Can Coal Be Green?
Burning coal produces CO2, but it need not produce other pollutants - if the coal is of high purity, and is burnt in a modern power station. Cleaner coal technology innovations are the key to cleaner use of coal.
In the US, from 1970 to 2008, the coal-based electricity industry reduced SO2 emissions by 57%, NOx emissions by 39% and particulate emissions by 93%. While much of this has been through the use of cleaner coal technologies like SO2 scrubbers, NOx control technology and electrostatic precipitators, a major part has been through the use of low rank coal which is lower in impurities. This has come at a heavy cost of boiler inefficiency and high capital expenditure at the power station.
River Basin Energy's coal upgarding technology reduces the moisture, along with other pollutants, in the coal and, contributes to a reduction in NOx and CO2 through more efficient boiler combustion. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) studies indicate that every 1% increase in boiler efficiency reduces boiler CO2 emissions by 2.5%.
.png)