Coal is the source of energy in almost every area of everyday life in China. This paper is an overview of the prospects of coal gasification in China. It discusses the opening of Chinese markets to more private sector participation. In particular the paper focuses on the energy sector and coal as the both an economic development variable and a factor in climate change. Clean coal technologies can be apart of the production cycle in China and hence can impact the Chinese economy in a positive manner as well as lower the current high levels of atmospheric pollution. Proven integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technologies in new production methods and applications can provide China with its rising energy needs and reduce the SOX, NOX and particulates in the atmosphere. The results of IGCC can support the Chinese economy as it moves into the future.