Co-firing/firing
Biomass in Coal Fired Power Plants
Issue: Biomass co-firing or firing in Coal Fired
Power Plants is seen as an alternative for decrease the Coal based Power Plant
emission. Also, is considered around the world as an alternative for the energy
independence and the substitute of non-renewable source by renewable sources of
energy. Alberta presents special considerations.
·
Between 1998 and 2005 were decommissioned five Power
Plants in Alberta, the equivalent to 324 MW.
·
Between 2010 and 2013 it will be decommissioned four
Coal Power Plants in Alberta, the equivalent to 718 MW; these power plants represent
the 6% of the power capacity in Alberta today and they have a GHG emission
around 20% higher than the average GHG emission in Alberta.
·
Alberta has coal for feeding Coal Fired Power Plants
for around 900 years at the current rate of consumption. The coal is a cheap
fuel for electricity production; this produces a strong constraint in the
electricity market.
·
Due to the huge energy reserves, the concern about
energy independence is absolutely different in Alberta compared to most of
jurisdictions.
·
In Alberta, sub-bituminous coal is mostly used for
electricity generation. The Coal power plants use boilers adapted to this kind
of coal.
·
Alberta’s forest industry is in a critical
situation; the market value has fallen 36.2 % between 2004 and 2007.
·
Alberta’s forest industry strongly helps with
community development.
·
Biomass term could involve more than 50 different
products including wood derived, algae and crops.
Current Status
Experience
·
The
conversion of coal fired power plants to co-firing biomass has more than 30
years of study in USA.
·
174
world wide Coal fired plants are in process, or finished, to be converted in
co-firing biomass Power plants.
·
Most
of the experience in that conversion is with sub-critical pulverized coal Power
Plants using bituminous and lignite coals.
·
The coal
power plants retrofit designed for sub-bituminous coal is cheaper; this is due
to the most close characteristics between the sub-bituminous coal and biomass
as fuel for power plants.
·
Under
The Integrated Power System Plan, Ontario plans to replace Coal Power Plants by
2014;
·
Ontario
and the Federal Government started the study of co-firing and complete
conversion of Coal fired plant two years ago.
·
In
January 2009, in an attempt to extend the life of some power plants and under Wood Pellet Association of Canada proposal, Ontario announced
the conversion of four facilities (seven units) to a biomass Power Plant; one
of them, Atikokan, will start the operation in 2012.
·
Nova
Scotia is developing feasibility studies in Trenton power plant.
Emission
·
To
burn biomass for electricity production is considered “net zero” emission.
·
The
percentage of GHG emission reduction for the power plant is lower than the
percentage of co-firing.
·
To
burn biomass has a SO2 emission reduction, the proportion depends of multiple
factors; the relationship with NOx emission reduction is not clear.
·
The
use of biomass presents concern in ash deposition and fly.
Economy
·
Conversion
Coal power plant to co-firing biomass is considered a small capital investment
to reduce GHG emission, compared to other technologies.
·
Retrofit
for co-firing for small power plant is more expensive; studies show a stabilization
cost curve for power plant higher than 200 MW.
·
The
percentage of biomass co-firing has a optimal relationship which depends of
multiple factors, low and high percentages show higher cost (COE and efficiency
in capital investment)
·
Higher market price of electricity will
increase the additional costs of biomass co-firing. Thus greater incentives may
be required for biomass co-firing if the market price of produced electricity
is higher.
·
The
use of biomass in a coal power plants increase the cost of the produced
electricity:
·
Fuel biomass
is not as efficient as coal; this means an increment between 10 to 30 % in the
cost of the produced electricity
·
increased
corrosion rates of high temperature components decreases the time-live of the
power plant
·
incertitude
in fuel price, transportation, price volatility, seasonal effects and quality
increase the volatility in electricity production, then the COE.
·
The
estimated time to convert a Coal Power Plant to a co-firing biomass Power Plant
is around 18 months.
·
The
job rate creation for co-fired biomass coal power plant is around one direct
high paying job per MW.
·
For
big power plant conversion, the retrofitting cost is around M0.3 $CAD/MW
·
For
forestry industry, a mill which produces 70,000 tons of pellets per year could
feed a 16 MW Power Plant or 10% co-firing biomass in a 160 MW Power Plant.
Future Action
·
To
analyse the possibility to extend the life of the future decommissioned power
plants through the conversion to co-firing/firing biomass
·
Analyse
the existent emission regulation and pollutant formation for this technology
·
To
work with stakeholders in Biomass retrofitting evaluation for sub-critical
Pulverized Coal Power Plants
·
To
work with stakeholders in co-firing biomass retrofitting evaluation for all
Pulverized Coal Power Plants
·
Focus
in future decommissioned Coal Fired Power Plants; second order focus in old
Coal Fired Power Plants
·
To
work with stakeholders in the mapping of fuel availability and cost for each
one of the projects before
·
To
work with stakeholders in possible agreements to minimize the barriers for
co-fired biomass power plants
Highlights/Key Messages
·
Co-firing
biomass in coal power plants help efficiently in GHG emission reduction
·
It
helps to extend the operative live of old coal plants
·
It
helps to develop communities, agriculture and forestry industries in Alberta
·
The
cost of the electricity increase with the use of co-firing biomass
http://www.ieabcc.nl/database/cofiring.php
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