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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMISSION REDUCTIONS FROM THE COAL-FIRED POWER SECTOR IN GROWING ECONOMIES: THE CASE OF COAL-FIRED ELECTRIC UTILITY PLANTS IN RUSSIA
Citation:
SRIVASTAVA, R. AND S. VIJAY. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMISSION REDUCTIONS FROM THE COAL-FIRED POWER SECTOR IN GROWING ECONOMIES: THE CASE OF COAL-FIRED ELECTRIC UTILITY PLANTS IN RUSSIA. ISBN 8188342815, Chapter NA, J. Mathur, H.J. Wagner, N.K. Bansal (ed.), Energy Security, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Anamaya Publishers, New Delhi, India, , ., (2007).
Impact/Purpose:
to publish information
Description:
China, Russia and India together contribute over one-fourth of the total global greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fossil-fuels. This paper focuses on the Russian coal-fired power sector, and identifies potential opportunities for reducing emissions. The Russian power sector is the fourth largest in the world. Coal and natural gas are the major fuels for power generation. Combustion of coal in power plants is a significant source of emissions of the air pollutants SO2, Nox, and PM; the toxic pollutant mercury; and the greenhouse gas CO2. Exposure to criteria pollutants is known to cause or exacerbate respiratory illnesses, and mercury has been linked to cardiovascular and neurological conditions. Reform of the Russian power sector is aimed at addressing environmental impacts associated with air emissions, while at the same time making these power plants more profitable. These goals can both be accomplished by improving the operating efficiencies of existing coal-fired power plants. From a pollution reduction standpoint, this approach is a major rational first step for the Russian economy-in-transition than pollution mitigation via retrofit environmental controls.
