The US Department of Energy will fund $US17 million to the projects while participants will kick-in $US6.3 million.

The projects come under three areas: novel hydrogen/electricity co-production, novel SNG/electricity co-production, and improving the economics of central-station hydrogen production plants.

Gasification is the process whereby coal is broken down into its basic chemical components, rather than burned directly. The gasification facility can then co-produce a wide range of products, including electricity, hydrogen, high-value chemicals, and synthetic fuels such as substitute natural gas.