The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established a set of national priorities that includes the goal to promote secure, competitive, and environmentally responsible energy systems that serve the needs of the public. The Innovations for Existing Plants (IEP) program, managed by the Office of Fossil Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), provides technological solutions to the myriad of environmental issues (air, solid, and water) affecting the existing fleet of coal-based power plants representing more than 320 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity. The program also provides high-quality scientific information on present and emerging environmental issues for use in regulatory and policy decision making. The IEP program focuses on the development of advanced technologies for controlling emissions such as mercury, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides from coal-fired power plants. In addition, the program includes research related to the characterization and utilization of coal combustion and gasification by-products and power plant air quality issues. Research has also recently been initiated to address the intimate link between thermoelectric power generation and water quality and sustainability. The activities carried out under the IEP program help to maintain coal's strategic role in the nation's energy mix while meeting the challenge of providing America with reliable, affordable, and environmentally sound energy well into the 21~(st) century.
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