The utilization of fuels (including combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis) has resulted in massive harmful pollution emissions, such as SO2, nitric oxides (NOx), CO2, heavy metals, and particulate matters (PM). To control the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere, a large number of techniques have been developed and widely applied in industrial fuel processes. The main challenges during thermal and power generation are the fuel thermochemical conversion and the corresponding formation and control of pollutants during this process. These challenges, therefore, are essential for study.

This special issue covers research in the technical areas of fuel thermochemistry and environmental chemistry in power plants. This includes research directed at the thermochemical conversion of solid fuels (such as municipal solid waste, waste-derived fuels (WDF), biomass, and coal), the formation and control of pollutants (such as NOx, SO2, PM, heavy metals, and CO2), and the intractable ash-chemical issues. Research into catalysts for improving fuel thermoconversion and pollutant control and review articles on the current state of the art in pollutant control during thermochemical conversion are especially welcome. Also, in-depth chemical analyses on ash-related issues during combustion and gasification are encouraged.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Fuel thermochemical conversion with and without catalysts or comparison studies on different types of catalysts and their effects on both efficiency and the prevention of pollutant waste products
• The chemical formation mechanisms of NOx, SO2, and PM during fuel thermochemical conversions
• De-NOx chemistry and de-NOx catalysts in energy generation from fuel sources
• Ash, heavy metals, dioxins, and other similar pollutants’ mitigation and transformation chemistry during thermochemical conversion, such as combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis
• Numerical simulation of pollutant formation and control during thermochemical conversions