Tom Wigley's report overlooks important factors
It is premature to dismiss gas-fired power
generation based on the material in one report by Tom Wigley comparing a few aspects
of coal power with a few aspects of natural gas production and use
There are more options to evaluate in making a transition from coal to natural gas and to renewable energy resources.
For example, suppose your objective is to generate renewable baseload
power from biomass that is converted into substitute natural gas (SNG).
While taking time to increase the production of of biomass resources,
one way to save time is to build the natural gas-fired power stations
and fuel them with natural gas during an interim transition period.
(See research at the University of Minnesota on
solar thermal gasification of biomass )
In another option the objective might be to reduce the amount of coal
required to generate electricity and to reduce CO2 emissions. In this
option, coal is converted into substitute natural gas (SNG). One
important benefit from this approach comes about because advanced gas
turbines developed by GE and Siemens this year achieve much greater
efficiency than is possible in coal-fired power stations. These new
power stations need only two-thirds the coal (just 2 tons of coal out of
every 3 tons) to generate the same amount of electricity as a
coal-fired power station. This option can also slash CO2 emissions by
60% or more.
(See the project to construct a
coal to natural gas conversion plant in Illinois )
One option that is rarely considered is the use of this technology to
remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Solar panels and wind-turbines might
have zero CO2 emissions, but they cannot remove any CO2. If biomass is
grown, it is removing CO2 from the atmosphere while it is growing and
storing solar energy. During gasification, some or all of that CO2 could
be separated and pumped into a carbon store. With this option, the more
energy generated, the faster CO2 is removed from the atmosphere.
In summary, it is premature to dismiss gas-fired power
generation based on the material in one report comparing a few aspects
of coal power with a few aspects of natural gas production and use.
There is some
more on these possibilities here
There are more options to evaluate in making a transition from coal to natural gas and to renewable energy resources.
For example, suppose your objective is to generate renewable baseload power from biomass that is converted into substitute natural gas (SNG).
While taking time to increase the production of of biomass resources, one way to save time is to build the natural gas-fired power stations and fuel them with natural gas during an interim transition period.
(See research at the University of Minnesota on solar thermal gasification of biomass )
In another option the objective might be to reduce the amount of coal required to generate electricity and to reduce CO2 emissions. In this option, coal is converted into substitute natural gas (SNG). One important benefit from this approach comes about because advanced gas turbines developed by GE and Siemens this year achieve much greater efficiency than is possible in coal-fired power stations. These new power stations need only two-thirds the coal (just 2 tons of coal out of every 3 tons) to generate the same amount of electricity as a coal-fired power station. This option can also slash CO2 emissions by 60% or more.
(See the project to construct a coal to natural gas conversion plant in Illinois )
One option that is rarely considered is the use of this technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Solar panels and wind-turbines might have zero CO2 emissions, but they cannot remove any CO2. If biomass is grown, it is removing CO2 from the atmosphere while it is growing and storing solar energy. During gasification, some or all of that CO2 could be separated and pumped into a carbon store. With this option, the more energy generated, the faster CO2 is removed from the atmosphere.
In summary, it is premature to dismiss gas-fired power generation based on the material in one report comparing a few aspects of coal power with a few aspects of natural gas production and use.
There is some more on these possibilities here