Supercritical technology: An issue of ‘ultra-supercritical’

Importance of Supercritical :-

 The concept of supercritical technology was introduced as a national plan in the Integrated Energy Policy report of 2006 issued by the Planning Commission.

 Ultra-supercritical technology is the new paradigm that the Indian power sector is aiming to touch.

What is this new generation technology? 

 Since coal is here to stay for a while, the ultra-super critical technology will help green the process while making it more efficient. 

 It noted that the average fuel conversion efficiency of Indian power plants is just about 30.5 per cent, though the new 500 MW plants have efficiency of 36 per cent.

 State-of-the-art supercritical boilers can reach an efficiency level of 46 per cent depending on plant location.

 Under Indian conditions an efficiency level of 38-40 per cent should be attainable.

This alone can reduce coal requirement by 111 million tonnes. 

How is Super Critical Technology Eco Friendly? 

 Ultra-supercritical technology uses steam with very high temperatures, up to 620°C, and pressure, up to 300 bar, resulting in a much higher efficiency than conventional coal fired plants.

A unit burns much less coal, thereby generating less emission per megawatt of power output.

 Power generation companies are likely to make this technological switch to drive up output and plant load factor, curb variable costs and cut down discharge of pollutants in the atmosphere.

 Efficiency savings will not only reduce operating costs and make better use of fossil fuels; they will reduce the overall liability for emissions.

 Will this provide a needed service to India? 

 This will provide a much-needed service to India, especially for farms and businesses.

 Due to an energy deficit of nearly 160 gigawatts, 400 million Indians do not have regular access to electricity.

 To India's economic planners, thermal power is the only viable option to fulfill India's energy demand.

 What is within our capability is to minimize the carbon footprint of coal-fired plants. This is where the more fuel-efficient ultra-supercritical technology can contribute.

Challenges :-

Way forward :-

  The union government had been taking a number of initiatives to promote the use of super critical technology.

 The government had taken initiative to make easy the manufacturing of component used in the super critical units.

 It is said that in the 13th five-year-plan, only super critical technology-based power plants would be set up in India.