Electric power generation commercial plants

Electric power generation using biomass as a fuel is economic in situations where the cost of the fuel is competitive with that of fossil fuels. The cost of a commercially available biomass steam—electric power plant is about 1500/kW for a wood-fired facility. If wood can be obtained at a cost of 2.00/GJ ( 2.10 X 10 /Btu), the total cost of power for base-load operation would be about 0.05/kWh. If wood or agricultural wastes are available at... 

The steam electric power generation industry is defined as those establishments primarily engaged in the steam generation of electrical energy for distribution and sale. Those establishments produce electricity primarily from a process utilizing fossil-type fuel (coal, oil, or gas) or nuclear fuel in conjunction with a thermal cycle employing the steam-water system as the thermodynamic medium. The industry does not include steam electric power plants in industrial, commercial, or other facilities. The industry in the United States falls under two Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes SIC 4911 and SIC 4931. 

Nuclear Electric Power Generation Electricity generated by nuclear reactors of various types, such as heavy water, light water and boiling water. Generation is reported on a net basis and excludes energy that is used by the electric power plant for its own operating purposes and not for commercial use. 

This industry is on the decline due to the peace-time agreements and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, (CTBT). Under this agreement, enrichment of UF6 is restricted to lower grade U235 for reactor fuel to be used in commercial electric power generation. In North America, there is an antinuclear atmosphere, hence it is less likely to see the expansion or additions of nuclear power plants in the USA. Whereas China, India, and East European countries may require additional nuclear fuel for their fast growing industries and electrification of the rural areas. 

Tables 5-1 and 5-2 list facilities in each state that produce, process, or import selenium and selenium compounds, respectively, for commercial use. The data do not include facilities such as electric power generating plants that release selenium unintentionally as a byproduct. The intended use and the range of maximum amounts of these substances that are stored on site are also included. The data listed in these tables are derived from the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI99 2001). Only certain types of facilities were required to report. Therefore, this is not an exhaustive list.

The 1990 Amendments to the U.S. Clean Air Act require a 50% reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions by the year 2000. Electric power stations are beheved to be the source of 70% of all sulfur dioxide emissions (see Power generation). As of the mid-1990s, no utiUties were recovering commercial quantities of elemental sulfur ia the United States. Two projects had been aimounced Tampa Electric Company s plan to recover 75,000—90,000 metric tons of sulfuric acid (25,000—30,000 metric tons sulfur equivalent) aimuaHy at its power plant ia Polk County, Elorida, and a full-scale sulfur recovery system to be iastaHed at PSl Energy s Wabash River generating station ia Terre Haute, Indiana. Completed ia 1995, the Terre Haute plant should recover about 14,000 t/yr of elemental sulfur. 

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