Welcome to the Sustainable Combustion Technology Collaboration Program (TCP)

(For brevity, the Sustainable Combustion TCP will often be referred to as the Combustion TCP in following discussions.)

The Sustainable Combustion TCP is organized under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) through the Implementing Agreement for Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction in Combustion.  The agreement calls for expanding and developing new scientific and engineering knowledge of combustion.  This knowledge is required for developing advanced generations of highly efficient and ultra-clean combustion systems for transportation, industry, and other commercial and residential uses.  Such improvements will greatly reduce green-house gas and pollutant emissions from combustion systems and improve the efficiency of fuel use.  Responding to market and regulatory conditions, manufacturers are using the new knowledge to develop and improve cost-competitive engines, turbines, furnaces, and boilers that are highly efficient, ultra-clean and reliable.

The TCP is focused on researching the combustion of the primary fossil fuels, which provide 80% or more of the energy currently used in industrial countries, with a growing emphasis on new and emerging fuels (e.g., e-fuels made from renewable energy, hydrogen, ammonia, etc.). Combustion processes being explored include those in advanced gas turbines and internal combustion engines for transportation (ground, marine and air) and power production, and furnaces, boilers, etc., for commercial and residential use.  

Research is conducted through use of advanced experimental and computational techniques that include among others laser and advanced light source diagnostics and direct numerical simulations.  Advances in combustion understanding being achieved have made it possible to develop complex numerical models of combustion systems that are being employed by industry to continually increase the technical and economic performance of more efficient, cleaner engines, furnaces, boilers, etc. 

The TCP program is also helping develop a new generation of engineers and scientists with state-of-the art knowledge in the field through university and student participation in the program.

Twelve countries currently participate in the Combustion TCP: Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The United States provides the Operating Agent for the TCP.