Workshop on upgrading and efficiency improvement in coal-fired plant
Preliminary Programme now available
The Workshop will be held at the Stamford Plaza Hotel, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 19 and 20 April 2012 immediately following the Second International Industry Symposium on the Sustainable Use of Low Rank Coal, which will be held at the nearby Grand Hyatt Melbourne on 16 to 18 April 2012. The Symposium on Low Rank Coals is being organised by the Department of Primary Industries, State Government of Victoria, with support from IEA CCC and the Electric Power Research Institute.
Those wishing to attend the Workshop on upgrading and efficiency improvement in coal plants can register and pay through this website. There is a charge of €200.00 for attending the Workshop which includes the Workshop papers, refreshments and a Workshop dinner. Hotel reservation details will be available soon. The Workshop is supported by the Australian Coal Industry Consortium who, together with the Australian Government, form the Australian membership of IEA CCC.
A provisional programme is now available on the website. Click on the 'Programme' button after entering the conference system. Hotel reservations can be made by clicking on the 'Go to hotel booking' button on this home page. Reduced rates are available if booking is made before the end of February.
Concerns about the environmental impacts of power generation are leading to a rapid increase in the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. However, the reality is that fossil fuels still provide the major share of power generation with coal alone accounting for 40% of the world's electricity, a situation that will not change in the near term. Uncertainties in future regulations and policies are resulting in utilities delaying commitments to build major new coal-fired plants. A comprehensive carbon management strategy needs to reduce emissions through changes in the fundamental energy supply structure whilst simultaneously improving the performance of the existing infrastructure. One option is to increase the thermal efficiency of existing coal-fired power plants which can achieve near-term and sustainable reductions in greenhouse gases, conventional pollutants, and coal use.
The workshop will bring together the world's experts to identify and share expertise on:
- technical opportunities to improve the thermal efficiency of existing coal-fired plants
- barriers and challenges to these opportunities
- specific initiatives that can increase efficiency substantially
Technical opportunities include:
- training employees
- optimising processes using advanced computational tools
- reducing air, water, steam and flue gas leakages
- upgrading turbines
- lowering stack temperatures
- implementing intelligent sootblowing
- increasing the use of low grade heat
Further details will appear here soon.
| 
