Polish clean coal plant

Polish scientists are lobbying the European Commission to build an experimental hydrogen factory in Poland.

Together with colleagues from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany, they have submitted a collective project to Brussels. The concept of launching hydrogen production technology using Polish coal was the brainchild of Prof Józef Dubiński, from the Central Mining Institute (GIG). Dr Jan Rogut, who is also from GIG, is working on the project's details. Rogut is also the European Commission expert on the introducing a policy on pollution-reducing 'clean coal' technology.

According to Rogut, Europe urgently needs an experimental sequestration and hydrogen production power plant, similar to the American's FutureGen project. There is EUR 1.3 (zł.5.2) billion in the EU budget for the years 2007 to 2013 to build a hydrogen plant on the continent. Its thought a decision will now be made next year. Dr Rogut says the delay is no surprise: "This is a very costly investment, to which all European countries have to contribute," he told Gazeta Wyborcza.

Poland chances are realistic as the country produces half of all the coal reserves in the EU. These resources would allow Europe an energy source independent from oil imports.  Hydrogen produced from Polish coal would satisfy the needs of Polish transport, which would use about four million tones of hydrogen a year. This volume of gas would take 20 million tonnes of coal to generate.

According to Dr Rogut Poland's Upper Silesia is a perfect location for the plant. The area's geological basin has two levels of coal; one is 1000 meter deep, and the other starts some 300 meters below that.