Since 1973 the imported volume of the oil and natural gas to the Western World has significantly increased, while the Western oil reserves often located at ecologically rich and environmentally sensitive coastal plain. To maintain sustainable economic and society development, improved quantity of electricity production is needed for reasonable cost with improved environmental performance.

Therefore, Fossil fuels and renewable biomass energy will remain the mainstays of energy production well into the 21^st century. Availability of these fuels to provide clean, affordable energy is essential for the prosperity and security of the United Europe, subject to proper clean technology performance, such as targeted by our proposal.

Worldwide, the coal mining industry employs some nine million people, three million of which are in developed countries (Polidano, ABARE 1998). It is estimated that a significant reduction in coal demand equating to a reduction of 1.5-2.1 million workers in coal mining (compared to business as usual), largely falling in the developed world.

Concerning renewable biomass energy, the goal is to ensure 12 % of all Europe’s energy originates renewable sources by 2010 – double to present amount. Coal exists in quantities sufficient to supply in Europe for at least 250 years at current usage rates, while the renewable energy sources will be continuously available for long term. The continuous improvement in efficiency and environmental performance from electricity generating facilities would allow continued use of coal and renewable, and preserve less-abundant energy resources for other energy uses.

Investments in electricity generating facility emissions control technology over the past decades have already reduced the aggregate emissions of pollutants from coal-based generating facilities significantly. However, these emission reductions are far not sufficient, because of several reasons:

• The coal use in amount for electricity generation has increased.
• The new advanced emission monitoring systems provided us better understanding the existence and negative effects of the toxic micro pollutants, therefore these micro pollutants must be removed from off-gas stream.
• To slower the climate changes there is urgent need for reduction of overall emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by at least 5% below 1990 level. However, to stop the climate changes reduction of overall emissions of (GHGs) with much more than 5% needed, below 1990 level.

The TDT-3R preventive pretreatment system is qualifying for continuous emission control, which removes or in significant amount reduces the target pollutants by preventive means, while increasing overall efficiency by supplying clean fuel.

Therefore, for retrofit - where it is applicable, the use of such pretreatment will decrease the complexity or even exempt the existing unit from new or increased emission control requirements for the pollutant being controlled, but still meets the new emission requirements and achieve production emission credit.

Our goal is the environmental improvement in coal-renewable biomass energy based clean power generation with increased efficiency, - through application of advanced Thermal Desorption Technology preventive pretreatment research, development, and demonstration toward an ultimate goal of near-zero emissions.

Converting pretreated cleansed coal-renewable biomass energy into clean electricity can effectively eliminate health-threatening emissions and improve efficiency by as much as at least 3 percent versus any known technical solutions.

The end result utilization of the TDT-3R Multi Fuel development will be that reliable, affordable, increasingly clean electricity will continue to power the growing European economy with desire for continuous environmental improvement and a more competitive electricity market.

The design net heat rate shall be based on the design annual heat input to and the design annual net electrical output from the qualifying advanced clean coal technology (determined without regard to such technology's co-generation of steam).

For purposes of `qualifying advanced clean coal technology facility' means for TDT-3R Multi Fuel that:

1. By direct link and joint application replaces a stand alone conventional technology facility, whereas the preventive pretreatment results a retrofit and re-power of the conventional process.
2. Has multiple fuel source applications, at least coal and renewable biomass energy.
3. Has a useful life of not less than 7 years.
4. With a design net heat rate of not more than 10,500 Btu per kilowatt hour when the design coal has a heat content of more than 8,000 Btu per pound.
5. Provides a net thermal efficiency on any multi fuel of not less than 40 percent.

1.2. Uniting high level of scientifically knowledge, engineering and industrial experience from several European countries the Thermal Desorption Technology Recycle-Reduce-Ruse Multi Fuel "TDT-3R Multi Fuel" proposal targets applied research to achieve comprehensive solution in European dimension for Clean Energy production and improved efficiency for lower cost, resulting:

• SUSTAINABLE REUSE OF SOLID FUELS BY PRE-TREATMENT: achievement of continued and extended environmental friendly reuse of solid fuels by reductive thermal decomposition pre-treatment of feeding, - for preparation of clean solid fuels and prevention of high toxic element load through the system and at the "end of pipe"– prior introduction to conventional heat and electricity power generation systems,

• Multi fuel applications, such as renewable-biomass, carboniferous solid waste and coal, increased feed flexibility,
• add-on direct LINK and integration opportunity to existing and new conventional solid fuel power plants for environmental and burning efficiency upgrade,
• Improved solid fuel burning efficiency, clean and homogenized fuel provide improved burning characteristics,
• COST REDUCTION, by providing clean fuel and pretreatment separation of target pollutants, such as sulfur, the total cost efficiency of the operation at the end will be increased,

Emissions characteristics: heavy metals (except Hg) and halogens are separated into two separated flows by true reductive thermal decomposition carbonization process, in vacuum, under less than 600 °C treatment temperature.

• The main thermal desorption - thermolysis process avoids:

• creation of D/F by its nature, and
• re-creation of D/F by its construction design, and
• flux of soot and particles into gas-vapor phase, and
• unperfected burn out of organic components in the post combustion phase, and
• flux of heavy metals into gas-vapor phase, and
• oxidation of heavy metals in the solid phase, and
• creation of SOx, and
• extended creation of NOx, CO and CO₂.

The goal of this project is to develop an inexpensive and efficient method to remove organic sulfur from coal prior burning. During this Low Temperature Carbonization process the volatile content is also removed, therefore – in order to maintain its BTU and burning characteristics for volatile - prior burning impregnating coals with polyunsaturated vegetable oils – and other suitable bio oils, such as pyrolysis oils - can be performed.

Since these renewable natural waste oil products are inexpensive and easily applied, this project could lead to a cost effective method for coal impregnation, while maintaining it volatile content. Moreover, the oils are environmentally safe; they produce no noxious products and improve burning qualities of the solid products. The bio oil impregnation of Clean Coal char process includes several advantages, such as:

• The waste vegetable oils are renewable natural products available from all over Europe
• Inexpensive
• Increase BTU's
• Increase clean volatile content of Clean Coal
• Environmentally safe and produce no noxious products
• Fast and simple process.

Tests of waste oil treatment will be conducted at five different waste oil : coal ratios (average 1:20) at different temperatures.

In the EESD Work Programme Update of October 2000 medium to long term Target Actions are identified. The following Target Action is directly addressed by the proposal:

The proposed project aims to develop a multi fuel pre treatment process with flexble and multiple choice of feed selection. The goal of the proposed project is to develop and pilot test the flexibility of the TDT-3R Multi Fuel pretreatment system for prevention of introduction of toxic components for preventive environmental protection of the coal fired power generation systems, increase efficiency and system’s reliability - safety, while decrease the "end-of-pipe" emission load for post treatment, maintenance costs, leading to the reduction of running costs.

The energy production sector is the main contributor to SO₂ emissions (58%, 1995) and an important contributor to NO_x (19%, 1995) emissions. The increased use of TDT-3R Multi Fuel will mean the significant reduction of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) (such as approx. 90 % pretreatment removal of organic sulfur, 99% of removal of mercury and chlorine) that would have been released by the fossil fuels. The proposal also promotes the extensive use of renewable biomass, partially as multi fuel carbon base, and also prior burning impregnating coals can be performed with polyunsaturated vegetable oils (fresh or spent oils as well) in order to maintain coal BTU and burning characteristics.

1. The directly related end results of the multidisciplinary development proposal in European dimension will open new technical opportunity to meet Kyoto Protocol for efficient management and significant savings of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions, mitigation of climate change and the continuation of GHG emission reduction efforts.
2. The Trans European collaboration of research teams exploiting the potential of information and communication technologies, by rapidly and effectively exchange/share and jointly exploit complex technological, market and feed logistical information and data.
3. The Trans European collaboration of research teams promotes the mobility and integrated work of human resources, and foster dissemination of results.
4. The Trans European collaboration of research teams promote international co-operation in the subject, co-ordination with Member State research programs, and EU wide research networks, including accession countries as well.
5. The proposal including strong pre-normative or co-normative components, whereas new technology opens new cost effective technical alternative by safer, better and less costly fossil fuel and renewable integrated utilization, sustainable for long term. These are designed to improve the conditions for research investment and RTD partnerships and the preparation of up to date EU harmonized regulations and norms requires enhanced scientific and technical knowledge. Furthermore, the proposal removes barriers blocking the development and diffusion of emerging technologies.

This project will benefit European social and economic cohesion through the exchange of technological knowledge and co-operation between the participating private sector, research institutions and universities. Each one of the participating groups are expected to promote its expertise at a higher rate leading to accelerated progress at a European level. The number, expertise and nationality of partners has been chosen so as to allow for a manageable consortium whose experience covers related issues. The EU accession countries, in compliance with the ERA objectives, will have the opportunity to gain experience on technologies, which are not available in their countries and benefit from the results.