The World in 2030

The World in 2030 185
Siemens and EON are working together on a new
power plant project in Irsching, Bavaria, that will
set the new standards for performance capacity,
economy and environmental compatibility. With a
targeted efficiency of 60 per cent in a combined cycle
operation (gas and steam), Siemens seeks to set
the world record for combined cycle power plants.
Siemens is also working on innovative power plant
designs for the environmentally compatible use of
coal. One example is the so-called IGCC technology,
or integrated gasification combined cycle.
An IGCC power plant is a combined cycle generating
facility with an upstream coal gasification plant
that produces synthetic gas. The IGCC plants produce
between 60 and 80 per cent less sulfur dioxide
and nitrogen oxide than the most advanced conventional
coal-fired power plants. 353
And getting rid of CO 2
by pumping carbon into rocks also
has great potential for producing clean energy. According to
New Scientist:
Pumping carbon dioxide through hot rocks could simultaneously
generate power and mop up the greenhouse
gases produced by fossil fuel power stations,
according to a new study.
Harnessing geothermal power involves extracting
heat from beneath the surface of the Earth. Normally,
this means pumping water down through hot rocks
and extracting it again. But the new analysis suggests