Combining Solar Power with Coal-Fired Power Plants, Or Cofiring Natural Gas
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Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Dr Stephen Mills CCC/279 October 2017 © IEA Clean Coal Centre Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Author: Dr Stephen Mills IEACCC Ref: CCC/279 ISBN: 978–92–9029–602-7 Copyright: © IEA Clean Coal Centre Published Date: October 2017 IEA Clean Coal Centre Apsley House, Third Floor 176 Upper Richmond Road London SW15 2SH United Kingdom Telephone: +44(0)20 3905 3870 www.iea-coal.org 2 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Preface This report has been produced by IEA Clean Coal Centre and is based on a survey and analysis of published literature, and on information gathered in discussions with interested organisations and individuals. Their assistance is gratefully acknowledged. It should be understood that the views expressed in this report are our own, and are not necessarily shared by those who supplied the information, nor by our member countries. IEA Clean Coal Centre is an organisation set up under the auspices of the International Energy Agency (IEA) which was itself founded in 1974 by member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The purpose of the IEA is to explore means by which countries interested in minimising their dependence on imported oil can co-operate. In the field of Research, Development and Demonstration over fifty individual projects have been established in partnership between member countries of the IEA. IEA Clean Coal Centre began in 1975 and has contracting parties and sponsors from: Australia, China, the European Commission, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, the UAE, the UK and the USA. The Service provides information and assessments on all aspects of coal from supply and transport, through markets and end-use technologies, to environmental issues and waste utilisation. Neither IEA Clean Coal Centre nor any of its employees nor any supporting country or organisation, nor any employee or contractor of IEA Clean Coal Centre, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately-owned rights. The report does not provide financial advice and does not make recommendations as such. 3 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Abstract Operators of coal-fired power plants seek ways to increase the efficiency and extend the working lives of their plants by improving the operational flexibility and reducing the environmental impact. Two possible options are explored: combining solar energy with coal-fired power generation, and cofiring natural gas in coal-fired power plants. Both techniques show potential. Depending on the individual circumstances, both can increase the flexibility of a power plant whilst reducing its emissions. In some cases, plant costs could also be reduced. Clearly, any solar-based system is limited geographically to locations that receive consistently high levels of solar radiation. Similarly, although many coal-fired plants already burn limited amounts of gas alongside their coal feed, for cofiring at a significant level, a reliable, affordable supply of natural gas is needed. This is not the case everywhere. But for each technology, there are niche and mainstream locations where the criteria can be met. The need for good solar radiation means that the uptake of coal-solar hybrids will be limited although cofiring gas has wider potential – currently, the largest possible market is for application to existing coal-fired plants in the USA. However, where gas is available and affordable, there are also potential markets in some other countries. 4 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Acronyms and abbreviations CBM coalbed methane CCGT combined cycle gas turbine CCS carbon capture and storage CMM coal mine methane CSP concentrated solar power DFO dual fuel optionality DNI direct normal irradiation ECG enhanced gas cofiring EPA Environmental Protection Agency (USA) EPRI Electric Power Research Institute (USA) ESP electrostatic precipitator EU European Union FGD flue gas desulphurisation FLGR fuel lean gas reburning GE General Electric HCE heat collecting element HESI high-energy spark ignition HTF heat transfer fluid HP high pressure IEA International Energy Agency IP intermediate pressure LCOE levelised cost of electricity LFR linear Fresnel reflectors LNB liquefied natural gas MATS Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (USA) MCR maximum continuous rating MHPS Mitsubishi-Hitachi Power Systems NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory (USA) OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development O&M operation and maintenance PV photovoltaic RPI Riley Power Inc. SCR selective catalytic reduction SNCR selective non-catalytic reduction SAPG solar-aided power generation SH superheated SPR solar particle receivers SSG solar steam generator STE solar thermal electricity UCG underground coal gasification Acknowledgements Michelle Aguayo – Xcel Energy, USA Michael Sznajderman – Alabama Power Corporation, USA Daniel Menniti – Breen Energy Solutions, USA Neil McGregor Grant (Strategy and Business Development – Clean Coal) – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Also, individuals from utilities and technology suppliers who assisted on a non-attributable basis. 5 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Contents Preface 3 Abstract 4 Acronyms and abbreviations 5 Acknowledgements 5 Contents 6 List of Figures 8 List of Tables 9 1 Introduction – coal solar hybrids 10 2 What is a hybrid power plant? 12 3 Solar power systems 13 3.1 Coal-solar hybrids 16 3.2 Advantages of coal-solar hybridisation 20 3.3 Disadvantages of coal-solar hybridisation 22 4 Thermal storage 24 4.1 Possible future thermal storage developments 26 4.2 Coal-solar hybrids – challenges to deployment 27 5 Prospects for coal-solar hybridisation 30 5.1 Future technology developments 32 5.1.1 Solar boost on coal-/biomass-fired power plants 33 5.1.2 Solar particle receivers (SPR) 34 5.1.3 Solar power-coal gasification hybrids 35 5.1.4 Integration of solar energy technologies with CCS-equipped plants 36 5.2 Coal-solar activities and projects 37 5.2.1 USA 37 5.2.2 Australia 41 5.2.3 Chile 46 5.2.4 Macedonia 47 5.2.5 South Africa 48 5.3 European activities 51 5.3.1 China 51 5.3.2 India 52 5.3.3 Zimbabwe 54 5.4 Summary 55 6 Coal-gas cofiring 57 6.1 Why cofire natural gas with coal? 57 6.2 Options for natural gas addition 59 6.2.1 Preheating coal prior to combustion 59 6.2.2 Conversion to coal with natural gas cofiring 59 6.2.3 Addition of natural gas for reburning 62 6.3 Sources of gas 63 6.3.1 Conventional pipeline natural gas 63 6.3.2 Shale gas 63 6.3.3 Liquefied natural gas (LNG) 63 6.3.4 Landfill gas 64 6.3.5 Coalbed methane (CBM) and coal mine methane (CMM) 64 6.3.6 Underground coal gasification (UCG) 66 6.4 Advantages and disadvantages of cofiring 67 6.4.1 Advantages 67 6.4.2 Disadvantages 68 6.5 Future prospects for cofiring 70 6.5.1 The impact of gas prices 71 6 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas 6.6 Examples of cofiring projects 73 6.6.1 USA 73 6.6.2 Other cofiring projects 78 6.7 Summary 79 7 Conclusions 81 8 References 84 7 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas List of Figures Figure 1 Solar thermal trough power plant with thermal storage 13 Figure 2 Tower-based solar thermal steam generator 14 Figure 3 Power plant feedwater heating using solar thermal power 18 Figure 4 Generating high pressure steam using solar power 19 Figure 5 Example of daily solar irradiance fluctuation in Maryland, USA 23 Figure 6 Thermal storage tanks at the 280 MW Solana CSP plant in Arizona, USA 25 Figure 7 Solar collection system at the Cameo Generating Station 38 Figure 8 Abengoa Solar sun-tracking parabolic trough technology at Cameo Generating Station 38 Figure 9 Part of the Kogan Creek solar installation 43 Figure 10 Novatec solar boiler and solar field at the Liddell power station, New South Wales 44 Figure 11 The Majuba coal-fired power plant in South Africa 66 Figure 12 The Rogers Energy Complex in Mooresboro, North Carolina 75 Figure 13 The Gaston Steam Electric Generating Plant 77 Figure 14 The Suralaya plant is the largest coal-fired station in Indonesia 78 8 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas List of Tables Table 1 Projected levelised cost of electricity for PV and solar thermal electricity (STE) 15 Table 2 Main features of solar thermal and photovolatic power systems 15 Table 3 Merit order of hybridisation modes 17 Table 4 Characteristics of solar heat transfer fluids 26 Table 5 Potential Eskom sites for solar augmentation 50 Table 6 Reasons for cofiring coal and natural gas 59 Table 7 Igniter types 60 Table 8 Global coalbed methane resources 65 Table 9 Largest fleets of coal-fired power plants that also use natural gas 70 9 IEA Clean Coal Centre – Combining solar power with coal-fired power plants, or cofiring natural gas Introduction – coal solar hybrids 1 Introduction – coal solar hybrids Many economies are attempting to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels by replacing them with renewables such as wind and solar power.