The U.S. Department of Energy said it will make available up to $64 million in federal funding for cost-shared research and development projects for technology to be used in new coal-fired power plants.

Labeled by the Energy Department as Coal FIRST (an acronym that stands for Flexible, Innovative, Resilient, Small, Transformative), the funding is intended to help develop critical components required by coal-fired systems. (Learn more about the funding opportunity.)

The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) will manage the projects, which are being undertaken by the DOE's Office of Fossil Energy’s Transformative Power Generation, Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Technology, Advanced Turbines, Gasification Systems and Carbon Capture research programs.

Federal funds will be awarded to projects in seven areas.

Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustor with Supercritical Steam Cycle Power Plant System: Projects will support a system based on pressurized fluidized bed combustion within a supercritical steam power plant that operates at an elevated pressure to enhance combustion with the capability of co-firing with natural gas or biomass. Specific components of interest include projects pertaining to the pressurized post-combustion capture sub-system and integrated energy storage sub-system.

Indirect Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Plant System: Projects will support the commercialization of the indirect supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) power plant system, which is intended to deliver compactness, efficiency, modular construction and operational flexibility. This combination has the potential to allow better competitiveness in future energy markets. Specific components of interest include the coal-fired primary heater sub-system, sCO2 turbine seals and bearings and the integrated energy storage sub-system.

Direct-Fired Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Plant System: Projects will support the commercialization of the direct-fired sCO2 power plant system. Specific components of interest include the syngas oxy-combustor and the sCO2 turbine.

Gasification-Based Poly-Generation: Projects will support the commercialization of critical components for a gasification-based, poly-generation system, which leverages largely established technology components to design and develop a coal-based, poly-generation system. Specific components of interest include the pre-combustion capture sub-system and the devolatilizer/gasification subsystem.

Coal-Fired Direct Injection Combustion Engine & Gas Turbine Compound Reheat Combined Cycle Power Plant System: Projects will support the commercialization of critical components for a coal-fired direct injection combustion engine and gas turbine compound reheat combined cycle power plant system. Specific components of interest include the micronized refined coal production subsystem and the direct injection combustion engine.

Modular Staged Pressurized Oxy-Combustion Power Plant System: Projects will support the commercialization of critical components for a modular staged pressurized oxy-combustion power plant system, which is intended to be a near-zero emissions source of coal-fired power with high efficiency and flexibility. Specific components of interest include the integrated staged pressurized oxy-combustion subsystem and direct contact coolers.

Flameless Pressurized Oxy-Combustion Power Plant System: Projects will support the commercialization of critical components for a flameless pressurized oxy-combustion (FPO) power plant system. DOE said it seeks R&D to design and test the operability and performance of the integrated FPO system.