MORE INFO Hydrogen from Coal RD&D Plan (2.88MB PDF) Coal Gasification R&D Carbon Sequestration R&D DOE's FutureGen Initiative

Hydrogen can be produced from coal by gasification (i.e., partial oxidation).  Coal gasification works by first reacting coal with oxygen and steam under high pressures and temperatures to form synthesis gas, a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.  The synthesis gas is cleaned of impurities and the carbon monoxide in the gas mixture is reacted with steam via the water-gas shift reaction to produce additional hydrogen and carbon dioxide.  Hydrogen is removed by a separation system and the highly concentrated CO2 stream can subsequently be captured and sequestered. 

Gasification of coal is a promising technology for the co-production of electric power and hydrogen from integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) technology.  However, there currently are no commercial demonstrations of these joint power and hydrogen plants.  Conceptual plants have been simulated using computer models to estimate technical and economic performance of co-production facilities.   

To reduce costs, novel and advanced technology must be developed throughout the entire system that produces hydrogen from coal.  For example, carbon dioxide produced in the hydrogen production process could be sequestered by technologies now being developed in DOE’s Carbon Sequestration Program and eventually demonstrated in the FutureGen clean coal projects.   

Research and Development (R&D) Needs
The hydrogen from coal production R&D activities include:  advanced water-gas shift technologies, advanced hydrogen separation, development of polishing filters, advanced CO2 separations, advanced concepts, and demonstrations.       

• Advanced water-gas shift technologies will focus on the development of more active and impurity-tolerant shift catalysts and technologies that integrate water-gas shift and hydrogen separation into a single step
• Advanced hydrogen separations will explore technology for advanced PSA, membranes, solvents, reverse selective systems, and other technology alternatives.  Areas of focus will be the identification of low-cost materials, stabilization of membranes, membrane seal and fabrication technologies methods for module preparation and scale-up, and analysis of current status and preferred separation options.
• Polishing filters development will develop technologies that enable hydrogen product streams to meet fuel quality requirements for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells efficiently and at low cost.
• Advanced concepts will be investigated that integrate several processes —synthesis gas clean-up, water-gas shift, and hydrogen separation — into one step.  Novel, "out-of-the-box" concepts will also be studied that produce hydrogen from coal.
• Polygeneration will explore the concept of co-producing high-value chemicals and carbon products in hydrogen from coal plants.
• Analysis and evaluation of the hydrogen from coal pathway (production, delivery, and distribution) will be performed.
• Demonstrations will be performed to test advanced technologies to confirm laboratory, bench-scale, and pre-engineering module results. 

The R&D activities performed under the Hydrogen from Coal Program will develop advanced technology for use in future hydrogen and electric power co-production plants. 

Benefits of Producing Hydrogen from Coal
The United States has an abundant, domestic resource in coal — nearly a 250-year supply based on current estimates.  The use of coal to produce hydrogen for the transportation sector can reduce America’s total energy use and its reliance on imported petroleum while helping to create jobs through the creation of a domestic industry.  The production of hydrogen from coal also offers environmental benefits when integrated with advanced technologies in coal gasification, power production, and carbon sequestration.  The integration of these technologies facilitates the capture of multiple pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, mercury, and particulates, as well as greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. When hydrogen is used in efficient fuel cell vehicles, emissions from the transportation sector can be nearly eliminated.