Coal-based power and the environment
All energy generation has an environmental impact. Coal-fired power plants emit CO2, which contributes to climate change. This is why Vattenfall is developing the CCS technology to reduce emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The CCS technology is not ready for commercial operation yet. Until it is, Vattenfall will continue working to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by making our existing plants more efficient so that they can generate more electricity per unit of emitted carbon dioxide. Vattenfall is also planning to increase co-combustion of coal and biomass fuel to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The difference between biomass fuels and fossil fuels such as coal and oil is that fossil fuels have been outside the cycle for millions of years while it is possible for carbon dioxide from biomass fuels to be balanced out by natural re-growth in nature in the foreseeable future. Increased use of biomass fuels would, thus, reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Other emissions from the combustion of coal are particulates (dust), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrous oxides (NOX). Vattenfall has virtually eliminated the emissions of particulates, while SO2 and NOX emissions have been significantly reduced through modern flue gas cleaning technology.
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