Given its environmental benefits and flexible fuel options, IGCC has the potential to support a sizeable share of America’s future energy needs. Many U.S. lawmakers are hoping to increase the use of IGCC technology through federal support for the energy production as well as the advancement of other technologies.

Support comes from programs like FutureGen, the Integrated Sequestration and Hydrogen Research Initiative. Its stated purpose is to design, build, and operate a coal-based zero emissions electricity and hydrogen production plant. On a broader scale, the objective is to create U.S. energy independence through carbon sequestration and hydrogen production.

Hydrogen technology could benefit from IGCC as well. Hydrogen is a principal component of the syngas produced by the IGCC process. One of the principal challenges to widespread hydrogen use is reducing the cost of hydrogen production. IGCC offers the possibility to capture high volumes of hydrogen in an economic and environmentally responsible manner, and use it to power fuel cells and hydrogen vehicles.

The objective of carbon sequestration is to capture CO₂ and sequester it permanently rather than releasing it into the atmosphere. Some of the most promising CO₂ sequestration technology involves separating the CO₂ from the syngas, then permanently storing it in geologic basalt formations. Candidate reservoirs could include depleted oil and gas reservoirs, unusable coal seams, deep saline aquifers, and basalt formations - all common in the United States.