Particulate Air Pollution Definitions and Goals Keep Changing
For those tasked with making decisions relative to reducing particulate air
pollution there is a special challenge. The definitions and the goals keep
changing. All these changes are documented in a number of McIlvaine publications
and services.
The confusion starts with the very basic definition of particulate. Small
particles penetrate the lungs and are of greater concern than large particles.
So a definition based on particle diameter (10 microns or 2.5 microns) is used.
However, most particles are not spheres. The actual measurement is based on
impaction which is a function of size, weight and shape. Needless to say, there
is lots of room for confusion and poor decision making based on the definition
variables.
Another problem is based on the distinction between total particulate and
condensibles. Compounds, which exit the stack as vapors but condense in the
atmosphere, are important contributors to pollution. The original power plant
air toxic rules limited the total particulate including condensibles but the
final version focused just on the discrete fraction.
Measurement methods are a big variable. Stack cleanliness is measured with High
Efficiency Particulate Filters (HEPA). However, cleanrooms use HEPA filters for
processes and test their efficiency with particle counters. Ambient air is
considered clean from a weight perspective, but could contain hundreds of
thousands of small particles in every cubic foot.
EPA determined that almost no mercury was discharged as particulate from power
plant stacks. So its regulations require only the measurement of gaseous
mercury. Unfortunately most of the reduction methods involve converting gaseous
mercury to particulate mercury prior to removal. The result is that a plant can
report low mercury emissions. but can be discharging the mercury in a
particulate form.
McIlvaine tracks all the complexities in a number of publications.
For more information, click on:
N021 World Fabric Filter and Element Market
N018 Electrostatic Precipitator World Market
N056 Mercury Air Reduction Market
44I Power Plant Air Quality Decisions
5AB Air Pollution Management
Renewable Energy Briefs
Samsung and Pattern Development Complete C$580 Million Financing and Start
Construction of Armow Wind Project in Ontario
Construction has begun on the Armow Wind power project in Ontario. Samsung
Renewable Energy, Inc. and Pattern Energy Group LP announced the completion of a
C$580 million construction and term loan financing, which was secured with 10
financial institutions. Located in the Township of Kincardine, the 180 megawatt
(MW) Armow Wind power project will utilize more than 200 Ontario workers and
Ontario-made products, including 91 wind turbine towers made in Windsor and 273
blades manufactured in Tillsonburg.
The Armow Wind project will generate enough clean energy to power approximately
70,000 Ontario homes based on average annual residential energy use in Ontario.
The project, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2015,
will utilize 91 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines. Armow Wind has a 20-year power
purchase agreement with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA).
SunEdison and Rajasthan Government Sign MOU for 5 GW of Solar PV
SunEdison, Inc., signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Rajasthan
Government aimed at developing Rajasthan as the global hub for solar energy.
SunEdison intends to establish 5 GWs of capacity in the form of multiple Mega
Solar Projects, with the expected capacity of each Mega Solar project 500
megawatts (MW) or more. The MOU comes at an opportune time following the new
Solar Policy announced by the Government of Rajasthan, which aspires to create
25 GW of solar capacity in the state in the next few years.
Mr. Gopalan reiterated SunEdison’s commitment to India by saying: “SunEdison is
committed to the long term development ofIndia’s solar program and supports its
quest for energy security. In support of this initiative we are building local
and global partnerships to ensure India is at the cutting edge of solar
technology and can provide its citizens with clean, reliable, affordable energy
solutions.”
Axion Power Designated as Supplier of Energy Storage and Frequency Regulation
for 9.1 MW Pennsylvania Solar Farm
Axion Power International, Inc., a developer of advanced lead-carbon PbC®
batteries, energy storage systems and frequency regulation systems, announced it
has been designated as the supplier of energy storage and frequency regulation
for a solar farm that, when finished, will be the largest in Pennsylvania. The
Coatesville Solar Initiative (CSI) announced its choice of Axion Power and its
PbC® technology and batteries for the 48-acre project. Axion Power PbC PowerCube™
technology has been admitted to connect with the 13-state PJM power grid, and
brings that certification to the CSI project.
Phase I & II of the multi-phased project is comprised of two 2.4 megawatt (DC)
solar facilities, generating approximately 6.3 million kilowatt hours which CSI
has contractually agreed to sell Coatesville Area School District (CASD) through
a 25-year solar power purchase agreement (SPPA). According to CSI, when
completed, the 9.1 megawatt solar farm will be the largest solar park facility
in Pennsylvania.
Construction Under Way at PSE&G’s Third Landfill Solar Farm
New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney, New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin and New Jersey State Senator
Donald Norcross helped Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) mark the
start of construction on its largest solar project to date, an 11.18-megawatt-dc
(MW-dc) solar farm atop the closed Kinsley Landfill. The Kinsley Solar Farm is
the utility's third project to transform New Jersey's landfill space into clean,
energy-producing solar farms, through its Solar 4 All™ program.
The solar farm will convert 35 acres of the 140-acre landfill site into a solar
generation powerhouse. Through the installation of 36,841 solar panels, Kinsley
will provide enough grid-connected electricity to power about 2,000 average-size
homes annually. Kinsley's Landfill, Inc. owns the Kinsley Landfill, which closed
in 1987.
DTE Biomass Dedicates Renewable Energy Facility in North Carolina
DTE Biomass Energy celebrated the completion of its 9.6-megawatt landfill
gas-to-energy project at the Uwharrie Environmental Landfill in Mt. Gilead.
DTE Biomass Energy last month started operating the facility at the landfill,
which is owned and operated by Republic Services of North Carolina. Landfill gas
at the site is used to generate renewable energy which is subsequently sold to
Duke Energy Progress. The Uwharrie facility will more than double DTE Biomass'
generation capacity in North Carolina, where it already operates six renewable
energy projects.
For more information on Renewable Energy Projects and Update please visit
http://www.mcilvainecompany.com/brochures/Renewable_Energy_Projects_Brochure/renewable_energy_projects_brochure.htm
Headlines for Utility E-Alert –October 31, 2014
UTILITY E-ALERT
#1198 – October 31, 2014
Table of Contents
COAL – US
Activated Carbon Contract for Cabot
Power4Georgians gets 18-month extension on Coal Plant Air Permit
DTE completes Clean Coal Project at Monroe Power Plant in Michigan
CONSOL sells Illinois Coal Reserves to Murray Energy
COAL – WORLD
Government of India unveils Plan for More Equitable Supply of Coal for Power
Plants
Andhra Pradesh, India wants to procure 2400 MW of Power
Tata Power to complete 1,320 MW Long Phu 2 in Vietnam Three Years Early
China Machinery Engineering Corp. to build Power Plant in Punjab, India
Coal-fired Power Plants still being studied in Myanmar
GAS/OIL – US
Wärtsilä to supply Engines to Power Plant on Oahu, Hawaii
Kentucky Utilities Project Need for up to 737 MW of New Power by 2020
New Gas-fired Power Plant approved for Huntington Beach
GAS/OIL – WORLD
General Electric building Power Plants in Egypt
ATCO selected to develop Cogeneration Power Project in Mexico
Lithuania to shut down Elektrenai 1, 2
NUCLEAR
Sendai Nuclear Power Plant to be restarted in Japan
GE Hitachi awarded nearly $300 Million in Outage Services and Fuel Contracts
by Exelon Generation
Proposed Tax Hike in Sweden could shutdown Nuclear Power Plants
BUSINESS
GE & Partners develop Machinery for Gas Turbine Production
A Number of Gas Turbine Projects in Western Africa
Hundreds of Subsea Projects with Thousands of Pumps Moving Forward Despite
Shrinking Oil Prices
HOT TOPIC HOUR
“NOx Reduction Innovations for Coal-fired Power Plants” to be conducted over
the Internet on Thursday, November 6, 2014, at 10 a.m. CST
Upcoming Hot Topic Hours
For more information on the Utility Tracking System, click on:
http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/databases/2-uncategorised/89-42ei
“Power Plant Cooling” is the “Hot Topic Hour” on November 13, 2014
This webinar will focus on the decisions power plants will make relative to
steam cooling at both new and existing facilities. In the U.S., operators have
to deal with regulation 316B which requires water intake procedures to minimize
harm to aquatic life. Many plants have once-through cooling systems. One option
to meet 316B is to install cooling towers and recirculate water. This is very
expensive. Less costly alternatives such as intake screens which either prevent
entrapment or rejection without harm need to be considered. Flow control with
variable speed pump drives is another option.
New power plants have the option of air cooled condensers, hybrid cooling, or
wet cooling towers. Air cooled condensers consume more energy but do not consume
water. If they are designed based on average ambient air temperatures, there can
also be a generation output problem in hot weather. The ACC has been typically
utilized in arid areas, but recently it has been selected simply because of the
faster permitting track.
If wet cooling towers are chosen, decisions have to be made relative to the
recirculating and bleed rates and the use of side stream filtration. A further
decision has to be made relative to the fate of the bleed stream. A number of
plants are opting for zero liquid discharge.
Another option is to find co-generation uses for the heat. Great Rivers Energy,
which operates ethanol plants on site, is a prime example of the success of this
option.
The webinar will examine all of these options for nuclear, coal and gas turbine
combined cycle power plants.
Panelists will include:
Keith Silverman, Proposal Manager, Research Cottrell Cooling, Inc.
Nick Schroeder, BSME, PE, Kiewit Power Engineers
Daniel M. Cicero, Senior Industry Development Manager, Power Group, Water &
Process Services Division, Nalco Company
Trent T. Gathright, Business Manager – Intakes & Cooling Water Energy Group –
Americas, Ovivo
Barbara Carney, Chemical Engineer, Department of Energy, National Energy
Technology Laboratory
Click here to view schedule and register
McIlvaine Hot Topic Hour Registration
On Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Central time, McIlvaine hosts a 90 minute web meeting
on important energy and pollution control subjects. Power webinars are free for
subscribers to either Power Plant Air Quality Decisions or Utility Tracking
System. The cost is $300.00 for non-subscribers.
See below for information on upcoming Hot Topic Hours. We welcome your input
relative to suggested additions.
DATE SUBJECT
November
6 Coal-fired Power Plant NOx Reduction Innovations
13 Power Plant Cooling
December
18 Boiler Feedwater Treatment
Click here for the Subscriber and Power Plant Owner/Operator Registration Form
Click here for the Non-Subscribers Registration Form
Click here for the Free Hot Topic Hour Registration Form
----------
You can register for our free McIlvaine Newsletters at: http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php?option=com_rsform&formId=5
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com