A Hybrid Power-plant System To Reduce Carbon Emissions.

Emissions of CO and CO₂ are understood to be the main cause of global warming, melting of glaciers, heavy rain fall in some areas resulting in catastrophic floods and severe draughts in others. Introduction of national quotas is a political solution to limit carbon emissions; however, it cannot provide answers to the complex problem of climatic change. A permanent solution would require combustion free technologies for converting the chemical energy of fuels directly into electricity. In this respect, devices such as fuel cells are highly efficient direct energy conversion devices which have the true potential to reduce carbon emissions. This paper describes a conceptual hybrid power plant comprising a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and a closed cycle gas turbine. A simple analysis of the plant has been carried out to demonstrate that significant gains can be made in reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy utilisation efficiency and minimising the impact of thermal loading on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]