University of Wyoming High Plains Gasification Plant

The High Plains Gasification-Advanced Technology Center is a project funded by General Electric and hosted at the University of Wyoming (UW) "to enable researchers from both GE and UW to develop advanced gasification and "cleaner coal" solutions for Powder River Basin and other coals. The center will consist of a small-scale gasification system."

On June 2, 2010, the University of Wyoming (UW) filed a minor source air permit application with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for the High Plains Gasification Advanced Technology Center (HPG-ATC). UW is seeking a synthetic minor source air permit for the coal gasification facility. UW contracted with Trihydro Corporation in Laramie to complete the permit application. The facility will be located in the Cheyenne Business Parkway in Laramie County.

The facility will be owned and operated by UW. GE Energy will be the center's primary lessee for the initial post-construction term of operation, but UW and other entities may conduct research under specified terms and conditions. The HPG-ATC will consist of a small-scale gasification system expected to allow engineers, students, and other researchers to practice the technical conversion of feedstocks, such as coal, by gasification into synthesis gas (syngas) for use in power generation and for subsequent downstream conversion of syngas into liquid fuel and chemicals.

Procurement and construction of the facility is expected to begin in mid-2010 and take 2 to 2 ½ years to complete. Front-end engineering and design work will be procured by GE Energy; UW will secure the design/building contract by early 2010. The commissioning period will begin in mid to late 2012. The center will be built at a total cost of approximately $100 million. The cost will be split by UW and GE Energy. The state of Wyoming's contribution of $50 million will come from state legislative appropriations of historic federal abandoned mine land funds owned to the state, appropriations made during the 2008 and 2009 legislative sessions.

Project Details
Sponsor: The University of Wyoming and GE Energy Location: Laramie County, WY Capacity: 24 tons of coal/day Type: Advanced Gasification Projected in service: 2014 Status: Active

Financing
The center will be built at a total cost of approximately $100 million. The cost will be split by UW and GE Energy. The state of Wyoming's contribution of $50 million will come from state legislative appropriations of historic federal abandoned mine land funds owned to the state. Those appropriations were made during the 2008 and 2009 legislative sessions.

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