[en] In this paper the author presents his views about the changing energy mix in Asia to the year 2020, and why the importance of coal will continue. The topics of the paper include Asia's energy mix compared with the rest of the world including nuclear power, hydropower, solar and wind energy, oil, coal, and natural gas; the economics of coal and natural gas; coal production and consumption; new energy sources; Asia's energy mix in the year 2020; resource depletion and conclusions. 4 figs., 1 tab

[en] The target of the program is to develop a peat production method, based on solar energy, by which it is possible to double the present annual hectare yield. It has been estimated that if the target of the program can be fulfilled it is possible to decrease the production costs by about 20 %. The target has been strived by intensification of utilization of solar radiation, by improving the collection rate of dry peat, by decreasing the rain effects on production, by lengthening the production season and by decreasing the storage losses. Three new peat production methods have so far been developed in the Optimiturve research program, by which it is possible to obtain the targets of the program. These methods are the new sod peat production method, the ridge drying method and the Multi method

[en] Achievements of TECO Energy, Inc., during 1992 are summarized in the annual report which includes financial data for the year up to 31 December 1992. Work continues on Tampa Electric's Polk Power Station, utilizing IGCC technology planned to come on line in 1995/6. Many energy conservation projects have been completed such as one to promote energy efficient cordless electric lawnmowers. TECO Transport and Trade continued to expand its transloading and shipping business. TECO Coal completed its acquisition of additional low-sulfur coal reserves in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee. Although Tampa Electric is its principal customer, in 1992 shipments of coal were made to other customers. Earnings from TECO Coalbed Methane more than doubled in 1992, a major factor being the federal tax credit available on production. In 1992, the company acquired most of the interests of its operator, Taurus Exploration. In 1992 on additional 47 wells were drilled. TECO Power Services completed construction of a 295 MW combined-cycle power plants known as the Hardee Power Station in central Florida

[en] Discusses the future of CGCC with respect to the Clean Air Act. CGCC has advantages in performance, capital costs, emissions, and applications

[en] In its final report the Faraday Working Group recommended the CEC amongst others to explore the possibility of a long duration test of a 'state-of-the-art', MHD-generator in order to remove uncertainties concerning the lifetime and availability of such a generator design. The duration of the test should be several thousands of hours, considerably more than the duration tests carried out until now. The scope of the present study is to prepare a project definition document for a long duration test of a coal fired, state-of-the-art MHD-generator

[en] A complete carbon biocycle has been described, starting from coal in in situ condition in coal seams underground. Various steps involved are: (i) Biogasification of coal to methane, using a consortia of bacteria, has been reported. A group of bacteria degrades complex structure of coal to simpler structure. This simpler structure of coal, is then converted to methane by methanogens; (ii) Biophotolysis of methane and associated biodegradation, results in products, such as hydrogen and oxygen for use in fuel cells for power generation; (iii) Bioconversion of products so obtained is carried out to produce methanol or methane that could be used as fuel or recycled; (iv) In complete biocycle some methane is converted to biomass. In order to replace this methane, coal is converted to methane using group of bacteria, only to the extent methane has been converted to biomass; (v) The biomass so produced could be dumped underground from where coal has been gasified. Alternatively it could be burnt as fuel or else used as substitute of protein in animal food. Detailed concept of proposed technology for: (a) an alternative to conventional coal mining, (b) generation of power using products of bioconversion in fuel cell, and (c) conversation of solar energy for generation of alternative source of fuel and power, has been discussed. Possibility of developing a biofuel cell for conversion of solar energy through bioelectrochemical route has been suggested. (author). 48 refs., 3 figs

[en] Components of economic effects of power station ash granulation and management are discussed. Estimated values of these effects for some professional and industrial power stations are presented. (author)

[en] Privatising British Coal is becoming something of a nightmare. There is now a risk of reducing the industry to just a handful of pits scattered throughout today's coalfields. The reason? Privatisation of electricity has failed to live up to its promise of bringing a competitive market - and hence lower electricity prices. But, in terms of fuel procurement, now, power companies have behaved all too like private operations. All four coal-burning utilities, Scottish Power, Northern Ireland Electricity, PowerGen and National Power have embarked on a vigorous programme of diversifying their fuel sources, building gas stations, signing up for short-term contracts for coal imports and for long-term contracts for the Venezuelan bitumen/water mix, Orimulsion. Whatever fuel they have gone for has sliced into British Coal's market. The implications for British Coal are examined. (Author)

[en] British Gas and British Telecom were privatised with their monopoly powers intact. Privatisation was thought to be failing in an important part of its purpose if the disciplines of the free market were not introduced. Electricity - the biggest, most lucrative and most important privatisation of them all - had to be accompanied by restructuring and the introduction of competition. In the public sector, the electricity industry in England and Wales was divided into one wholesaler - the CEGB, which generated and transmitted electricity - and 12 regional distribution companies which acted, in effect, as retailers. Privatisation created National Power with 70 per cent of the CEGB's power stations - and PowerGen, with all the rest. The national grid passed into the hands of a separate company, to be owned by the 12 regional distributors. Nuclear power could not be privatised and so Nuclear Electric was born; a public sector company, shored up by a subsidy on electricity prices and a requirement on the regional distribution companies to take all the electricity it could produce. Thus, the industry had an uncompetitive structure. The new independent generating sector, which was supposed to bring in competitive pressures has receded into the distance. Those companies that are building power stations are building them for sale, on contract, to one or more distribution companies. The dynamic, day-by-day competition that the government envisaged in its White Paper of 1988, and for which a ''power pool'' system of extraordinary complexity was created, will, in all likelihood, never emerge. Meanwhile, the coal industry is being decimated, as the generating industry turns towards cheaper imported coal and natural gas. (Author)

[en] PPC is by far the major producer of solid fuels in Greece. Currently the known exploitable reserves of solid fuels, are 4,0 billions tones of lignite and 4 billion cubic meters of peat. Mining of Lignite in Greece started in 1951 at the Aliveri underground mine and was continued at the open cast mines at Ptolemais (1955) and Megalopolis (1919). For more than 45 years. PPC has successfully exploited the Greece Lignite deposit for the production of electricity in order to satisfy the demand in Greece. Today PPC produces 60 million tons of lignite and handles approximately 275 million cubic meters of masses (overburden, lignite and interculated) per year. Lignite is the main energy resource in Greece and its combustion provides 75-80% of the electrical energy consumed in Greece.The Lignite Center of Ptolemais - Amyndeon (LCP-A) operated by the Greece PPC is located in northern Greece, about 110 km west of the city of Thessaloniki. The lignite deposits under exploitation cover an area. of 120 km² including 4000 Mt of proven geological reserves and 2700 Mt of exploitable lignite under current economic and technological criteria. Today LCP-A manages six active mines which in 1997 have a rate of handling 245 mil cubic meter of material and producing approx. 48 mil for of lignite. The continuous mining method which employs BWES, conveyors and strackers is the principal mining method used in all the lignite mines at the Ptolemais-Amyndeon Lignite Center. The implementation of selective mining procedures as well as discontinuous and /or combined mining methods differentiates the mining technology at the LCP-A from the respective technology applied in Germany lignite mines. The quality properties suggest that the lignite deposits in Greece are among the world's worst quality deposits exploited for energy production, where approximately 2 kg of lignite are consumed per I kWh of generated power. The main advantages of PPC'S coal orientated development program are the following: Low cost of energy, Ensured Supply, Economizing on foreign exchange, domestic energy source. The established direction, for the unique European energy market, has created a new environment different from the one up until today. The creation of the unique internal energy market, places the mines with the imperative need to yield a more competitive product and to organize their development with regard to the market. (Author)