Published December 2008
Natural gas fired power plants currently supply close to 20 percent of U.S. electricity generation. Because natural gas is one of the cleanest available fossil fuel and combined-cycle power plants are much more efficient than conventional coal fired steam units or gas turbines alone, power generation based on natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) design is expected to increase in the future. forecasts into the future.
This review examines the technical and economic aspects of natural gas fired power plants based on our conceptual design of a natural gas combined-cycle plant employing two advanced GE 7FB gas turbines, two three-pressure unfired heat recovery steam generators (HRSG), and a condensing reheat steam turbine. The study is based on a nominal 550 MW (net) NGCC unit without carbon capture.
This review is designed to help technology providers and electrical power producers select state-of-the-art and emerging technologies for power plants suited to meet near-term market needs of low cost power generation and reducing emissions to meet latest state and federal air quality requirements while also anticipating future limits on carbon dioxide emissions.
