Consulting-Specifying Engineer - December 2007 - (Page S6) NEWS & TRENDS Berkeley Lab’s ultraclean combustion technology for electricity generation An experimental gas turbine simulator equipped with an ultra-low-emissions combustion technology called LSI was tested successfully using pure hydrogen as a fuel—a milestone that indicates a potential to help eliminate millions of tons of carbon dioxide and thousands of tons of NOx from power plants each year. The LSI (low-swirl injector) technology, developed by Robert Cheng of the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, won a 2007 R&D 100 award from R&D magazine as one of the year’s top 100 new technologies. The LSI holds great promise for its nearzero emissions of nitrogen oxides, gases that are emitted during the combustion of fuels such as natural gas during the production of electricity. Nitrogen oxides, or NOx, are greenhouse gases as well as components of smog. The DOE’s Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability initially funded the development of the LSI for use in industrial gas turbines for on-site electricity production. The purpose of this research was to develop a natural gas-burning turbine using the LSI’s ability to substantially reduce NOx emissions. Cheng, Berkeley Lab colleague David Littlejohn, and Kenneth Smith and Wazeem Nazeer from Solar Turbines Inc. of San Diego adapted the low-swirl injector technology to a gas turbine that produces about seven megawatts of electricity. “This is a kind of rocket science,” says Cheng, who notes that these turbines, which are being used to produce electricity by burning gaseous fuels, are similar in operating principle to turbines that propel jet airplanes. First nuclear in 30 years NRG Energy, Inc., Princeton, N.J., and South Texas Project Nuclear Operating Co. (STP) announced in September filing of a construction and operating license application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for two new units at the STP nuclear power station site—the first such filing in almost 30 years. The total rated capacity of the new units, STP 3 and 4, will equal or exceed 2,700 MW. NRG expects to bring the units on line in 2014 and 2015. STP 3 and 4 are being developed as part of the company’s initiative to build approximately 10,000 MW of generation facilities that leverage NRG’s existing facilities’ infrastructure. STP currently operates units 1 and 2, and will operate the new units as well. The STP site in Matagorda County, Texas is considered to be one of the best sites in America for nuclear expansion. The 12,220-acre site and 7,000-acre cooling reservoir were originally designed for four units. The two new units will be built adjacent to the currently operating STP units 1 and 2. GLOBAL FINANCIAL FIRM TO POWER ALL U.S. OPERATIONS WITH WIND ING, a global financial institution of Dutch origin, announced the next phase of its worldwide sustainability commitment by agreeing to purchase clean, emission-free wind energy credits for its U.S. operations. The purchase is equal to 100% of its electricity usage at locations throughout the United States. The global financial services company is seeking to become carbon-neutral by the end of 2007. “ING is committed to conducting its business responsibly around the globe and environmental protection is a fundamental part of this commitment,” said Tom McInerney, executive board member, chairman and chief executive officer, ING Insurance Americas. “We make decisions about sustainability every day at ING, which is why we are part of a worldwide dialogue that addresses climate change and why we focus on developing strategies to mitigate ING’s impact on the environment.” With this commitment, ING joins the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership 100% Club. Marcus Peacock, EPA’s deputy administrator, commented, “America is shifting to a ‘green culture,’ with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility. EPA commends ING for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment by purchasing green power.” 6| PURE POWER // WINTER 2007
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