Coal is considered the primary energy source (fuel) used for power generation. This mainly because coal is inexpensive for a generator to purchase. However, the combustion of coal for power generation has led to serious concerns regarding the environmental impact (acid rain, etc.) it causes, and, in addition, the health risks it poses to the general populace.

Over the years, the electric utility industry has developed and implemented new technologies and practices that, when employed, have shown a significant reduction in waste generation. Below are a few suggestions, or examples, of existing P2 opportunities for the electric utility industry.

Pre-combustion

• Use coal quality data provided by mines to affect purchasing decisions
• Use Coal cleaning technologies
• Coal gasification
• Consider Alternative Fuels
  • natural gas
  • biosolids
  • burning tires
  • petroleum coke
  • municipal trash
• Co-firing with cleaner fuels (natural gas, biosolids)
• Replacement/Use of Synthetic Coal

• Just in Time coal delivery systems
• Dry coal storage silos

During the combustion process:

Use of predictive operating modeling systems (mill bias, precipitators, etc)

Low NOx burners

Heat rate improvements

• steam reuse
• boiler
• blowdown reus

Pump low-pressure heater drains forward

Use process modeling techniques (minimize throttle losses by using variable throttle pressure and

variable valve position to assure operation at "best valve point" throughout the load range.

Add subcooler to lowest pressure forward heater drains.

Build new boilers using fluidized bed/coal gasifcation

New operating control systems

Post Combustion activities

• Increase FGD removal efficiency - Eliminate/reduce the FGD bypass damper to route more flue gas through the scrubber
• Install mercury reduction technology prior to ESP (activated carbon, catalyst)
• Install pulse-jet bag house following ESP
• Install SCR/SNCR for Hg and NOx reduction

• Improve ESP removal efficiency

• Quenching of flue gas with water/steam (enhance adsorption to ash)

• Improve salability of coal combustion by-products (new uses for bottom ash)

• Improve salability of FGD sludge (reduce chlorides in FGD)

• Remove air pre-heater and economizer ash from bottom ash

• Install dry ash handling system

• Increase FGD particle size to improve leaching (agitator replacement)

• Improve ash marketing activities

• Install flue gas reheaters (use exhaust from gas turbines)

• Install submerged scraper conveyors, and use vacuum pumps to pull ash to stack out

Ancillary Processes

• Construction of an additional cooling reservoir
• Addition of cooling towers
• Reduce station service load (efficient electric motors, lighting, etc)
• Use of light sensors to reduce hours of operation
• Use of energy conservation procedures
• Use of high heat/superconductor electric motors
• Use of fuel cell to offset station service

• Better measurement/estimation methods

• Perform research and development (join EPRI)
• Use of renewable energy to reduce station service (solar panels, wind energy)
• Product substitution (i.e. Chlorine)
• Improved predictive maintenance activities Energy efficient transformers (amorphous core)

Distribution

External processes can have a profound effect on releases of constituents from electric generating stations. Due to future deregulation activities, electric generating stations will have little influence over these processes.

• Reduction of line loss (line resistance, etc)
• Reduce core losses from transformers (amorphous core transformers)
• Superconductive transmission wires
• Customer energy conservation programs
• Distributed generation