Poor air quality is a significant health risk around the world, but some areas struggle more than others. Some of the people most at risk live in communities near power plants, which generate massive amounts of particulate matter by burning coal, oil or natural gas. These facilities release a variety of pollutants into the air — to the point that they are the dominant emitters of mercury, acid gases and toxic metals.
Air pollution affects just about every organ in the human body and can have serious long-term health consequences. People who live in communities exposed to major air pollution will more frequently develop respiratory conditions, suffer heart attacks and struggle with asthma flareups. Eventually, these health conditions can even lead to death. According to current estimates, poor air quality causes about 5 to 10 percent of all premature deaths in the contiguous U.S. Globally, figures on health impacts look even worse.
While power plants that burn fossil fuels will always generate emissions, it’s possible for managers to significantly cut back on pollution with the right equipment and practices in place. This will improve local air quality and make the air around these plants more breathable. In turn, this improves quality of life and community health.
Here are steps that power plant companies can take to manage the pollution they generate.
Reducing Particulate Pollution From Power Plants
The best option for controlling power plant pollution is to switch oil- and gas-fired power plants to more sustainable alternatives, like geothermal, wind or solar energy. However, this isn’t always possible, let alone practical.
The next best option is to take measures that prevent pollutants from escaping into the atmosphere.
Air pollution is generated when fossil fuel-burning power plants vent gases into the air via an opening called a flue. These flue gases can be scrubbed of pollutants, preventing them from escaping into the atmosphere.
No matter what combination of major pollutants a power plant creates — like mercury, acid gases, and sulfur or nitrogen oxides — there is a pollutant control method that can be used. These are four of the most commonly used systems for power plant pollutant control.
1. Selective Catalytic Reduction
Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is a technique for removing nitrogen oxides from flue gases. The method works by using a catalyst that is added to the flue gas to convert nitrogen oxides into a combination of water and nitrogen. Combined with other techniques, like desulfurization, SCR can help power plants reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides.
2. Wet Scrubbers
Wet scrubbers are another option for capturing pollutants generated by power plants. They work by using a scrubbing fluid, absorbent materials and other filtration techniques to remove dangerous contaminants from the flue gas. The scrubbing fluid captures pollutants, and filters can then extract even more.
3. Activated Carbon Injection
Activated carbon injection (ACI) systems are some of the most commonly used ways to capture flue gas emissions. These systems work by introducing powdered activated carbon to the flue gas. It acts as a filter, absorbing pollutants like dioxin, furan or mercury, and is collected by the same device that captures flue ash.
4. Electrostatic Precipitators
This filtration method works by applying a high-voltage electric charge to the flue gas. The static electricity causes soot and ash particles suspended in the flue gas to collect on charged plates. Once the plant is done venting the gas, the dust can be safely gathered.
Other Techniques for Reducing Power Plant Pollution
There are also some techniques for pollution reduction that don’t necessarily require better equipment.
For example, local air conditions can impact how much pollution power plants create. On some days, flue gas will produce little of the fine particles that contribute to asthma and other diseases. On others, interacting with different air conditions can create vast amounts of these particles.
Researchers from the University of Georgia demonstrated that it is possible to predict how air conditions impact the severity of power plant pollution. With the right predictive model, it could be possible to cut back on emissions by adjusting the operating hours for the plant and switching over to less-polluting power methods.
Another study, conducted by GE Power, found that efficiency-boosting power plant tech may also help. Many existing fossil fuel plants are equipped with outdated technology and managed manually by workers. As a result, they can be highly inefficient. The average power plant efficiency in the US is just 37 percent, meaning that 63 percent of all energy burned is lost to inefficiency. These power plants have to burn much more fuel to make up the difference — significantly increasing their emissions.
A combination of hardware improvements — like upgrades to plant turbines and boilers — and improved plant control software could raise average plant efficiency by as much as eight percent. While this may not seem like much, the change can cut down on carbon dioxide emissions by up to 16 percent, and may cause a similar decrease in emissions of other harmful pollutants.
Managing Power Plant Emissions
The air pollution that power plants create can have negative health impacts. Over time, pollutants can cause serious long-term conditions, like respiratory and heart disease, or even death.
With the right systems in place, power plant managers can significantly cut back on emissions. There is a variety of filtration methods that use water, carbon and other materials to isolate dangerous pollutants from power plant flue gas.
As global populations continue to grow, demand for energy will increase. Fossil fuels are the dominant power source for much of the world — and despite the increasing adoption of renewables, things are likely to stay that way. If power plant managers want to help protect community health, systems that help manage emissions will be critical.