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Electricity
How many power plants for 'non-renewable' electricity do you think should be built? How will you generate the electricity you need? read more
How many power plants for 'non-renewable' electricity do you think should be built?
Here, you can choose how you want to generate the electricity you need.
Keep in mind what you have already filled in for the sections 'Demand', 'Costs' and 'Goals'. At the bottom of the screen ('Targets met'), you can see how many of your own policy targets you meet with the current electricity production mix. If you move your cursor over this indicator, you will see a table with more details.
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Coal plants
Coal-fired power plants tend to be running as much as possible. They produce roughly twice as much CO2 as gas-fired ones. They are not flexible in their output.
numberPulverized coal800 megawatt electric (MWe) ultra-supercritical pulverized coal-fired plant. Of all types of power plants, coal and lignite-fired ones contribute most to pollution of the environment. This is the most common type of modern coal-fired power plant in rich countries with relatively strict regulations for air pollution. Also see information in section "Costs".
A coal-fired power plant is a baseload power plant, meaning it is producing at maximum capacity more than 75% of the time.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Pulverized coal CCSThe same pulverized coal-fired plant as above. This one uses capture and storage of most of the produced CO2. This technology is called 'Carbon Capture and Storage' (CCS). Because CCS costs energy, this power plant has a lower effective production capacity than a standard coal-fired power plant. To make the same amount of electricity, more fuel is burnt.
The CCS plant contributes less to air pollution by CO2 and other materials than its non-CCS counterpart. Also see information in section 'Costs'.
A coal-fired power plant is a baseload power plant, meaning it is producing at maximum capacity more than 75% of the time.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.
Coal IGCCIntegrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant. This is an 800 MWe coal gasification plant. In theory, this type of plant can also burn gasified biomass and even some forms of waste. These plants are less polluting than pulverized coal-fired ones.
Also see information in section 'Costs'.
A coal-fired power plant is a baseload power plant, meaning it is producing at maximum capacity more than 75% of the time. Coal-gasification does make this plant more flexible than its solid coal-fired counterparts.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Coal IGCC CCSThis is the same IGCC plant as above, except that it captures and stores most of the produced CO2. This is called Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Because CCS costs energy, this power plant has a lower effective production capacity than a standard IGCC power plant. To make the same amount of electricity, more fuel is burnt.
Also see information in section 'Costs'.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Coal conventionalHere you can build conventional coal-fired plants of 800 MWe. These plants are not built anymore in rich countries, due to environmental restrictions. The power generated is shown in the graph on the right as coal-fired electricity production.
A coal-fired power plant is a baseload power plant, meaning it is producing at maximum capacity more than 75% of the time.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Central coal CHPLarge ultra-supercritical pulverized coal-fired plants. This type of plant is identical to the pulverized coal plant used to make electricity, except that it is also used to supply heat to a central heating grid, reducing its electric efficiency.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value. -
Gas plants
Gas-fired power plants produce roughly half as much CO2 as coal-fired ones. They are quite flexible in their output and therefore used to fill in peaks in demand.
numberGas conventionalA conventional steam turbine gas-fired power plant.
Note: Most new gas-fired plants are combined cycle units (see below) as these are more efficient.
Flexible gas-fired plants are often used for meeting daily electricity demand peaks and therefore produce less electricity per year than coal-fired plants of the same production capacity.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Gas CCGTHere you can build Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power plants consisting of 800 MWe. For more information, see the 'Costs' section.
Flexible gas-fired plants are often used for meeting daily electricity demand peaks and therefore produce less electricity per year than coal-fired plants of the same production capacity.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Gas CCGT CCSThe same gas-fired plant as above. This one uses capture and storage of most of the produced CO2. This technology is called 'Carbon Capture and Storage' (CCS). Because CCS costs energy, this power plant has a lower effective production capacity than a standard CCGT power plant. To make the same amount of electricity, more fuel is burnt.
Flexible gas-fired plants are often used for meeting daily electricity demand peaks and therefore produce less electricity per year than coal-fired plants of the same production capacity. A CCS plant is less flexible than its non-CCS counterpart.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.Gas turbineHere you can build gas turbine power plants. These are less efficient than the combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGT), but have the advantage that they can handle being turned on and off within minutes. These turbines are therefore most often used to provide power during demand peaks.
Although the number of operating hours per year and total electricity production of these plants are quite limited, they are extremely useful to have in your power mix.Central gas CHPThis builds a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit of ~800 MWe that runs on gas. The power generated is shown in the graph on the right as 'gas-fired' power production. The heat produced is supplied to the central heating grid.
More information on units...Gas CHPThis indicates how many small Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units of ~1 MWe (~1 MWth) you have built in the 'Demand' section. Because their electricity production is not centralized, you cannot influence this number in this section. The power generated is shown in the graph on the right as 'gas-fired' power production.
More information on units...Micro-CHPThis indicates how many micro-CHP units you have built in the 'Demand' section. Because their electricity production is not centralized, you cannot influence this number in this section. The power generated is shown in the graph on the right as 'gas-fired' power production. -
Oil plants
Oil-fired power plants are not common in Europe. These plants produce less CO2 than coal-fired plants, but more than gas-fired ones.
numberOil-firedThis builds 800 MWe crude oil-fired power plants. It is often possible to burn natural gas in these plants as well.
It is more profitable to refine crude oil into many different products than it is to burn it directly, especially since cheaper fossil fuels exist (e.g. coal). For that reason these plants are relatively rare.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value. -
Nuclear plants
Nuclear power plants tend to be running as much as possible. They are not flexible in their output. The model does not include any CO2 emission for nuclear power plants.
numberNuclear 3rd GenThis builds 1,600 MWe nuclear power plants of the latest type (3rd generation, EPR).
Of all power plants, obtaining the necessary permits and building a nuclear power plant takes the longest (11-12 years on average). It is questionable if it is possible to build more than a few nuclear power plants per country in the coming three decades. This becomes even more evident when you factor in public opinion, an imminent shortage of technicians with the required expertise and a shortage of production capacity for nuclear reactor vessels on a mid-term basis.
Environmental groups argue that producing nuclear fuel (enriched uranium) results in CO2 emissions. This is true, of course, but the same can be said of coal mining and the production of steel and concrete for wind turbines. For now, CO2 emissions from such activities are not consided.
Because the model uses standard size plants, and in reality both smaller and larger plants may exist, the number of plants installed may not be an integer value.
Nuclear plants are expensive to build and relatively cheap to run, so they tend to run at maximum capacity as much as possible (more than 80% of the time).
