French energy and transportation firm Alstom on Friday cut the ribbon on its new Clean Energy Lab, a facility designed to test power systems and fuels both large and small to find ways to cut down on pollution.
The new facility, which is part of Alstom’s Power Plant Laboratories, has test reactors and combustors for energy sources ranging from 30 kilowatts to 30 megawatts. Researchers will test coal, fuel oil, natural gas, biomass, petroleum coke, coal-water, oil-water liquids, municipal waste and gases.
Alstom research similar to this has shown ways to use coal for electricity without generating greenhouse gas emissions and how to capture power plant pollutants in the most cost-effective manner.
The inauguation of the new facility on Friday morning was attended by Alstom President Amy Ericson, Commissioner Catherine Smith of the Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development, and Assistant Secretary Christopher Smith of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Alstom builds the fastest train in the world and provides power plant solutions for a variety of fuels, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind. The company, based in France, employs 88,000 people in 100 countries.
