3. Pollutant Emissions of SO2 and Particulates (continued)

3.3 Main Sources of Air Pollution in SILAQ Countries

  Although insufficient and fragmented data has made it difficult to draw conclusions concerning the present status, trends and specific problems in the SILAQ countries with regard to the main sources of air pollution, power plants, co-generation and district heating facilities remain among the main contributors to poor air quality.

BOX 3: Main Pollutant Emission Sources in Slovenia and Associated Reduction Measures

The main sources of pollutant emissions in Slovenia are power plants. In 1993, these contributed some 81 percent of the total SO2 emissions. In addition, power stations are also an important source of particulate pollution in cities and towns. This is largely the result of the use of low-quality and high-sulfur content fuel. Among some of the initiatives taken to reduce the levels of emissions were:

  • Use of additives in 1992 in all five blocks of the biggest Slovene coal electricity power plant Sostanj to reduce air pollution. The measure resulted in the reduction of SO2 emission by 25 percent.
  • Sludge disposal sites operated on the basis of a closed water cycle (where the water is returned into the working cycle).
  • Dust dispersion is prevented by the simultaneous recultivation of the ash depot.
  • Use of a flue gas desulfurization unit which reduced SO2 emissions by more than 90 percent.
  • Use of electric filters which reduce particulate levels below the accepted standard.
  • The Trbovlje power plant, considered inappropriate for upgrading with cleaning devices, will be closed in 2004-2005. In the meantime, the plant will switch to the use of cleaner energy carriers. The ash depot is also well established which uses filtered water, and is simultaneously recultivated.
  • A switch from local to low sulfur import coal at the coal electricity power plant heater in Ljubljana (TE-TO) has helped reduce its emissions some 50 percent.

Source: Program for the Abatement of Air Pollution in Slovenia, Environment for Europe, Oct 23-25, 1995. Sofia, Bulgaria

Dominating Plants In reviewing power plants, the medium and large-scale plants using solid fuels tend to dominate the energy supply market. Although the process of privatization is at an advanced stage for all of the countries, most of the plants are still state owned and emit significant quantities of SO2 to the atmosphere. Particulate emissions from power plants are also commonplace, however among the SILAQ countries (Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary) discharges from residential and commercial combustion processes tend to be the major contributors of particulate emissions.

Emissions from power plants depend on the size of the plant and the type of the fuel used. In Bulgaria and Slovenia, it is the larger power plants with thermal capacity above 500 MW that dominate electricity production and air pollution in spite of a shift to imported solid and liquid fuels which are being used to replace solid fuels with medium and high sulfur contents (local lignites). In Slovenia, it is the use of local solid fuel with a high and medium sulfur content in power plants that contribute to air pollution. Romanian power plants tend to be of two types: small installations that run on liquid fuel, and medium-sized units that operate on local coal with a medium sulfur content. Generally the tendency is towards decreased consumption, however the import of liquid fuel with high sulfur content is rising. Slovakia has provided detailed information on the type, quantity, and sulfur content of the fuels burnt during 1990 and 1996, and this has indicated a stable decrease in the sulfur content of the fuel mix.
Other Means to Reduce Emissions In general, while fuel consumption for electricity production is decreasing, the import of liquid fuel with a high sulfur content is increasing, and thus power generation facilities remain a major source of SO2 pollution. Progress in the field of implementing technical measures to deal with particulate and SO2 emissions has also been slow and the potential to reduce emission levels by other means such as changing the fuel mix, reducing energy consumption and the installation of different pollution control devices are areas that should still be explored. The information provided here outlines the great opportunities that exist in the field, particularly if investments can be encouraged and more vigorous national policies would be pursued that would encourage investment in pollution-control and cleaner production technologies.

REC * PUBLICATIONS * REDUCTION OF SO2 AND PARTICULATE EMISSIONS * POLLUTANT EMISSIONS

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