Fossil fuel-fired power plants, emission control

Our goal is to gradually replace all coal and fossil fuel power plants with renewable energy ones, but while they exist (and probably will for most of this century), it is very important to reduce the damage they cause by optimizing their operation. In the United States, there are about 1000 coal preparation plants and coal-fired power plants. One key consideration in operating coalburning facilities is the control of C02 and sulfur dioxide (S02) emissions to the atmosphere. The characteristics of coal are monitored for environmental protection, quality assurance, and process control purposes. 

In the longer term, however, a resumption of economic growth will increase electricity demand and will probably lead to new orders for nuclear power plants even in countries where ordering has now been suspended, if the main problems associated with nuclear power can be resolved, i.e. construction times kept under control and thereby also costs. Under the same conditions the fact that in a few years old fossil fired plants and the first nuclear power plants have to be replaced may also bring new orders. There is also a growing awareness of the need to reduce emissions of sulphur oxides and other pollutants from fossil fuel plants, and one means of doing this is to include more nuclear plants in the energy mix. 

---