12 Thermal power plant simulation and control

500+

400
e~
o
~ 300

200

g~ lOO

North Southand Europe Former Africa Asia

America Cent. America Soviet Union Pacific

Figure 1.6 Fossil fuel reserves as of 2001

electric power (ASME, 1998). Given today's technology, the only way to generate
the power the United States requires and still meet the emissions standard is to
burn gas.
Unfortunately, burning gas is not a sustainable long-term solution. From
Figure 1.6, based on data from the BP Statistical Review Of World Energy (BP, 2001),
it can be seen that proven reserves of gas are limited. If the current rate of consump-
tion of gas continues, world reserves will be severely depleted within 40-50 years.
The total reserves for coal, however, are substantially larger than those for oil and
natural gas combined. This would suggest that future technology may focus on 'clean
coal' plant, as viable alternatives to fossil fuel are somewhat limited. IGCC plant
typify emerging technology aimed at combating the emissions problem associated
with coal. Here, the fuel is gasified and cleaned, before being burnt in a conventional
combined cycle plant. Gasification technology has also been combined with fluidised
bed designs. In a typical demonstration plant, situated in the city of Lakeland, Florida,
a carboniser receives a mixture of limestone, to absorb sulphur compounds, and dried
coal. The coal is partially gasified to produce syngas and char/limestone residue. The
latter is sent to a pressurised circulating fluidised bed, where it joins a stream of
crushed fresh coal which is burned in the boiler furnace (DOE, 2001a,b). Gasification
and gas reforming, i.e. the production and separation of gas into carbon monoxide
and hydrogen, appear to be the most promising technologies at present (DOE, 1999).
The former produces a gas stream that can be burned for electric power, while the
latter offers a source of hydrogen for a fuel cell or chemical process.
Renewable sources (biomass, wind, hydro, tidal, solar, etc.) have been presented
as part of any future solution to energy needs. In November 1997 the European
Commission set itself a target of doubling renewable energy supply from 6 to 12
per cent by 2010. Similarly, the United Kingdom, for example, established a tar-
get of 10 per cent renewable generation by 2010. Indeed, the UK Cabinet Office
Performance and Innovation Unit proposed a target of 20 per cent renewables