Note 1 - General	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	1. General Organization Fuel Tech, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Fuel Tech", the "Company", "we", "us" or "our") provides advanced engineered solutions for the optimization of combustion systems in utility and industrial applications. Our primary focus is on the worldwide marketing and sale of NOx reduction technologies as well as our FUEL CHEM program. The Company's NOx reduction technologies reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from boilers, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources. Our FUEL CHEM program is based on proprietary TIFI ® Targeted In-Furnace™ Injection technology, in combination with advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Chemical Kinetics Modeling (CKM) boiler modeling, in the unique application of specialty chemicals to improve the efficiency, reliability and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity and other sulfur trioxide-related issues in the boiler. Our business is materially dependent on the continued existence and enforcement of air quality regulations, particularly in the United States. We have expended significant resources in the research and development of new technologies in building our proprietary portfolio of air pollution control, fuel and boiler treatment chemicals, computer modeling and advanced visualization technologies. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10 -Q and Article 10 of Regulation S- X of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the statements for the periods presented. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending December 31, 2020. For further information, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in Fuel Tech's Annual Report on Form 10 -K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. COVID- 19 Pandemic The emergence of the coronavirus (COVID- 19 ) around the world presents significant risks to the Company, not all of which the Company is able to fully evaluate or even foresee at the current time. The COVID- 19 pandemic has affected the Company's operations in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, although the impact of the pandemic is difficult to quantify, and may continue to do so indefinitely thereafter. The Company has experienced, and may continue to experience, reductions in demand for certain of our products as several accounts remained offline due to soft electric demand and unplanned outage activities and due to the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to our customers', suppliers' and other third parties' financial distress or concern regarding the volatility of global markets. Management cannot predict the full impact of the COVID- 19 pandemic on the Company's sales and marketing channels and supply chain, and as a result, the ultimate extent of the effects of the COVID- 19 pandemic on the Company is highly uncertain and will depend on future developments. Such effects could exist for an extended period of time even after the pandemic might end.

General

Organization

Fuel Tech, Inc. and subsidiaries ("Fuel Tech", the "Company", "we", "us" or "our") provides advanced engineered solutions for the optimization of combustion systems in utility and industrial applications. Our primary focus is on the worldwide marketing and sale of NOx reduction technologies as well as our FUEL CHEM program. The Company's NOx reduction technologies reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from boilers, furnaces and other stationary combustion sources.

Our FUEL CHEM program is based on proprietary TIFI

Targeted In-Furnace™ Injection technology, in combination with advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Chemical Kinetics Modeling (CKM) boiler modeling, in the unique application of specialty chemicals to improve the efficiency, reliability and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity and other sulfur trioxide-related issues in the boiler.

Our business is materially dependent on the continued existence and enforcement of air quality regulations, particularly in the United States. We have expended significant resources in the research and development of new technologies in building our proprietary portfolio of air pollution control, fuel and boiler treatment chemicals, computer modeling and advanced visualization technologies.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form

-Q and Article

of Regulation S-

of the Exchange Act. Accordingly, they do

not

include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the statements for the periods presented. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The results of operations for the

three

and

nine

months ended

September

30,

2020

are

not

necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year ending

December

31,

2020.

For further information, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in Fuel Tech's Annual Report on Form

-K for the year ended

December

31,

2019

as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

COVID-

Pandemic

The emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-

) around the world presents significant risks to the Company,

not

all of which the Company is able to fully evaluate or even foresee at the current time. The COVID-

pandemic has affected the Company's operations in the

three

and

nine

months ended

September

30,

2020,

although the impact of the pandemic is difficult to quantify, and

may

continue to do so indefinitely thereafter. The Company has experienced, and

may

continue to experience, reductions in demand for certain of our products as several accounts remained offline due to soft electric demand and unplanned outage activities and due to the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to our customers', suppliers' and other

third

parties' financial distress or concern regarding the volatility of global markets.

Management cannot predict the full impact of the COVID-

pandemic on the Company's sales and marketing channels and supply chain, and as a result, the ultimate extent of the effects of the COVID-

pandemic on the Company is highly uncertain and will depend on future developments. Such effects could exist for an extended period of time even after the pandemic might end.