scholarly journals Can Hydropower Still Be Considered a Clean Energy Source? Compelling Evidence from a Middle-Sized Hydropower Station in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 4261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuerong Li ◽  
Faliang Gui ◽  
Qingpeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Hydropower Station ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Fossil Carbon ◽  
Global Economic Growth

The development of clean energy is of great importance in alleviating both the energy crisis and environmental pollution resulting from rapid global economic growth. Hydroelectric generation is considered climate benign, as it neither requires fossil carbon to produce energy nor emits large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG), unlike conventional energy generation techniques such as coal and oil power plants. However, dams and their associated reservoirs are not entirely GHG-neutral and their classification as a clean source of energy requires further investigation. This study evaluated the environmental impact of the Xiajiang hydropower station based on life cycle assessment (LCA) according to the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, focusing specifically on GHG emissions after the submersion of the reservoir. Results reveal that although hydropower is not as clean as we thought, it is still an absolute “low emissions” power type in China. The amount of GHG emissions produced by this station is 3.72 million tons with an emissions coefficient of 32.63 g CO2eq/kWh. This figure is lower than that of thermal power, thus implying that hydropower is still a clean energy resource in China. Our recommendations to further minimize the environmental impacts of this station are the optimization of relevant structural designs, the utilization of new and improved construction materials, and the extension of farmland lifting technology.

Innovational Construction Materials of LLP “EcostroyNII-PV” Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 410 ◽  
pp. 806-811
Author(s):  
Kapar Sh. Aryngazin ◽  
Alexey V. Bogomolov ◽  
Askar K. Tleulessov
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Electric Power Industry ◽  
Steelmaking Slag ◽  
Alumina Production ◽  
Building Products ◽  
Operational Characteristics ◽  
Ash And Slag Waste ◽  
Slag Waste

The article discusses the experience of recycling industrial waste from the electric power industry and metallurgy. Based on the experience of Ecostroy NII-PV LLP. The proposed technology for manufacturing building products from ash and slag waste provides innovative compositions of raw mixtures. What provides an increase in operational characteristics and labor productivity in construction. The applied technology, in comparison with the existing analogues, provides for the use of local waste (ash and slag waste from the combustion of Ekibastuz coal, bauxite sludge from the Pavlodar aluminum plant, steel-making slags), differing in chemical and granulometric composition. as well as binding properties from other analogs and prototypes. In the manufacture of building products introduced mixture, including, wt %: slag Portland cement - 14.32-17.00; sand - 18.74-25.52, crushed stone - 46.50-49.71, sludge from alumina production obtained during the recycling of bauxite from Kazakhstan - 5-7; self-disintegrating steelmaking slag - 5-7; ash and slag waste from thermal power plants from burning Ekibastuz coals - 5-7. According to the test results, the average tensile strength of building products (paving slabs, curbs, hollow bricks) is 3.2 - 3.8 MPa (strength class V2.5).

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Calculation Methodology in Thermal Power Plants: Case Study of Iran and Comparison With Canada

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farshid Zabihian ◽  
Alan S. Fung
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Thermal Power Plants

Nowadays, the global climate change has been a worldwide concern and the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions are considered as the primary cause of that. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) divided countries into two groups: Annex I Parties and Non-Annex I Parties. Since Iran and all other countries in the Middle East are among Non-Annex I Parties, they are not required to submit annual GHG inventory report. However, the global climate change is a worldwide phenomenon so Middle Eastern countries should be involved and it is necessary to prepare such a report at least unofficially. In this paper the terminology and the methods to calculate GHG emissions will first be explained and then GHG emissions estimates for the Iranian power plants will be presented. Finally the results will be compared with GHG emissions from the Canadian electricity generation sector. The results for the Iranian power plants show that in 2005 greenhouse gas intensity for steam power plants, gas turbines and combined cycle power plants were 617, 773, and 462 g CO2eq/kWh, respectively with the overall intensity of 610 g CO2eq/kWh for all thermal power plants. This GHG intensity is directly depend on efficiency of power plants. Whereas, in 2004 GHG intensity for electricity generation sector in Canada for different fuels were as follows: Coal 1010, refined petroleum products 640, and natural gas 523 g CO2eq/kWh, which are comparable with same data for Iran. For average GHG intensity in the whole electricity generation sector the difference is much higher: Canada 222 vs. Iran 610g CO2eq/kWh. The reason is that in Canada a considerable portion of electricity is generated by hydro-electric and nuclear power plants in which they do not emit significant amount of GHG emissions. The average GHG intensity in electricity generation sector in Iran between 1995 and 2005 experienced 13% reduction. While in Canada at the same period of time there was 21% increase. However, the results demonstrate that still there are great potentials for GHG emissions reduction in Iran’s electricity generation sector.

Thermo-Economic Analysis of Microalgae Co-Firing Process for Fossil Fuel-Fired Power Plants

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Ma ◽  
Oliver Hemmers
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Flue Gas ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Combustion Efficiency ◽  
Pure Oxygen ◽  
Firing Process ◽  
Microalgal Biomass

A thermoeconomic analysis of microalgae co-firing process for fossil fuel-fired power plants is studied. A process with closed photobioreactor and artificial illumination is evaluated for microalgae cultivation, due to its simplicity with less influence from climate variations. The results from this process would contribute to further estimation of process performance and investment. The concept of co-firing (coal-microalgae or natural gas-microalgae) includes the utilization of CO2 from power plant for microalgal biomass culture and oxy-combustion of using oxygen generated by biomass to enhance the combustion efficiency. As it reduces CO2 emission by recycling it and uses less fossil fuel, there are concomitant benefits of reduced GHG emissions. The by-products (oxygen) of microalgal biomass can be mixed with air or recycled flue gas prior to combustion, which will have the benefits of lower nitrogen oxide concentration in flue gas, higher efficiency of combustion, and not too high temperature (avoided by available construction materials) resulting from coal combustion in pure oxygen. Two case studies show that there are average savings about $0.386 million/MW/yr and $0.323 million/MW/yr for coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants, respectively. These costs saving are economically attractive and demonstrate the promise of microalgae technology for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emission.

scholarly journals MIRACLE OR MIRAGE? CRITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE THEORY OF ECOLOGICAL MODERNIZATION IN LIGHT OF THE DESERTEC PROJECT

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUIZ ENRIQUE VIEIRA DE SOUZA ◽  
MARCELO FETZ ◽  
ALINA MIKHAILOVNA GILMANOVA CAVALCANTE
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
Sahara Desert ◽  
International Media ◽  
Solar Thermal Power ◽  
Limited Scope

Abstract This investigation analyzes the Desertec project, which envisioned a transition to “clean energy” through constructing solar thermal power plants in the Sahara Desert and linking Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East via high voltage cables. Despite great enthusiasm in the international media and some sectors of civil society, the project faced so many obstacles that even the consortium which initially fostered the initiative decided to withdraw. This article uses this case to critically assess the theoretical and epistemological assumptions of the theory of ecological modernization, pointing out an alternate research agenda which focuses on unsuccessful projects in this area (failure cases), emphasizing the limited scope of this theory and the teleological postulate which assumes convergence between economic and environmental rationalities.

Consumption of combustible minerals in the context of the targets of sustainable development of Ukraine and global environment changes

2021 ◽  
Vol 3-4 (185-186) ◽  
pp. 109-125
Author(s):  
Myroslav Podolskyy ◽  
Dmytro Bryk ◽  
Lesia Kulchytska-Zhyhailo ◽  
Oleh Gvozdevych
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Fuel Oil ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The European Union

An analysis of Ukraine’s sustainable development targets, in particular in the field of energy, resource management and environmental protection, are presented. It is shown that regional energetic is a determining factor for achieving the aims of sustainable development. Changes in the natural environment in Ukraine due to external (global) and internal (local) factors that are intertwined and overlapped can cause threats to socio-economic development. It is proved that in the areas of mining and industrial activity a multiple increase in emissions of pollutants into the environment are observed. The comparison confirmed the overall compliance of the structure of consumption of primary energy resources (solid fossil fuels, natural gas, nuclear fuel, oil and petroleum products, renewable energy sources) in Ukraine and in the European Union, shows a steaby trend to reduce the share of solid fuels and natural gas and increasing the shares of energy from renewable sources. For example, in Ukraine the shares in the production and cost of electricity in 2018 was: the nuclear power plants – 54.33 % and in the cost – 26.60 %, the thermal power – 35.95 and 59.52 %, the renewable energy sources – 9.6 and 13.88 %. The energy component must be given priority, as it is crucial for achieving of all other goals of sustainable development and harmonization of socio-economic progress. The paper systematizes the indicators of regional energy efficiency and proposes a dynamic model for the transition to sustainable energy development of the region.

Promoting the Development of Concentrating Solar Power in the Middle East and North Africa Regions: Policy and Regulatory Implications

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
William K. Gboney
Keyword(s):  
Solar Irradiance ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Solar Thermal Energy ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
Energy Technologies ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks

It is estimated that within the next 40 years, solar thermal power plants would be capable of supplying more than half of the electricity needs of EUMENA. While solar irradiance differs widely in Europe due to seasonal variations, in the MENA region, there is abundant and continuous solar irradiance. This make the MENA region suitable for establishing CSP plants and exporting the electricity generated to Europe. This has driven many institutions and agencies, including the World Bank and the Desertec Foundation, to propose various schemes to promote the use of CSP systems in the MENA region. The objective of this paper is to examine the existing policy and regulatory frameworks in the MENA countries, identify any barriers and make recommendations on how to surmount these barriers, to increase the scale and scope of utilizing CSPs and other renewable energy technologies (RETs) in the region. The paper concludes by making a number of policy and regulatory recommendations to support utilization of solar thermal energy resource within the MENA region.

scholarly journals A Multi-Objective Scheduling Optimization Model for a Multi-Energy Complementary System Considering Different Operation Strategies

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 2293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liwei Ju ◽  
Peng Li ◽  
Qinliang Tan ◽  
Lili Wang ◽  
Zhongfu Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Solution Algorithm ◽  
Coal Consumption ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
Complementary System ◽  
Objective Model

In order to reduce the amount of abandoned clean energy, the complementary characterization of wind power plants (WPPs), photovoltaic power plants (PVs), hydropower stations (HSs), and thermal power plants (TPPs) combined with energy storage devices (ESDs) is considered, and they are integrated into a multi-energy complementary system (MECS). Firstly, a scenario-generating technique is proposed for uncertainty factors using the Wasserstein method and the improved K-medoids theory. Then, a multi-objective model and solution algorithm are constructed under the objectives of attaining the maximum operation revenue, the minimum abandoned energy cost, and the minimum output fluctuations. Meanwhile, the influence of different ESD operation modes on MECS operation is discussed, specifically, the longest life cycle (LLC) and the optimum economic efficiency (OEE). Thirdly, in order to solve the multi-objective model, a solution algorithm is proposed by using the rough set method to convert the multi-objective model into a single objective model based on the payoff table. Moreover, the complementary features of the MECS are evaluated in terms of the load tracking degree, HS secondary peaking capacity, and units of coal consumption. Finally, the improved IEEE 14-bus system is chosen for the simulation analysis. The results show that (1) the proposed uncertainty simulation method can efficiently generate the most representative scenarios; (2) MECSs can utilize complementary power sources, the OEE mode can better optimize MECS scheduling, and the LLC mode can ensure the ESDs’ life cycles; (3) the scheduling scheme of MECS operation reach the optimal level when the capacity ratio of ESD:WPP–PV iso [0.62, 0.77] in the OEE mode and [1, 1.08] in the LLC mode on a typical summer day, and the ratio is [0.92, 1] in the OEE mode and [1.23, 1.31] in the LLC mode on a typical winter day. Therefore, the proposed model provides effective decision-making support for designing the optimal plan for MECS operation.

scholarly journals CFD analysis of the combustion in the BERL burner fueled with a hydrogen-natural gas mixture

2020 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 10002
Author(s):  
Tommaso Capurso ◽  
Vito Ceglie ◽  
Francesco Fornarelli ◽  
Marco Torresi ◽  
Sergio M. Camporeale
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Combustion Model ◽  
Gas Mixture ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Radial Temperature ◽  
The Impact

The regulatory restrictions, currently acting, impose a significant reduction of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. After the coal-to-gas transition of the last decades, the fossil fuel-to-renewables switching is the current perspective. However, the variability of energy production related to Renewable Energy Sources requires the fundamental contribution of thermal power plants in order to guaranty the grid stability. Moving toward a low-carbon society, the industry is looking at a reduction of high carbon content fuels, pointing to Natural Gas (NG) and more recently to hydrogen-NG mixtures. In this scenario, a preliminary study of the BERL swirled stabilized burner is carried out in order to understand the impact of blending natural gas with hydrogen on the flame morphology and CO emissions. Preliminary 3D CFD simulations have been run with the purpose to assess the best combination of combustion model (Non Premixed and Partially Premixed Falmelets), turbulence model (Realizable k ɛ and the Reynolds Stress equation model) and chemical kinetic mechanism (GriMech3.0, GriMech 1.2 and Frassoldati). The numerical results of the BERL burner fueled with natural gas have been compared with experimental data in terms of flow patterns, radial temperature profiles, O2, CO and CO2 concentrations. Finally, a 30% hydrogen in natural gas mixture has been considered, keeping fixed the thermal power output of the burner and the global equivalence ratio.

scholarly journals The Evaluation of Solar Contribution in Solar Aided Coal-Fired Power Plant

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongrong Zhai ◽  
Yongping Yang ◽  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Denggao Chen
Keyword(s):  
Power Plant ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Energy Resource ◽  
Solar Thermal ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Solar Thermal Power

Solar aided coal-fired power plants utilize various types of solar thermal energy for coupling coal-fired power plants by using the characteristics of various thermal needs of the plants. In this way, the costly thermal storage system and power generating system will be unnecessary while the intermittent and unsteady way of power generation will be avoided. Moreover, the large-scale utilization of solar thermal power and the energy-saving aim of power plants will be realized. The contribution evaluating system of solar thermal power needs to be explored. This paper deals with the evaluation method of solar contribution based on the second law of thermodynamics and the principle of thermoeconomics with a case of 600 MW solar aided coal-fired power plant. In this study, the feasibility of the method has been carried out. The contribution of this paper is not only to determine the proportion of solar energy in overall electric power, but also to assign the individual cost components involving solar energy. Therefore, this study will supply the theoretical reference for the future research of evaluation methods and new energy resource subsidy.

Design and Implementation of the Medium and Long-Term Time Scale System Frequency Fluctuations Simulation Platform

2013 ◽  
Vol 392 ◽  
pp. 656-659
Author(s):  
Ting Yu ◽  
Zhao Yu Jin ◽  
Ying Yun Sun ◽  
Jing Huai Lin ◽  
Tian Jiao Pu
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Wind Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Frequency Control ◽  
Thermal Power ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Stable Operation ◽  
Simulation Platform ◽  
The Impact

Large-scale wind power integrates in the grid to provide clean energy; however, it has a negative impact on the stable operation of the grid. To analysis the effect of wind power on frequency control, we need the help of simulation software. But, there has no frequency control mathematical model of wind farm in simulation software available for the user to choose. So this paper designs and establishes a frequency simulation platform, which provides the frequency control mathematical model of wind farms, hydroelectric power plants and thermal power plants. It can not only evaluate the impact of wind power fluctuations on frequency control, but also can quantitatively analysis of the system reserve capacity, as well as AGC performance monitoring function.

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