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"I am delighted that Caterpillar is joining in this long-overdue endeavor to advance our nation's energy independence and put people back to work in jobs that will prove we can burn coal cleanly," says United States Representative Timothy V. Johnson (R-IL), whose district includes the FutureGen site in Mattoon. "We have been working toward this project for nearly seven years, and this decision brings us one step closer to getting under way. Caterpillar has practically written the book on sustainable manufacturing. It's a perfect fit."

Researchers and industry experts have made great progress advancing technologies for coal gasification, electricity generation, emissions control, CCS and hydrogen production. But these technologies have yet to be put together and tested at a single plant - an essential step for technical and commercial viability.

"FutureGen is not only gaining the support of one of the world's leading manufacturing companies, but also a partner in advancing CCS technology to produce reliable, low-carbon power from our nation's abundant supply of coal," says FutureGen Alliance Chief Executive Officer, Michael J. Mudd. "We are grateful to have Caterpillar's support in bringing the world's premier clean-coal power plant to Illinois."

Oberhelman adds, "This is an important step to demonstrate that coal - the most abundant and secure fuel source for electricity generation - can be counted on to produce competitive, low carbon energy supplies for current and future generations."