Mass. firms' joint venture wins energy grant

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - A joint venture between a Worcester company and an Italian firm has won a $1 million grant from the Department of Energy to fund development of clean coal technology.

ThermoEnergy Corporation announced Friday that its venture with ITEA was awarded the money to develop its pressurized oxy-combustion technology.

The technology burns coal at high pressures in highly purified oxygen. The approach aims to increase efficiency at power plants and allow nearly all pollutants, including carbon dioxide, to be captured before they're released into the atmosphere.

The research by the venture, called the Unity Power Alliance, comes as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightens pollution regulations for coal plants.

The venture says the technology aims to allow coal plants to operate under current regulations, as well as tougher future rules.