Q: What will thermal power generation be like in the future?
A: Thermal efficiency will be significantly increased!
Increasing Thermal Efficiency with Gas Turbines that Can Withstand High- Temperature Gases
With the heat generated by the combustion of fossil fuels, how much power can be generated? This is called the “thermal efficiency” for thermal power. Given that LNG and coal are the most common forms of fuel used for thermal power generation, NEDO is promoting the development of technologies to enhance the thermal efficiency for these fuel sources.
In regards to thermal power from LNG, there is an issue with the turbines, the devices which transform the heat energy of the gas into kinetic energy, in terms of what temperature of gas they can withstand without melting. Raising the temperature of gas that turbines can withstand is one challenge to improving power generation efficiency. Currently “1,600°C-class” gas turbines for thermal power generation offer the best performance of turbines that are in practical service, but if it is possible to further improve the temperature that turbines can operate then efficiency will also be further improved. NEDO has been conducting the “High- Efficiency Gas Turbine Technology Demonstration Project” with the aim of establishing “1,700°C-class” gas turbine technology by 2020 (see P.07). Currently the main method of thermal power generation using LNG is called “Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC)”, which generates power with generators that rely on moving gas turbines using high-temperature gas produced by burning LNG along with steam turbines using steam produced by the high-temperature gas, and our demonstration project uses GTCC as a basis.
Gasification of Coal, Power Generation with Steam Raising Thermal Efficiency by Combining Fuel Cells Too
On the other hand, in the case of coal-based thermal power, the main method has been burning coal and producing steam to move steam turbines and generate power. However, by the practical full-scale application of “Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC)” technology, which burns gas produced from coal gasification to move gas turbines and then utilizing heat produced by the process to move steam turbines, the efficiency of coal thermal power can be improved moving forward. Further in the future, we have a view to realize “Integrated Coal Gasification Fuel Cell Combined Cycle (IGFC)” technology, which generates additional power with fuel cells by utilizing hydrogen present in the gases produced.
NEDO is promoting the “Integrated Coal Gasification Fuel Cell Combined Cycle Demonstration Project” and has set goals to achieve a transmission end efficiency of 46% in the demonstration of IGCC by FY 2018, and a thermal efficiency of 40% while capturing 90% of CO2 in the demonstration of IGCC in CO2 separation and capture-style by FY 2020. Additionally, NEDO aims to achieve a thermal efficiency of 55% in the demonstration of IGFC by 2021.
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The 10 largest coal producers and exporters in Indonesia:
The 10 largest coal producers and exporters in Indonesia:
