Fluor, E.ON in carbon capture partnership

Irving, Texas-based Fluor (NYSE: FLR) said today that it formed a strategic partnership with Munich, Germany's E.ON Energie to test carbon capture technology for coal-fired power plants.

E.ON Energie is a subsidiary of Duesseldorf, Germany-based industrial group E.ON (OTC: EONGY).

Fluor said the pilot project would be the first demonstration of its Econamine FG+ carbon capture technology on a coal-fired power plant.

Fluor said the technology has already been commercially proven in projects such as fossil fuel-fired boilers and steam reformers.

"Working jointly with E.ON Energie on this project, we are seeking to enhance our technology for use with existing and future coal plants," said David Constable, president of Fluor's Power Group.

"We currently have 25 licensed Econamine plants already in commercial operation, many to produce chemical or food grade CO2, and an additional 10 Econamine FG+ licenses sold that will commence commercial operations within the next 18 to 24 months."

The pilot plant is expected to start operation in 2010 at E.ON's coal-fired power plant in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

Fluor said the pilot plant would be designed for a flue gas volume flow of about 16,000 cubic meters per hour.

The company said a second project is also planned for the same Wilhelmshaven site, called "50plus," which is a coal-fired power plant that is expected to achieve an efficiency of more than 50 percent by 2014.

Fluor said that would be the first such high efficiency for a coal plant anywhere in the world.

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