Sector: Energy
Tools and techniques: Emissions standards, pollution prevention and control
Abstract
Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station is part of Scottish and Southern Energy's UK operation. One of Ferrybridge’s key objectives in being a sustainable business is a programme of continuous improvement in all areas of its business and this has included substantially reducing their gaseous emissions to air. This has resulted in tremendous environmental and commercial advantages for the company.
Processes: two particular initiatives have made a major contribution to this success over the last two years. These are co-firing of renewable fuels to displace fossil fuel and optimisation of residual fuel oil use.
Renewable fuels were first co-fired with coal in September 2002. Working closely with the Office for Gas and Electricity Markets (OFGEM) and the Environment Agency, Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station is now the market leader in the co-firing of renewable fuels. The main environmental benefits of the initiative are that renewable fuels used are carbon neutral. Residual fuel oil is used to light up boilers as units come on load and to support load where the burning of coal is insufficient. Over the last year, Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station has initiated the burning of a new ultra-low sulphur residual fuel oil and initiated a strategy to reduce the amount of oil used for combustion stability and load support.
Impact:
Carbon dioxide from fossil fuel was reduced by 5 per cent between 2000-2003
Particulates were reduced by 83 per cent between 2000-2003
Net greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 3.5 per cent in 2003
3.5 per cent of generation in 2003 was from renewables
During the 2002-2003 tax year, around 80 per cent of all co-fired renewable energy was produced by Ferrybridge ‘C’
Stabilising and Support Residual Fuel Oil were reduced by 60 per cent over the last two years
Sulphur Dioxide emission rates were reduced by 3 per cent