The future of coal-fired power

The future of coal-fired power

Coal-fired electricity played a key role in the development of the Hunter Region and the region’s coal-fired power stations currently produce the majority of NSW’s base-load electricity generation. While moves towards cleaner, renewable methods of electricity are occurring at increasing rates locally, nationally and internationally, coal-fired power will maintain an important part of our economy and a major part of our environment for many years to come.

Our September seminar will focus on research being undertaken into improving the efficiency of coal-fired power stations, and how the stations are adapting to new generating technologies.

Speaking at the seminar will be:

Dr Jessica Allen

Dr. Allen is currently a lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Newcastle. Her research work aligns closely with the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) and she is a principle researcher for the Priority Research Centre for Frontier Energy Technologies and Utilisation. Her research combines electrochemistry and engineering with interests spanning low emission energy technologies as well as renewable energy and energy storage (both thermal and electrochemical).

Dr Allen will speak about Direct Carbon Fuel Cell (DCFC): Technology, challenges and opportunities. The DCFC generates electrical energy from solid, carbon-based fuels (including coal) with high efficiency. The use of electrochemical reactions means that it may be able to achieve more than twice the efficiency of current, best performing coal fired power stations. The technology will be outlined along with current understanding of performance sensitivities and an overview of research carried out at the University of Newcastle in the area to date. The newly announced $1.6m grant awarded to UON for the purpose of accelerating commercialisation of the technology will be outlined and the technology will be discussed in a broader context, including environmental impacts, applications and challenges.

The Newcastle Herald recently published an article about this research: http://www.theherald.com.au/story/4883076/researchers-hope-to-double-coal-power-efficiency-in-two-years/

Anthony Callen

Anthony is the Manager – Environment Operations at Vales Point Power Station and will discuss the Vales Point Solar Project, which plans to install a 45MW Solar farm, covering about 70ha of the station’s former ash dump and landfill. Anthony will also discuss current energy policy and how this, and future technologies are influencing Delta’s plans for the future of the station.