Gasification

Notwithstanding some past difficulties, trash-fired power plants represent an increasingly attractive opportunity for future clean generation investment. Waste fuel offers a green source of baseload power that’s competitive with fossil fuels. The technology is proven and mature, and it enjoys public policy support. Additionally, waste fuel will help utilities meet diversity goals and environmental mandates.

The future of natural gas supplies in the United States looks promising due to rising projections of recoverable resources, including unconventional production. A strong supply outlook bodes well for using natural gas as a low-emission transportation fuel.

New nuke plants will take at least eight years to complete, while the coal that powers new IGCC plants is no longer cheap. Regulatory and market obstacles confront both technologies, just as they emerge from the starting gate. Which type of plant will win the future?

In a hydrogen-electric economy, power companies could see very large market opportunities—and play a major role in enabling and accelerating implementation.

Ethanol plants either are operating, under construction, or planned for several areas in the Midwest. These same areas also have municipal solid waste (MSW) produced daily in an existing landfill. In addition, these areas have a need for establishing or extending a landfill.

As an alternative to the existing concept of a landfill, plasma-arc technology has been applied to the treatment of MSW. Known as plasma-arc gasification for the treatment of MSW, this recent development would eliminate or minimize the need for a landfill.

Energy producers already have begun to prepare for coming CO₂ regulations. As a first step, many companies are implementing internal trading schemes. In this article, we have focused on AEP and Southern Co. as case studies of how companies are preparing for a carbon-constrained world, because they are in the top 5 companies in the United States with the highest proportion of coal-fired generation in their fleets.

(November 2007) Public Service Enterprise Group elected Ralph Izzo president and COO of the company and a member of the board of directors. Ralph LaRossa is president and COO of PSEG’s utility business, Public Service Electric and Gas Co. WGL Holdings Inc., and its subsidiary, Washington Gas Light Co., named Douglas Staebler vice president of engineering and construction, and Lauren Foley named vice president of consumer services. ISO New England Inc. elected two new board members: Richard A. Abdoo and Paul F. Levy. And others.

An analysis of what risks must be taken, in the short run, to significantly reduce carbon emissions with use of natural gas.