Cogeneration and coal: How soon, how much, how big

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Coal Min. Process.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7014345

Gulliver, B

Cogeneration refers to the simultaneous production of steam and electricity: steam for industrial use and electricity for the sequential use of that steam. The cogeneration business exists for five basic reasons. Many of the central coal-fired utility plants have efficiencies of 35-40%. Cogeneration facilities on the other hand, have often times achieved efficiencies in excess of 50%. Secondly, there is less financial risk. We all know some of the capital risks associated with building a major power plant. Cogeneration offers utilities electrical power without them having to put their own capital at risk. Third, it offers the industrial customer lower and more predictable costs. This is particularly important as retail rates around the country continue to increase. Fourth, environmental reasons. Because of the increased efficiency of cogeneration, it allows more useful output for a smaller amount of pollutants. So environmentalist's attacks will encourage more cogeneration over time. And finally, the business exists for reasons of artificial incentives, several of which were promulgated in the 1978 Public Utility Act (PURPA). These include special tax credits (most of which destined to expire with tax reform) and several other provisions which make it quite favorable for cogeneration facilities to be built.

• Research Organization: NERCO Pacific Generation Services
• OSTI ID: 7014345
• Journal Information: Coal Min. Process.; (United States), Journal Name: Coal Min. Process.; (United States) Vol. 23:11; ISSN CMPRB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
200105 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Heat Utilization
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
290800 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Heat Utilization-- (1980-)
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CAPITALIZED COST
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COGENERATION
COMBUSTION
COST
DEUS
DUAL-PURPOSE POWER PLANTS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SYSTEMS
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
LAWS
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ENERGY ACT
OXIDATION
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER GENERATION
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY POLICIES ACT
RATE STRUCTURE
STEAM GENERATION
TAX CREDITS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES