Reducing environmental impacts - Energy
Over the past ten years, Rolls-Royce has been working to improve our existing generation and pumping plant to create new high efficiency power generation gas turbines, based on our Trent aero engine systems. We are playing an active role in promoting new emission standards through the US based Gas Turbine Association and the European Union based EUnited Turbine - Zero Emissions Powerplant initiative.
In Montreal, our energy business has successfully introduced low emissions combustion on our industrial Trent engines which can be operated either 'dry' on natural gas or with water injection into the combustor for low emissions and using a range of different fuels.
The need to operate with a range of fuel specifications is becoming an increasingly common requirement. For example, we are exploring the environmental impacts and technical feasibility of using biofuels. Some aspects of biofuels are readily compatible with our power systems but these fuels are still immature. There remain significant challenges to be addressed in responding to materials and corrosion effects and feedstock variability.
Although alternative fuels, nuclear and renewables may provide an increasing proportion of mankind's energy needs, fossil fuels will still be required for the immediate future. Using 'conventional' fossil fuels whilst achieving reductions in CO2 emissions will demand effective carbon capture and storage schemes, with CO2 being pumped into underground or seabed reservoirs.
Rolls-Royce already has extensive experience in pumping for major oil and gas installations and pipelines around the world. We are considering applying this experience to deliver improved engineering solutions for CO2 pumping and handling.
Case study
Whitby, Canada - combined heat and power plant
A Rolls-Royce Trent 60 is operating at Whitby in
Canada. The Trent 60 uses dry low emissions (DLE)
technology and can produce up to 52MW, whilst
contributing to improved air quality through both
low NOx and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions.
It is the largest and most efficient aeroderivative
gas turbine available in the energy market.
At Whitby, the exhaust heat from the gas turbine is used to produce steam for an adjacent newsprint recycling facility. By using the waste heat from the gas turbine in this way the overall efficiency of the plant can approach 70 per cent.
