Technology roadmaps provide a means of defining the key technical obstacles to advanced systems and the activities to address these obstacles. They delineate what needs to occur to ensure success. In turn, program plans define how this work is to be accomplished: the strategies, partnerships, and resources to be applied.

For the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fossil Energy, Energetics has developed roadmaps and corresponding program plans for the Carbon Sequestration Program and the Innovations for Existing Plants program. This program targets technology to improve the environmental performance of the large base of coal combustion power plants in the U.S., which provide over 50% of the nation's electricity and have critical attributes - lost-cost electricity, a secure and abundant supply of fuel, and price stability. While dramatic improvements have been made in the environmental performance of these plants, we still need to control mercury emissions, improve use of water, and enhance control of other emissions to meet regional improvements in ozone and fine particulates.

Continued improvement in environmental performance of coal combustion power plants requires new control strategies and technologies. Working with the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Energetics produced the Innovations for Existing Plants Roadmap and Program Plan. This plan delineates the technology pathways that these programs can pursue with industry and other research performers in addressing these needs.

This plan serves a critical planning tool in guiding the program and its interactions with the stakeholders - regulators, technology developers, technology users, and the public - that are crucial to effective program results.