It is widely recognised that for the foreseeable future coal will remain an important energy source for generation of electric power in many areas of the world. However, it will be essential to develop generation technologies that include the capture and storage of emissions such as CO2 to combat the harmful effects of climate change. The key to the successful implementation of advanced generation technologies, the ultimate aim of which is the zero emission power plant, depends heavily on the availability of suitable materials. In this paper, the requirements for materials with improved high temperature performance will be considered in the context of three types of power generation system being developed to operate with greatly reduced emissions and with high levels of efficiency. The limitations of existing materials will be outlined and the need for materials with higher temperature capabilities and good fabricability will be discussed.
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