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Technological development in coal gasification for power generation and for production of syngas in the frame of IGCC and poly-generation still continues. New conceptions of effective and efficient coal gasification appeared. The conceptions utilize combination of down-moving bed and fluidized bed with inner circulation, new variants of multi-stage entrained flow gasification and integration of IGCC processes with CO2 separation (IGCC+CCS and oxy-fuel IGCC). There are also attempts to integrate IGCC with high temperature fuel cells. Similarly as in combustion processes, metallic oxides are tested as oxygen transferring materials in gasification processes. Problems to be solved in new coal gasification technologies (IGCC, production of syngas and chemicals) are: cheaper oxygen separation from air, reliable feeding of coal into pressurized gasification reactors, efficient and safe gas cleaning and cooling.

The paper focuses on the assessment of using ligno-cellulosic biomass in a fluidized bed gasifier, available within a distance of 50 km, in units with capacity approximately 3 MWe. The main objective of the experiments was to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of inert bed material (sand) with a material catalytically active (dolomitic limestone) on the composition and purity of produced gas and the input fuel energy conversion into the energy chemically bound in the producer gas.

Support of culture and sustainability of tangible cultural heritage are strongly debated issues due to their economical, cultural and identity-shaping outreach. Culture belongs to public sector, therefore, is financed from state resources. The question often asked is: Does it make sense to promote culture? The factual argument about the purpose of promoting culture and its effects is complex, but it is not impossible. The first part of the paper presents the results of the economical and social impacts of the conducted research in the field of culture. If we narrow down the view of the tangible cultural heritage protected by the Czech state, we get to 44,000 objects in the Czech Republic that have the status of cultural monuments. With this amount, the state’s financial support is either dispersed to small amounts or it is higher, however, one-off. Therefore, another important criteria for supporting monuments is their sustainability, which is closely related to the functional use of monuments. A significant number of them has lost its original role and it is important to choose a new one in order to preserve the monument for the next generations. The variables that influence the selection of the new purpose of the monuments are discussed in the second part of the article.

The study updates the preceding analyses of wind energy potential of the Czech Republic published in 2008 and 2012. The assumptions for the estimation of the future possibilities of wind energy development were updated with respect to the current and currently assumed future technological and social development. The new findings on the feasibility of realization of wind turbines, operation issues and energy production were taken into account. Beyond the scope of previous studies, the broader context was discusses, considering various limits of wind energy utilization, such as permitting issues, climate impacts or grid integration.

The paper focuses on the properties of sodium and calcium based sorbents for removal of acid gases from flue gas form waste to energy plants. The emphasis is on the comparison of sorption under 250 °C and utilisation of sorbents in technologies that remove more pollutants in one step.

The work is focused on the gasification of brown coal in a fluidized-bed in the integrated gasification combined cycle. The usual gasification medium is a mixture of oxygen and water vapor. The specific objec-tive of the study was to examine the influence of water vapor and waste carbon dioxide in the gasification agent and the effect of the addition of waste wood biomass to the brown coal on the quality (composition, purity, yield, and calorific value) of producer gas.

The study summarizes the knowledge about wind energy potential in the Czech Republic and discusses various issues connected with its possible exploitation. Scenarios of future wind energy utilization are also included.

Fuel is gasified by thermochemical conversion into producer gas using an appropriate medium at high temperature in a gasification generator. The aim of this study was to compare the suitability (reactivity) of selected types of coal in several fluid generators under the well defined conditions. Producer gas obtained by coal gasification was compared, especially, in terms of calorific value and yield of gas, cold gas efficiency, the yield of major and minor components of gas, tar yield and conversion fixed carbon into the generator gas.

The European Union called for the need to change the current model of production and consumption. From the linear model it seeks to move to the circular economy model. In this model traditional “take-make-use-dispose” approach is replaced by a reduction in input raw materials, a product durability, reusability, upgradability and reparability and waste reduction. The EU “circular economy package” adopted in 2018, brings specific requirements in the area of waste management. It requires an increase in recycling and a reduction in landfilling. The Czech legislation, following EU scheme, took into account the requirements of the circular economy in the “waste package” approved in December 2020.

The present chapter addresses means of thermal energy storage using physical phenomena. Fundamental properties that a suitable material used in such applications must show are given along with some examples from research and industrial practice. Phase-change materials appear to be suitable in intermittent storage of thermal energy owing to their high values of phase change enthalpy, e.g. the enthalpy of fusion/solidification.