Effects of the DOE proposals for new source performance standards for utility boilers firing anthracite coal
Currently, the most important expansion market for anthracite is the electrical utilities/power generation area, where the major competitors are other forms of coal. However, anthracite is more expensive to mine than bituminous coal and requires more expensive boilers and other plant equipment. Advantages of anthracite include its geographic location and, most importantly, its low sulfur content and slightly higher heating value relative to bituminous coal. Because of these factors, anthracite is competitive with bituminous coal as a utility boiler fuel only under those NSPS scenarios that permit significantly lower SO/sub 2/ removal costs for an anthracite-fired plant. The cost of electricity under various NSPS scenarios was calculated for a hypothetical 600 Mw 0.7% S anthracite-fired power plant located at, and supplied by, an open-pit mine in eastern Pennsylvania. Calculated costs were compared with those of a comparable of 2% S bituminous-fired plant at the same location. Because of the lower sulfur content of anthracite, the DOE sliding scale alternative would permit significantly lower SO/sub 2/ removal costs for the anthracite plant. For the example case considered, the DOE sliding scale would have the effect of making anthracite competitive with bituminous coal as a utility boiler fuel (as would a flexible interpretation of the EPA 85% scrubbing standard), i.e., electricity costs would be essentially equal. As discussed in detail in a previous report (ERT, 1978) the revitalization of the Pennsylvania anthracite industry would carry with it the potential for significant environmental and socioeconomic benefits in northeastern Pennsylvania. Uncertainties which might affect the viability of increased anthracite production under alternative NSPS proposals are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Research and Technology, Inc., Concord, MA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC01-77RA08726
- OSTI ID:
- 5118614
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/RA/08726-T2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Assessment of new sources performance standards (NSPS) for anthracite-fired industrial boilers
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Related Subjects
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
REGULATIONS
ANTHRACITE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
MARKET
BITUMINOUS COAL
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
COAL MINING
DESULFURIZATION
FLUE GAS
PENNSYLVANIA
REMOVAL
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
US DOE
US EPA
BLACK COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CENTRAL REGION
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASEOUS WASTES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MATERIALS
MINING
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
POWER PLANTS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WASTES
015000* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
010900 - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Environmental Aspects