Cement, Energy & Environment

CEA A SHOCK FOR CHINESE POWER EQUIPMENT The power minister might take pride in record capacity additional over the past five years. But a report of its own technical arm, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), reveals that part of this capacity, based in Chinese equipment, has come up in violation of operational and safety norms. The 41- page report by a committee under CEA chairman AS Bakshi was recently given to the power ministry. It lambasts Chinese power gear on all key operational parameters- operating load factor, heat rate, auxiliary Consumption , frequency of forced outages, breakdowns, etc- and safety mechanisms, putting in the dock around 12 per cent, or 251000 MW, of India's installed capacity. Many private power generators, such as Reliance Power, Sterl ite, Lanco and Adani , besides some state-government ones, have bought equipment from Chinese firms. "Ch inese turbines do not have safety functions like turbines stress evaluator and auto turbine run– up systems. The level of automation or control systems of Chinese turbines is not in line with present-day turbine designs and technology ... leading to the possibi lity of compromised safety and mal operation," the report said. Total outages for Chinese unit based on domestic coal are substantially higher than the ones from Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), Chinese unit based on imported coal have, done better than BHEL on some parameters. Courtesy: The Business Standard , New Delhi 12.08.2013 WORLD BANK'S SHIFT IN ENERGY DIRECTION The world bank, in an expected yet significant move, has let the world know: it is not interested in financing coal-based power generation projects. The latest direction report on energy titled 'Towards a Sustainable Energy Future for all issued by the World Bank Group states the bank's policy as regards coal-based power projects financing. According to the document, WB would cease providing financial support for green-field coal power generation projects; except in 'rare circumstances'. Having been the central figure in financing more coal-based power plants in the last 20 years than any other institution, the development lender has gradually transformed into a champion of fighting climate change and green energy. A world Bank has a very strict set of criteria that screens for coal-based power projects . Considerations such as meeting basic energy needs in country with no feasible alternatives to coal and a lack of financing for coal power would define such rare cases. The bank has now stressed to balance for energy with impact on climate change, for which purpose, it intends to extend support to find affordable alternative to coal. Last time, the World Bank financed a coal project was in 2010, when a $ 3 billion coal-based power plants in South Africa was controversially financed. WB's focus late has been financing renewable energy projects such as biomass , wind and solar. But coal's share in global energy consumption reached an all-time high of 30 percent as per the latest numbers. Even in the developed countries, coal's share in the pie has reached levels previously unseen. So while the World Bank is hell bent on addressing the climate change issues and rightly so, it would actually yield very little . The two powers China and US consume two-third of the global coal for energy needs. Needless to say, any World Bank policy shift would not bother them one bit. It is the less developed countries struggling for energy security that will have to settle, for alternative s that may cost more but are nature– friendly, while the World has already feasted the coal power party, Pakistan is planning to have one of its own by the turn of this decade. While the World bank is not involved yet in that coal- other leading lenders such as the ADS might have a change of heart should the wind clear and greener energy start blowing faster. Pakistan's best interest is to keep an eye on these development and meanwhile keep working on renewable energy alternative. Courtesy: FIM/ News Bulletin , 15.08.2013 POWER PROJECTION IZ8G9·10l IZ11i-11J Courtesy: Power Line, Volume17, No. 9, May 2013 17