WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2020) Operators of over 100 power plants in the United States have switched from coal to cleaner burning natural gas since 2011, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in a report on Wednesday.
"[121] US coal-fired power plants were repurposed to burn other types of fuels between 2011 and 2019, 103 of which were converted to or replaced by natural gas-fired plants," the report said. "The decision for plants to switch from coal to natural gas was driven by stricter emission standards, low natural gas prices, and more efficient new natural gas turbine technology."
Owners of 17 of the converted facilities replaced their existing plants with new natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants, which recycle heat from gas turbine generators to power an additional set of steam turbines, the report said.
The remainder converted the steam boiler to burn other fuels, most commonly natural gas, although some were configured to burn petroleum coke (a refinery by-product), waste materials from paper and pulp production, or wood waste solids, the release said.
Most of the conversions involved plants in the eastern half of the US where most units are over 50 years old and tend to be small.
However, the report predicted that tougher emission standards and low gas prices would result in conversions of larger plants, especially in the Midwest and Southeast. Eight conversions are planned of which five are now under construction, according to the release.
