Swan Hills Synfuels is adapting existing in-situ coal gasification technology to turn deep, stranded coal into clean synthesis gas (syngas) in Alberta. This clean syngas is an environmentally responsible energy source that can be used as fuel for clean power generation or processed further to create other clean energy products.
Swan Hills Synfuels, a private Alberta developer, is focused on the development of clean energy projects utilizing in-situ coal gasification (ISCG) technology combined with carbon capture and storage. Swan Hills Synfuels has secured reserves of deep coal and is tapping this coal’s energy with ISCG to develop clean energy projects in Alberta.
ISCG, combined with carbon capture and storage, will create a new clean energy industry in Alberta. Environmentally, ISCG with carbon capture and storage has an exemplary profile including significantly reduced air emission, non-fresh water use in the gasification process, and minimal surface disturbance.
Swan Hills Synfuels’ first major commercial project is the Swan Hills In-Situ Coal Gasification and Sagitawah Power Generation Project (Swan Hills ISCG/Sagitawah Power Project) located in Central Alberta. This clean energy system will produce syngas that will be used as fuel for very efficient low-emissions power generation, producing 300 MW of baseload electricity supply for Albertans. The project will also capture and sequester over 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 each year. This project is scheduled to be operational in 2015.
Albertans will benefit from this project on a number of levels: clean energy, secure source of electricity, reduced CO2 emissions, job creation, and optimally located facilities. In addition, with the planned use of the project’s captured CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), Albertans will receive incremental benefits from this EOR activity, such as increased oil royalties.