1. The pre-combustion systems inherent to IGCC effectively capture pollutants (e.g., sulfur, particulate matter, etc.), and convert these pollutants to high purity forms (i.e., elemental sulfur), regardless of the sulfur levels in the feedstock. Normal sulfur capture levels easily exceed 98%.
   
   
2. No NOX emissions are formed in the process until the syngas is burned in the gas turbine. By proper design of the syngas treatment and dilution of the final syngas, the GT NOX emissions are reduced to very low levels (9-15 ppm) without the use of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). With the use of SCR, even lower (2 ppm) NOX emissions have been achieved.
   
   
3. As a result, for any given feedstock, an IGCC plant has lower emissions of all types than conventional combustion technology plants for that feedstock.
   
   
4. If desired, the IGCC can be designed, or retrofitted, for carbon dioxide capture, sequestration, or reuse at lower capital and operating cost than post combustion recovery technologies.
   
   
5. Due to the high thermal efficiency of gasification (72-85%), the highly efficient gas turbine combined cycle plants (45-50%), and good integration practices, current IGCC efficiencies are as good as or better than SCPC. The outlook for future further efficiency improvements is good.
   
   
6. Other products, such as hydrogen or methanol, can be readily co-produced.

The downside of these IGCC benefits is a more complex process, more decisions to be made, an extended project schedule, poorer performance at high altitude locations, and, with today’s designs, a higher capital cost than competing technologies.