The Effect of Various Power Plant Power Generation:

An Overview of Coal-fired, Hydroelectric, Solar-thermal and Nuclear Power Plant

Dan Kenneth F. Gaspar

Department of Electrical Engineering
Technological University of the Philippines
Manila, Philippines
dankennethace@gmail.com

I. INTRODUCTION environmental impact if it is to remain a significant

Energy is a critical factor in developing
countries for economic growth as well as for social
development and human welfare. [1] Energy is
required now more than ever due to population
growth, industrialization and modernization. [2]
Energy is the most fundamental sector for
the progress of a nation. It is inevitable for survival
and indispensable for developmental activities to
promote education, health, transportation and
infrastructure for attaining a reasonable standard of
living and is also a critical factor for economic
development and employment. Urbanization,
economic development, industrialization and rapid
increase in population growth have raised the
demand for power generation manifolds. As the
human population and activities are progressively
developing, it is most certain that the demand for
energy worldwide is increasing as well, and this
trend is most likely to continue in the future. [2]
The objective e of the study is to discuss the
effects of various power plant in the environment,
economy and socio-economic. Its overview,
performance, economic cost, environmental issue
and future technologies for green power.
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
An overview of Coal-fired, Hydroelectric,
Solar Thermal and Nuclear Power Plant
A. Coal-fired Power Plant
Coal-fired power plants are expected to
continue to account for a significant share in the
Philippines’ energy mix until 2020 despite strong
headwinds from government and civil society.
Coal, one of the world’s most abundant
fossil fuel sources, currently meets about 23% of
the total world primary energy demand, some 38%
of global electricity generation. It is an important
input, for example, in steel production via the basic
oxygen furnace process that produces
approximately 70% of world steel output.
a. Environmental Effect
Tougher environmental/climate change
regulations mean that coal will have to reduce its
energy source. [3]
b. Economy
Fossil fuels will remain the Philippines’
main source of energy, but the country will also
continue to exploit alternative energy sources. [4]
c. Technology
CO2 capture and storage facilities coupled
to coal-fired power plants therefore provide a
climate change mitigation strategy that potentially
permits the continued use of coal resources, whilst
reducing the CO2 emissions. The CCS process
involves three basic stages: capture and
compression of CO2 from power stations, transport
of CO2, and storage away from the atmosphere for
hundreds to thousands of years. The principle of the
various capture methods is that the CO2 is removed
from other waste products so it can be compressed
and transported for storage. Transport of the CO2
can be by ship or by pipeline. [3]
This review provides a critical analysis of
the major technologies for CO2 capture from fossil
fuel fired power plants so that the appropriate
technology can be selected for a particular process.
The different capture methods described in this
review are: post-combustion, pre-combustion, oxy-
combustion, and chemical looping combustion.
B. Hydroelectric Power Plant
Hydropower is a renewable source of
energy, which is economical, non-polluting and
environmentally benign among all renewable
sources of energy. For efficient operation of
hydropower plants, in order to meet the electricity
demand, the hydro energy is stored either in
reservoirs for dam based schemes or settling basins
for run-of-river schemes. [1]
Hydro power energy is one of the most
clean renewable sources of energy Water power
can be harnessed in many ways; tidal flows can be
utilized to produce power by building a barrage
across an estuary and releasing water in a
controlled manner through a turbine; large dams
hold water which can be used to provide large
quantities of electricity; wave power is also
harnessed in various ways. Hydropower on a small
scale, or micro-hydro, is one of the most cost-
effective energy technologies to be considered for
rural electrification in less developed countries [2].
a. Environmental Effect
Due to the depletion of fossil fuels, greater
concern towards increasing pollutions on land,
water and in air causes leading inclination towards
hydro. It is environmental friendly, clean and
renewable. However, submergence of land and
displacement of population and even apprehension
on seismic disturbance are the main disadvantage
of constructing hydroelectric Power. [1]
b. Economy
Hydropower have a least operational and
maintenance cost. It has an additional benefits of
Flood control, Tourism, fishery, well recognized
for obtaining financial support however it needs
High capital intensive. [1]
C. Solar Thermal Power Plant
Solar energy is a key renewable energy
source and the most abundant energy source on the
globe. Solar energy can be converted into electric
energy by using two different processes: by means
of photovoltaic (PV) conversion and the
thermodynamic cycles. Concentrated solar power
(CSP) is viewed as one of the most promising
alternatives in the field of solar energy utilization.
Lifetime and efficiency of PV system are very less
compared to the CSP technology.
Power generation using solar energy is one
of the most promising options for the reduction of
fossil fuel consumption and related
CO2 emissions. [5]
a. Environmental Effect
Utilizing concentrated solar thermal power
(CSP) technology is considered in renewable
energy RE strategy which represents about 15%
(20MW) from the predicted generated power.
The generation using clean, secure, reliable,
and affordable renewable energy sources can assist
countries to meet their sustainable development
goals. An integration of existing power plants with
renewable energy such as wind and solar sources is
going to be considered as a new strategy should be
applied in the upcoming years. [6]
b. Economy
The concentrated solar power (CSP)
technology has been implemented in some
countries and proved good effectiveness.
Enormous potential in solar energy which makes
CSP technology one of the feasible options to
mitigate the crisis of electricity shortage and reduce
the dependability. [6]
Economic analysis is conducted: The
levelized cost of electricity generation by the
proposed solar thermal power plant (LCOE) is
found to be 0.16 $/kWh. The annual electricity
generation is about 31.5 GWh and the capital
recovery factor is 0.106.
D. Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear power is sometimes seen as the
solution to the climate crisis, as electricity
produced in large quantities from the combustion
of coal, oil, and natural gas needs to be replaced
by alternatives with a much more limited climate
impact. Renewable energy sources such as solar,
wind, hydro, and wave power will have to be
vastly expanded to replace the current use of fossil
fuels, but will in turn result in significant
challenges in balancing supply and demand in a
smart grid. [7]
Over all forms of energies, nuclear energy
is the most prominent, powerful and challenging
energy source. Despite the effectiveness of this
energy, its hazardous radiation effects can
enormously be dangerous and destructive. [8]
a. Environmental Impact of Nuclear Radiation
It was the first time an ionizing radiation
had been observed. Only after almost a century
from the invention, today we see that nuclear
radiation is a part of our environment and has a
strong effect on our health and environment.
Controlled radiation causes less harm and
such process can be used for human benefit. On
the contrary its harmful effects are very perilous
and failure in taking well and effective
precautions can destroy our civilization in a
minute of time. [8]
Nuclear radiation exposed in the
environment can disrupt our ecological balance.
1. Animals: An exposure to radiation in the wild
can lead generations of difficulties throughout an
entire ecosystem. Based on the dose of radiation
exposures animals can be affected with fetus
before birth, of mental retardation, even death.
2. Plant reproduction: Nuclear radiation can
damage
reproductive cells of plants and can recess
reproduction system.
3. Liquids: Radiation can cause water, oil and
other liquids to go under radiation effects and
make these unusable.
a.1 Nuclear Radiation’s effect on health:
For any potential harm from radioactivity,
radiation must interact with the cells and tissues of
the human body and deliver a dose. In general
radiation might have the following three discrete
outcomes:
• Injured or damaged cells repair themselves,
resulting in no residual damage
• Cells die, much like millions of body cells do
every day, being replaced through normal
biological processes
• Cells incorrectly repair themselves, resulting in a
biophysical change that can cause defective
offspring
Exposure to nuclear radiation is also
known to reduce fertility, damage embryo or
fetus. Every organ of the body is made up of
specialized cells but nuclear radiation ionize the
cells and cause damage. [8]
b. Economy
For nuclear power, the power-to-heat ratio
is 34% and for combined heat and power (CHP)
plants, a high degree of efficiency of 57% was
used as approximation. [7]
It is hoped that ambitious proposals to
replace fossil fuel power generation by alternatives
will drop the percentage of fossil fuel use
substantially, but the absolute amount of fossil fuel
produced electricity will be kept at or below its
present 10 trillion kW-hrs/year. Unfortunately, the
rapid growth in consumption to over 30 trillion
kW-hrs/year by 2040, means that 20 trillion kW-
hrs/yr of nonfossil fuel generated power has to
come from other sources. If half of that comes from
alternative non-nuclear, nonhydroelectric sources
(an increase of 3000%), then nuclear still needs to
increase by a factor of four worldwide to
compensate. [9]
Currently, extensive preventive
maintenance, inspection, and monitoring programs
are developed to ensure safe and reliable operation
of nuclear power plants. [10]
C. Future Technology
Nuclear power employing a closed fuel
cycle is the only long term, sustainable option for
meeting a major part of the Indian energy demand.
Indian resources of thorium are larger than those of
uranium. Thorium, therefore, is widely viewed as
the ‘fuel of the future’.
Thorium is 3 to 4 times more abundant than
uranium and is widely distributed in nature as an
easily exploitable resource in many countries.
Unlike natural uranium, which contains ~0.7%
‗fissile‘235U isotope, natural thorium does not
contain any ‗fissile‘material and is made up of the
‗fertile‘232Th isotope only.
III. METHODOLOGY
The effect of various power plant is
visible and proven by the previous study.
Considering the factors affecting further research
and data collection must be conduct. In addition to
this, numerous previous research related to the
topic has been a basis of the discussion. The
methods use by the study are as follows:
a. Identify the topic to be discuss
Identifying the topic to be discuss which
will lead to easy discussion and of what is to focus.
b. Consider the factor affecting the subject
Considering the factor affecting the subject
pertains to the significant of each information. In
this study, the economic, environment and human
health concerns were address.
c. Enumerate the Results
After considering the factors affecting each
power plant, enumerate each factor affecting and
categorized each each subject and each
information relevant to the topic.
d. Lastly, in enumerating the results, review the
possible information which can be explain further
and can be added into the statement
CONCLUSION
The study was able to discuss the problem
stated. The effects of various power plant on the
economic position, environmental issue as well as
its effect on human health. The objective of the
study has been filled and was discussed according
to the study made by the previous researcher.
The overview of coal-fired, hydroelectric,
solar-thermal and geothermal power plant has been
discussed. The functionality and outcome of each
power plant can be concluded as each has the same
purpose of producing electricity in satisfying the
power demand but differs in the outcome that
affects the economic and environmental
development.
Furthermore, the relevance of sustainable
power crisis has been aided by each power plant.
And last but not the least, it can be
concluded that each power plant has its own
advantage and disadvantages dangerous and even
beneficial which may affect the environment and
human.
 REFERENCES
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[2] S. O. Anaza, M. S. Abdulazeez, Y. A. Yisah, Y.
O. Yusuf, B. U. Salawu, S. U. Momoh, 2017.
Micro Hydro-Electric Energy Generation- An
Overview
[3] Geoffrey P. Hammond, Jack Spargo, 2014.The
prospects for coal-fired power plants with carbon
capture and storage: A UK perspective
[4] Ronnel W. Domingo, Coal to Remain
Dominant in Ph Energy Mix
[5] Deepak Bishoyi, K. Sudhakar, 2017. Modeling
and performance simulation of 100 MW PTC
based solar thermal power plant in Udaipur India
[6] Aysar M. Yasin and Osama I. Draidi, 2016.
Design and Sizing Characteristics of a Solar
Thermal Power Plant with Parabolic Trough
Collectors for a Typical Site in Palestine
[7] Ola Eriksson, 2017. Nuclear Power and
Resource Efficiency—A Proposal for a Revised
Primary Energy Factor
[8] Md. Zahidul Islam, Walid-Bin-Habib, Md.
Sahil Hassan, 2014. Environmental & Health
Effects of Nuclear Radiation and Various Aspects
of Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh
[9] James Conca, Sondra Sage and Judith Wright,
NUCLEAR ENERGY AND WASTE DISPOSAL
IN THE AGE OF FUEL RECYCLING
[10] Wael H. Ahmed, Atef Mohany and Bing L,
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[11] Deepak Kumar Jaiswal, A.M. Halmare,
Dinesh Mute, 2014. Thorium Based Nuclear Power
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