The federal financing of large-scale engineering projects
Abstract The financial condition of the federal government can not be a source of comfort to the managers of large-scale projects. On the one hand, a gradual absorption of the large deficits into a growing economy increases the financial risks of large projects. On the other hand, the significant cuts in federal spending are likely to fall disproportionately on these same projects. As a result strategic thinking about such ventures will need to include: a) financial mechanisms that place greater reliance on private resources, states and localities and, with that reliance, allow greater non-federal participation in project design and management; b) the way that the financial structure of a large-scale project can build and nurture the coalition of interests essential for its survival; c) the concept that a large scale project is a provider of services, rather than an object of intrinsic value; and d) meshing the financial and technological characteristics of a macro-engineering project with these new realities.
Cool Water: Demonstration of a Clean and Efficient New Coal Technology
Cool Water, the world's first commercial-scale, integrated coal gasification combined cycle power plant, has been operating successfully since May 1984 near Barstow, California. The 100-megawatt plant, which was completed ahead of schedule and under budget, is probably the cleanest coal-fired power generating facility now in commercial operation. An ongoing demonstration program at Cool Water shows that future baseload power plants that use this technology can be built modularly in increments of a few hundred megawatts and compete economically with much larger, conventional coal-fired power plants equipped for flue gas desulfurization.
Coal-gasification systems: a guide to status, applications, and economics. Final report
Coal gasification has been the subject of a great deal of study and development worldwide over the past decade. The open literature currently contains bewildering and often inconsistent information concerning the development status and economic viability of coal gasification systems. The Advanced Power Systems Division of EPRI has devoted considerable resources to the development and demonstration of coal gasification technology for ultimate use in electric-power-generation systems. The primary objective of this Guide is to provide current and consistent information concerning the status of commercial development, potential utility applications and EPRI-developed capital and operating costs for coal-gasification technologies that have already been demonstrated at commercial scale as well as for those that are close to commercial practice. Current commercial/developmental status of Lurgi, Koppers-Totzek, Texaco, Shell, British Gas Corporation/Lurgi, KILnGAS, Westinghouse and High Temperature Winkler is discussed. Environmental aspects, thermal performance, reliabiilty and cost information are provided for medium-Btu gas production; retrofitting and repowering existing steam plants; integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) systems; low-water-consumption IGCC systems; methanol from coal; once-through methanol production in an IGCC system; and IGCC systems employing advanced, molten-carbonate fuel cells. Finally, for comparison purposes, performance and cost estimates on a consistent basis are provided for coal-fired steam plants;more » oil-fired steam plants; oil- and gas-fired combined-cycle and combustion-turbine plants. 88 figures, 86 tables.« less