Power Generation and Transmission

Summary of Power Generation and Transmission Task Force Action Plan

Improvement in power generation and transmission efficiency in Partner countries has the potential to reduce the emissions by millions of tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and pollutants, as 54% of the world’s electricity production occurs in these seven countries. Despite a growing demand for power, the potential for increased efficiency in power generation, with associated benefits for reduced emissions in Partner countries is substantial. For example, simple and inexpensive improvements in Indian power plants can increase efficiency by more than 1.5%. Replicating these improvements at over 130 small coal power plants could reduce India’s CO₂ emissions by over ten million tons per year and reduce fuel costs by over $150 million per year. While better technology forms a basis for efficiency improvements, sharing best practices among Partner countries will catalyze improved efficiencies at existing power plants and pave the way for a more sustainable energy future. The Power Generation and Transmission Task Force has identified 13 initial projects and activities as a first step to meet its long-term goal of significantly improving the efficiency and environmental performance of power generation, transmission and distribution, and end use.

U.S. Task Force Members 
Power Generation and Transmission Task Force Summary of Action Plan and Projects   PDF version   10/31/06  
Power Generation and Transmission Task Force on the APP International Website

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Sharing Best Practices in Power Generation

The United States is hosting Chinese, Indian, Australian, Japanese, and South Korean power plant engineers in order to share information and techniques on several methods to improve power plant efficiency and reduce pollution. Some of these techniques include combustion optimization methods in coal-fired power plants, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) reduction technologies in power plant flue gas, and intelligent soot blowing system for steam generator efficiency improvement.

India, in association with the utilities of the U.S., Japan, and Australia, are planning site visits to the U.S. and Japan to share information on techniques and best practices to improve the efficiency of electrical generation and transmission systems, and to advance their environmental performance. Many of the techniques are expected to be easily implemented and thereby have the potential for significant, short term, and very cost effective results. Other techniques and practices which require more capital investments will also be presented along with techniques to evaluate their cost effectiveness.

Partnership power generators from all seven countries will host site visits for Partner country representatives, including plant engineers to highlight best practices that can be employed to improve end-use efficiency. The goal of this project is to help power generators learn from each other on how to implement best practices and technologies in their own country. A similar set of visits is planned that will improve transmission and distribution efficiency.

Transforming Markets for Power Generation

Power generators from all seven countries will establish a forum for addressing challenges through improved market and regulatory frameworks. The end goal is to create and support incentives that increase investment in efficient power systems, resulting in more reliable, affordable, and environmentally sustainable sound energy services.

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Summary of U.S. Led Power Generation and Transmission Projects

Power Plant Efficiency and Combustion Optimization

Participating Organizations: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development – India

Plant performance and reliability in India is a serious issue resulting from the lack of appropriate operation and maintenance practices causing rapid deterioration of plant efficiency, reliability and maximum sustainable output. This project currently demonstrates, in State Electricity Board owned coal fired power stations, current technological best practices in operation and maintenance diagnostics, monitoring, and provides training to power plant staff in sustaining high level plant efficiency.

Promoting Clean Energy Options in the Electricity Supply and Demand Sector in India for the Asia-Pacific Partnership

Participating Organizations: U.S. Department of State, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

This project is currently addressing barriers to energy efficiency improvements in India’s electricity market by providing support to regulatory commissions and electric utilities in India to improve capacity and undertake demand side management initiatives. The project is also sharing lessons learned in the United States to overcome institutional, regulatory, and procedural barriers to energy efficiency and is provide technical assistance and training. Since commencing the project in September of 2007, LBNL is alleviating energy supply shortages in the Indian state of Maharashtra by addressing institutional, regulatory, and procedural barriers to supporting energy efficiency improvements in the electricity market. The project has facilitated the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Agreement between energy regulators in the Indian state of Maharashtra and California’s Energy Commission and Public Utilities Commission.

GHG Reduction through Testing, Evaluation, Training, and Direct Efficiency (Heat Rate) Improvement in State Electricity Board’s Coal Power plants in India

Participating Organizations: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory

This project provides in-country support for technical services and coordination for greenhouse gas reduction activities at coal-fired power plants of state electricity boards (SEBs) in India. This project includes technical presence at Indian power plants to coordinate and strategize with plant personnel current operating and plant performance history and is providing assistance to identify the type and scope of technical support to be provided by U.S. utility experts and Centre for Power Efficiency and Environmental Protection engineers.

Participation of Indian State Electricity Boards in Activities of the APP Power Generation and Transmission Task Force

Participating Organizations: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Energy – National Energy Technology Laboratory Indian

State Electricity Boards form the foundation of India’s power system, yet they are in severe financial distress and unable to provide quality supply and efficient service to their customers. The Power Generation and Transmission Task Force is working on increasing the operating efficiency and improving the environmental performance of Indian power plants through training, outreach, technology transfer, and capacity building.

Power Plant Best Practices: Generation in India

Participating Organization: U.S. Department of Energy

Efficiency gains in coal-fired power plants represent the greatest near-term opportunity to achieve significant reductions of CO2 and other emissions. AEP and nearly 20 U.S. electric utilities, through their membership in the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), have offered to support a wide range of activities on best practices on efficiency improvement, plant operation and maintenance, and renovation and modernization of existing coal-fired power plants in APP developing member countries. Workshops and training sessions incorporating the most useful engineering guidelines and software tools, to assist with energy audits, technology assessments, maintenance and training will be supported.

Promoting the Rehabilitation of Inefficient Coal-Fired Power Plants

Participating Organizations: U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development

India has over 173 coal-fired power plants (29,131 MW installed capacity) that are between 11-20 years old and 122 plants coal-fired power plants (17,786 MW installed capacity) that are between 21-30 years old. These power plants have low design plate efficiencies and in most cases, owing to poor operating and maintenance practices, are operating below design plate efficiencies. These power plants are not old enough to be decommissioned and will likely stay in operation for another 2 decades. Infusing capital and undertaking cost-effective rehabilitation measures can help improve power plant efficiency while resulting in lower carbon emissions. This activity will bring together senior managers from State Electricity Boards (SEBs, State-owned generating utilities), financiers (multilateral banks, Power Finance Corporation of India) and policy makers (Central Electricity Authority) with the aim of building capacity for undertaking cost-effective rehabilitation projects.