Activated Carbon for Mercury Control – Potential Demand

Implications:     The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on February 8, 2009 in favor of the plaintiffs that coal plants could not be removed from the list of mercury sources subject to a Maximum Available Control Technology (MACT) standard and the subsequent movements to require EPA to set a mercury MACT standard for coal-fired power plants provides an opportunity in the mercury control space, including activated carbon.

Analysis:     Even though the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR) was thrown out by the Courts and there is no national program, numerous states are acting on their own or utilities have stipulated to reductions.               Activated carbon injection is one of the leading and proven means to remove mercury from a coal plant’s emissions.  Several companies are in the activated carbon space:  ADA-ES, MeadWestvaco, Calgon Carbon Corporation, and Norit.

    The states currently acting on their own to reduce mercury emissions represent approximately 500,000,000 pounds of new activated carbon demand.
 
    The states proposing or finalizing rules to reduce mercury represent approximately another 200,000 pounds of new activated carbon demand.
 
    If Senator Thomas Carper’s plan to reduce mercury at a 90% level across the U.S. were to become law, it would require nearly 1.5 billion pounds once fully-enacted.