Tackling Coal-Fired Power Plant Emissions in Shandong Province, China
China is intensively seeking to reduce harmful air pollutant emissions from its coal-fired power plants, which generate more than two-thirds of the country’s electricity.
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| China is evaluating technologies used in the United States to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions at coal-fired power plants. A demonstration plant in Shandong Province will be retrofitted with advanced emission control systems. [Photo: Robert Zerbonia] |
National and provincial agencies in China have imposed stricter requirements to control air pollution and power plant emissions, including nitrogen oxide (NOx). The plants release NOx as a combustion exhaust gas through tall smokestacks. NOx is an essential component in the atmospheric formation of acid rain, smog, and ozone.
China is exploring advanced technologies—such as selective catalytic reduction (SCR)—used at power plants in the United States to control NOx emissions. RTI is assisting the Shandong Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau (SEPB) to investigate the feasibility and facilitate the retrofitting of denitrification technology at a selected coal-fired power plant in Shandong Province. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency is funding this 12-month effort, the Shandong Flue Gas Denitrification (deNOx) Project. It will help SEPB assess the potential for installing deNOx technology at power plants throughout the province.
“When the deNOx technology is chosen, we will prepare a site-specific conceptual design and cost estimate, develop implementation and financial plans, and conduct environmental and regulatory reviews—everything needed for a bid specification to procure and install the deNOx system at the power plant,” said Paul Peterson, RTI Senior Research Environmental Engineer.
Under a previous project, RTI assisted SEPB with the evaluation and selection of controls to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions at 10 coal-fired power plants in Shandong Province. “RTI’s recommendations for the most cost-effective SO2 approaches were optimal for each site, and we established valued relationships with SEPB officials and plant owners,” said Robert Zerbonia, Project Manager.
At the end of the current project, RTI will provide a seminar for plant owners and operators on the use of deNOx systems for NOx emissions control at coal-fired power plants. U.S. suppliers of deNOx systems will be invited to make presentations.
“RTI’s contributions will also enable knowledge and technology transfer, which will help SEPB develop its capabilities to use deNOx technology to reduce power plant air pollutant emissions in China.” Zerbonia said.