Future of Coal: Is Coal Fired Thermal Power Generation Coming To An End?

Nowadays in Power Generation, the most sought after type of power is from Renewable Energy sources. The coal based power generation, though still the bulk of power being generated especially in India, has become unpopular due to its inherent pollution and other environmental issues and is being labeled as 'Sin' category, in all circles. As such, various restrictions and mandatory provisions are being enforced by different authorities to allow set-up and operation of coal based power plants. 

On the other hand rapid expansion / addition of power plants of the renewable energy type are being done and among those most notably is PV Solar. Due to this, new challenges in operating the coal based thermal power plants, which did not existed earlier appeared in the horizon requiring special attention. Among such challenges, low-load / below technical-minimum load operation, fluctuating load operation, frequent start/stop type of operation, without stressing the equipment and without compromising reliability, at the same time economically feasible O&M, are the ones which the engineers are finding quiet difficult to address, as the machines were not designed for the same. 

The addition of large renewable capacity in the generation pool also brought new challenges in managing the grid. As the entire solar generation falls rapidly to zero when night sets in, the grid becomes unstable if matching generation from other sources are not ramped up. There are also issues of increase of harmonics in the grid due to large scale use of inverters etc.

Now, to make coal-based power generation completely redundant and have only Reneable as the only source of Power, setting up of  massive power storage capacity in the form of pump-storage stations and Rechargeable Battery-Banks of very high capacity, is a must. Is such scenario in the Power Sector  possible? If so, how soon/long such conditions can be achieved?

Is Coal Fired Thermal Power Generation Coming To An End?

What is your view?

What are the, short/medium/long term challenges?

What are the opportunities?

Will certain capacity of Coal Based thermal power generation must be maintained for the stability of the grid?

Let us discuss.

Request all power professionals to please give their views / thoughts and share their experiences.

Thank You.

 

Location: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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