GE launches COE to help reduce coal-fired power plant emissions
Tuesday, March 7 2017 - 01:30 AM WIB
Petromindo|Boim
GE announced Monday its new global Powering Efficiency Center of Excellence (COE), which brings together cross-business experts in its energy businesses to apply a total plant hardware and software solution approach to boost the efficiency of the world?s new and existing coal-fired power plants and significantly reduce their emissions. The global COE, headquartered in Baden, will create integrated solutions as well as provide vision and oversight around the world. Regional teams will focus on engineering capabilities and local execution.
?By bringing together the combined experience of a cross-business group of experts from GE?s Power Services, Steam Power Systems, Global Research Center and Global Growth organizations, we are showing operators how they can achieve emissions compliance and increased efficiency with their new and existing coal-fired power plants? said Michael Rechsteiner, executive sponsor of the global COE and vice president of product lines for GE?s Power Services in a statement.
GE said in the statement that the COE aligns with GE's recent Ecomagination study that found carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the world?s steam fleet can be reduced by 11 percent when existing hardware and software solutions are fully applied. Coal-fired power generation provides electricity for about 40 percent of the world. It also accounts for nearly 75 percent of the electricity sector?s carbon emissions because many plants are older and inefficient.
??The installed base of coal assets will not disappear overnight, and while GE supports the increased use of renewable energy sources, we also realize the need for flexible and efficient coal solutions to help to reduce emissions and bring reliable energy supplies to power producers,? continued Rechsteiner. ?GE has a suite of steam upgrades and emission management technologies that, when combined with our digital technologies, can increase efficiency on average by 4 percent.?
The company said the newest coal plants being built using GE?s ultra-super critical technology can deliver up to 49 percent efficiency rates?significantly higher than the global average of 33 percent. Every point of efficiency reduces operating costs over the lifetime of the plant while also reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 2 percent.
Modern coal-fired power plants rely on a complex network of sensors, digital controllers and supervisory computers to operate and coordinate plant subsystems. GE said its digital capabilities and portfolio of air quality control systems can help further lower atmospheric emissions to meet or exceed the world?s strictest regulations.
In addition, the Powering Efficiency COE will provide a set of financing solutions to help customers develop transformative projects toward a lower carbon intensity power generation mix.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak