What does the future of power generation look like?

  Posted by: electime      17th December 2019

2018 marked the UK’s greenest year on record and back in May, the country managed to go two weeks without burning coal for the first time since the Industrial Revolution. In order to meet the Government’s ambitious emissions targets, the industry still has a long way to go; adopting a plant-wide approach to optimising energy efficiency in the coming years could help operators to play their part, whilst improving the profitability of their operations.

In Q3 of this year, electricity generated from renewables surpassed fossil fuels for the first time ever, accounting for 40 per cent of power produced in the UK. While increased investment in solar, wind and energy-from-waste are certainly a positive step, the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 will not be achievable unless power plants take action now to modernise their equipment and processes.

When it comes to investing in and upgrading existing infrastructure, the UK still lags behind other parts of Europe, often preferring to build new plants instead. However, such an approach is not cost-effective, especially given the challenges around securing planning permission for new developments.

One key area of focus during a plant upgrade should be optimising the efficiency of the combustion process. This involves assessing boilers’ feed-in stock in order to match the plant’s combustion requirements. In many cases, it will be possible to retrofit legacy boilers with intelligent control systems, which can adapt their temperature to the type of fuel being burned, resulting in energy savings.

Combustion efficiency monitoring is another important process, which allows operators to track the relationship between raw material input and heat output. For example, once systems have achieved a stable operating temperature, less raw material is usually required to achieve this level, so efforts to avoid using excess fuel are important. Understanding temperature fluctuations for different types of fuel can also help plants to improve their green credentials by adjusting their feed-in stock accordingly.

Installing monitoring systems within older plants can also help to give operators a holistic view of exactly where energy may be being wasted during the energy generation process, and where improvements are most urgently needed. These provide a feed of real-time data for both power generation and individual processes.

With motors and drives responsible for around 60 per cent of the energy used by all of UK industry, drive modernisation projects can also prove effective for improving the sustainability of existing plants. The last decade saw massive leaps forward in terms of the energy usage for drives, so plant operators with equipment installed 10 years ago or more may need to consider a modernisation programme. This usually involves collaborating with manufacturers to discuss the energy savings provided by the latest drives, which are then compared with existing technology across the plant.

When embarking on such a project, it’s important to not to rush in headfirst and attempt to transform all areas of a plant at once. Instead, breaking down the initiative into a number of smaller parts can help operators to minimise any effect on production processes by building in time for testing, commissioning and set-up. An electrical contractor with experience of advising businesses in the sector will be able to recommend how to get upgrade projects under way quickly, whilst avoiding any negative impact on productivity across the site. By thoroughly reviewing the plant’s systems, they will also be able to advise on which parts need replacing, and which still support the business’ sustainability drive.

While modernising existing power generation plants is certain to be a key priority for the industry over the next few years, this will inevitably need to be supported with investment in new plants. With pressure mounting to meet the UK’s tough emissions targets, greater support from the Government will also be required to speed up the planning approvals process for new developments. Consideration must also be given to ways of maintaining momentum in renewable project investment, such as the UK’s growing number of offshore windfarms.

With the UK’s net-zero emissions deadline looming, it’s vital that the power generation industry prioritises the need to reduce its environmental impact. By taking steps to future proof existing infrastructure and adopting a plant-wide approach to improving energy efficiency, operators can pave the way for a greener future the sector whilst keeping costs under control.

Jarkko Aro, sales and operative director, I.C. Electrical, part of VEO Group.