Is Thermal Power Plant a Better Alternative to Coal Fired Power Plant? A Comparative Analysis

Authors

  • Muhammad Hassan Khan Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Manahil Fatima Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Sohail Ahmed Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan
  • Shaheryar Ali Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Keywords:

Thermodynamics, Thermal Power Plants, Coal-Fired Plants

Abstract

Thermal power plants are used worldwide to generate electricity by using heat energy. The thermal power plants in Pakistan are outdated and inefficient and use expensive fuel to generate electricity which has a huge environmental impact. Thermal power plants not only lead to air pollution but also have serious impacts on land and soil. The existing thermal power plant's efficiency can be improved by using imported coal which will reduce emissions and reach the increasing demand for electricity in the country. The government of Pakistan is currently interested in installing a coal-fired power plant. A coal-fired plant is a power plant in which electricity is generated by burning coal as steam is produced. The need to install a coal-fired power plant in Pakistan arises due to the lack of technology to process the coal that the country receives from the coal reserves in Thar. The amount of coal in Thar is huge, but its quality is considered low, and it needs significant investment in infrastructure for extraction and processing. The coal-fired power plant provides affordable and reliable constant power that can meet the country's demand for energy consumption. But it also has a negative impact on our environment. However, both plants have a considerable impact on the environment. Thermal power plants usually emit large amounts of mercury and fly ash which, one way or another, destroys our environment. These power plants discharge large volumes of wastewater, containing vast quantities of pollutants, into the waters, and these discharge pollutants cause severe health and environmental problems. As coal is burned in the coal-fired plant, a number of pollutants are released. Air pollution from coal-fired power plants can cause asthma, cancer, neurological problems, and global warming. A major man-made contributor to climate and global warming is the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from power plants. However, measures have been put in place to reduce the environmental impact, such as regular ecological monitoring should be done to ensure compliance with the relevant regulations and standards. Overall, the government of Pakistan and the public need to work together and present effective ideas to develop and implement the required solutions that will increase economic growth and should take steps to minimize the environmental impacts caused by the power plants. And efforts should be made to improve the efficiency of both plants cost-effectively.

Author Biographies

Muhammad Hassan Khan, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Manahil Fatima, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Sohail Ahmed, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Shaheryar Ali, Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

Dawood University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

References

GoP. (2014). Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance. Pakistan Economic Survey 2013-14 - Energy [PDF]. Retrieved from: https://www.finance.gov.pk/survey/chapter_22/PES14-ENERGY.pdf

Jamshoro Power Co Ltd. (2020). LAG-02 GL Jamshoro Power Generation 13-02-2020 Modification-III [PDF]. National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). Retrieved from: https://nepra.org.pk/licensing/Licences/Generation.PDF

Jamshoro Power Company Limited. (2019). TRF-255 JPCL FPA Oct 2019 19-11-2019 [PDF]. National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). https://nepra.org.pk/tariff/Tariff/GENCOs/JPCL/2019/TRF-255%20JPCL%20FPA%20Oct%202019%2019-11-2019%2024679-83.PDF

Jamshoro Power Company Limited. (2022). TRF-255 JPCL FPA Sep 2022 21-10-2022 [PDF]. National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. https://nepra.org.pk/tariff/Tariff/GENCOs/JPCL/2022/TRF-255%20JPCL%20FPA%20Sep%202022%2021-10-2022%2020572-77.PDF

Jamshoro power station. (2023, March 14). Global Energy Monitor, . Retrieved 05:16, November, 18, 2022 from https://www.gem.wiki/w/index.php?title=Jamshoro_power_station&oldid=402103.

Katzman, K. (2021). Pakistan-U.S. Relations [PDF]. Congressional Research Service. https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/RL34746.pdf

NEPRA. (2020). National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, State of Industry Report 2020 [PDF]. https://nepra.org.pk/publications/

Oil- and Gas-Fired Plants in Pakistan". (2013, July 10). Power Plants Around the World. Archived from the original on 18 July 2009. Retrieved March 19, 2014, from https://web.archive.org/web/20090718110554/

Rehman, A., & Deyuan, Z. (2018). Pakistan's energy scenario: a forecast of commercial energy consumption and supply from different sources through 2030. Energy, sustainability and society, 8, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-018-0167-y

"WAPDA Jamshoro Thermal Power Station". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved March 23, 2014, from http://globalenergyobservatory.org/geoid/43217

World Bank. (2020, November 9). A Renewable Energy Future for Pakistan's Power System. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/11/09/a-renewable-energy-future-for-pakistans-power-system

Downloads

Published

2022-10-20

How to Cite

Khan, M. H., Fatima, M., Ahmed, S., & Ali, S. (2022). Is Thermal Power Plant a Better Alternative to Coal Fired Power Plant? A Comparative Analysis . Frontiers in Engineering Science and Technology, 1(1), 2229–2234. Retrieved from https://saturnpublications.com/index.php/fest/article/view/4