BTJ 3/2008 - Baltic Transport Journal

opponents came forward. The risk of devastating
flora and fauna in the warm waters of
the Bay of Gdańsk, which would have to be
used to cool turbines has been raised. Poland
is already a European “leader” in carbon dioxide
emission, which exceeds EU standards
many times.
Very green technology
In order to meet the objections at the
next meeting, the originators of the power
plant invited representatives of the General
Electric Energy company. The concern offers
a unique technology of electricity production
called IGCC (Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle). This technology, as
picturesquely presented by GE Energy, can
be applied even “at the top of a mountain”.
It does not require cooling turbines with
water, as air can be used instead. Due to a
2/3 lesser demand for coolant than in conventional
power plants, fan cooling may be
applied then supported with sprinkling, thus
eliminating the use of the flow system with
water from the bay. The exclusion of chimney
cooling systems makes the pillars that
remove sulphur compounds the only high
objects in the plant, although they are still
lower than in standard solutions. The area
occupied by the IGCC system is compara-
ble to the size of a conventional power plant.
For a power of 800 MW approximately 20
hectares would be sufficient, while doubling
the power does not imply the same increase
in the area. In this context, as guaranteed
by the Port of Gdańsk Authority, the use of
even 40 hectares for the power plant would
not interfere with the development plans of
the Port of Gdańsk.
The input product for the combustion
process is a synthetic gas, relatively simple
to be purified from the remnants of mercury
and sulphur. Arsenic compounds are
removed in a set of precipitators with activated
coal. Therefore, if the IGCC system is
applied in Gdańsk, either fed by gas or coal,
it would mean an actual ecological revolution
because, according to the representatives
of GE Energy, in this solution there are
no solid waste problems. Coal combusted to
produce gas gives waste in the form of slag.
Its chemical indifference, confirmed with
tests, achieves a level that permits waste to
be used to harden the surface of dirt roads
in the forest.
Feasible in 4-5 years
Other investments may follow the construction
of a power plant. The collapse of
the Polish coal export market during the last
two years stopped the transshippment on the
piers of the Northern Port. After the liquidation
of many Polish mines it has become necessary
to start transshipping imported coal
to/from the Port. However, the port appliances
are not adapted to operate in this direction.
Therefore, it might be worth including
the costs of making the coal piers universal
within the comprehensive study on the profitability
of a new power plant location in the
close vicinity.
Today GE Energy declares its readiness to
fulfil the order for a power plant construction
within 4-5 years. The initial calculations show
that this investment is reasonable. The cost of
“constructing 1 MW” in the IGCC technology
is similar to the cost of constructing such
a capacity in a conventional coal combusting
technology. The GE Energy system has already
proven itself in many power plants all over the
world, with 62 coal gasification systems already
operating with this technology.
40% of global electricity production is based
on coal. Refined methods of environmental
protection, such as the IGCC system, can make
such solutions more popular, as coal fields remain
the largest source of fossil fuel today.
Janusz Kasprowicz
Spokesperson for
the Port of Gdańsk Authority SA
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