Emission control alternatives for electric utility power plants

Recently, the electric power industry has come under close environmental scrutiny. It is estimated that more than half of the sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and a third of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the United States are by-products pf fossil-fuel-fired generating stations. Future estimates predict an even higher percentage of use of coal, the principal pollutant among the fossil fuels, in world electricity production particularly in the industrially developed countries of the world. There is little doubt that electric utilities will have to become more involved in finding ways for abatement of these precursors for acid rain. A number of compliance options are reviewed These include addition of scrubbers, retrofitting of existing plant equipment, and use of novel combustion technologies. Minimum emission dispatch is also discussed. Each of these options, individually or in combination, can bring about the desired end result. Since there may not be a unique solution applicable to every utility, each utility must weigh the cost of modifications or new construction and the resources available to adopt the appropriate choices.