Workshop 1: Lowest Cost Coal for Coal to Liquids, Integrated Gasification & Combined Cycle Generation
An advantage of coal-to-liquids (CTL) and integrated gasification and combined cycle (IGCC) generation technologies is that low-Btu brown coals, such as lignite, and waste coal can be used as the feed stock. These coals still trade at relatively low prices, commonly for less than $2.00 per MMBtu ($26/ton). As a result, some very large CTL/IGCC projects are being proposed in such states, as Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, and Texas.

Where are these low-cost coals, and where is the right combination of marine transport, infrastructure, labor and markets to make CTL and IGCC projects attractive? This workshop will consider these questions as well as what types of syngas technologies work for low-rank coals and where the lowest cost coals are available. Cost comparisons to conventional pulverized and natural gas combined-cycle power plants will also be provided.

Workshop 2: Lowest-Cost Coal-Transport Technologies for CTL, IGCC Projects
Most synfuel coal plants are located in Apalachia and the Illinois basin where coal costs are higher, but electricity demand is strong. In the future, as transportation technology improves, massive midwestern and western CTL and IGCC projects will compete with eastern, West Coast and southern power. Transport costs for coal have declined from nearly 3.4 cents per ton-mile in the mid 1980s to 1.2 cents per ton mile in 2001. Now, however, with demand high and fuel costs soaring, coal transport costs are climbing again. This workshop will review the economics of coal transportation, the latest technological advancements in marine, pipeline, rail and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission to determine how logistics costs may alter the competitiveness of IGCC and CTL technologies.