Power Generation: Technology Choices

Analysing how latest power generation equipment will energise the power sector

Power generation equipment are core part in the power sector and plays a significant role in generation of the power. Imagine if the power generation equipment are feeble, undoubtedly the results will be poor supply and generation of the power which will lead to power shortages. Hence, it is essential that the power equipment are strengthened well on time. This article will give an insight on latest power generation equipment that will describe how to strengthen the Indian power sector.

India, is a developing country, it has always been the power sector which is critical in fuelling the overall development. Currently, there is an existing gap between supply and demand of electricity which is estimated at an average of 16 per cent along with transmission and distribution losses which are estimated anywhere between 23 to 30 per cent.

With rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, this gap is bound to rise fast. There is a need to implement newer fields of technological advancements and energy systems engineering to provide integrated solutions to the energy problems, by adopting a holistic, systems-based approach.

Currently the various options for power generation available are wind energy systems, solar, biomass gasifiers and small hydro-power system. However, efficiencies of different types of power plants could differ from 0.27 per cent in the case of nuclear power plant to 90 per cent for a hydro power plant. The efficiency of a wind turbine can vary between 30 per cent and 45 per cent. The thermal power contribution to this is around 63 per cent, followed by hydropower contributing around 25 per cent. The share of nuclear power is the smallest with 3 per cent, and the power generation through renewable sources contributes the remaining 9 per cent.

Expressing his views on the latest power generation technology developments that will shape and strengthen the Indian power sector Farrokh N. Cooper, Chairman and Managing Director, Cooper Corporation Pvt Ltd says, “The gap between supply and demand of electricity will be fulfilled by use of power generators in stand by and continuous duty cycle. The latest technology developments in this segment are use of highly efficient diesel engines to run the stand by gensets.”

Cooper Corporation pioneers in using state-of-the- art diesel engines which incorporate common rail high pressure systems, highly efficient rotary fuel pumps to achieve both the fuel efficiency as well as emission compliance of the strictest norms which are being implemented in India under Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) CPCB 2 norms.

He adds, “Further Cooper Corporation is making highly efficient power packages using permanent magnet generators coupled with the Cooper indigenously built diesel and gas engines to give the best possible output in terms of value and quality of power.”

Propelled by rapid economic growth, India’s power generation capacity has nearly tripled in the last 15 years from 105 GW in 2002 to 315 GW in 2017. India, therefore, is currently the fifth largest electricity producer in the world. At the same time, India has a unique relationship with coal based power. On one hand, abundance of coal has made coal based power critical for energy security. On the other hand, India’s commitments to curbing pollution and greenhouse gases means we have to make the existing installed base cleaner and more efficient, while we continue to expand in renewable energy sources. “India is trying to add coal based power, increase efficiency of the Installed base, tackle emissions from coal plants and add renewable – all at the same time. This requires careful investments in technology, robust planning and good execution to ensure we don’t de-stabilise the grid, or break the bank,” says Ashok Ganesan, Managing Director, GE Power India Ltd.
The global average efficiency of coal-fired power plants currently hovers around 33 per cent, significantly lower than the 49 per cent efficiency possible for coal-fired power units that run on ultra-supercritical technology. “It is estimated that if coal-fired plants are upgraded to operate at an average efficiency of 1 point, annual carbon dioxide emissions would fall by more than 2-3 points. India is a perfect case in point, where the need for a massive upgrade and introduction of new technologies to raise the efficiency of coal-based power generation is an absolute necessity,” states Ganesan.

“Specifically, the older installed base can be economically upgraded to operate at 4 to 5 points of efficiency better than the current situation through a mix of existing hardware and software solutions. These have the potential to make these plants even competitive on total cost of electricity with New Ultra Super Critical units. In some cases, where a plant may be operating at low PLF’s specifically to help balance the grid, there are opportunities to improve part load efficiencies as well,” adds Ganesan.

GE believes efficiency is one of the fastest ways to minimise emissions. GE’s new global Powering Efficiency Center of Excellence (COE), which brings together cross-business experts in its energy businesses to apply a total plant hardware and software solution approach to boost the efficiency of the world’s new and existing coal-fired power plants and significantly reduce their emissions. Further, the company implement pollution control norms on NoX and SOX, there is an opportunity to rationalise the investment needed by exempting certain units that could be designated as peaking load units, provided those units increase their efficiency at part loads and increase their ability to flex. “Another big revolution is the digitisation of the power plants. So, in India we need to step up the up gradation of the power infrastructure through such technological interventions – including digitisation which can add 1-2 per cent of efficiency gains for minimal investment,” he says.

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