Electricity usage is rising rapidly as new major economies develop in places such as China and India. This requirement for electricity drives a growing demand for electricity generation, with thousands of new power plants needed across the world over the coming decades
Every form of electricity generation has its strengths and weakness. Future electricity generation will require a range of different options, although they must be low carbon if greenhouse gas emissions are to be reduced.
| Pro's | Con's | |
|---|---|---|
| WIND & SOLAR | Emits essentially no CO2 across its life cycle. | Has an impact on the landscape. Wind power also emits noise. |
| Has no fuel costs. | Dependent on available wind or sunshine. | |
| Has significant investment costs. | ||
| BIOMASS | Resources are geographically diversified and political risk is limited. | Supply of larger volumes can be difficult to secure. |
| By using biomass in power production instead of fossil fuels, CO2 emissions are significantly reduced. | Biomass may be more expensive than using energy sources such as coal, gas or nuclear power with operating cost dependant on feedstock contract. | |
| Properly managed biomass is carbon neutral over time. | ||
| HYDRO POWER | Has almost no emissions that impact the climate or the environment. | Hydro power plants are a significant encroachment on the landscape and impact river ecosystems. |
| Provides large-scale and stable electricity generation. | Constructing a new hydro power plant requires a substantial investment. | |
| Functions as balancing power. | ||
| Has no fuel costs. | ||
| Hydro power plants have a long economic life. | ||
| NATURAL GAS | Can be a transition fuel in the conversion to a sustainable energy system. | Emits CO2, though to a lesser extent than the combustion of other fossil fuels. |
| Allows a high degree of flexibility. | Some regions that export natural gas face political instability. | |
| Natural gas will become more competitive as CO2 prices rise. | Natural gas is a more expensive energy source than other fossil fuels. | |
| NUCLEAR POWER | Emits low levels of CO2 across its life cycle. | The management of high-level waste requires storage in secure facilities for a very long time. |
| Provides stable and large-scale electricity generation. | Construction of a new nuclear power plant requires major investments. | |
| Costs for fuel, operation and maintenance are normally relatively low. | security considerations as a possible terrorist target. | |
| COAL | Provides stable and large-scale electricity generation. | Coal power plants emit high levels of CO2. |
| Coal power has a competitive production cost. | Technologies to reduce coal power plant CO2 emissions are expensive. | |
| Fuel costs are low and coal markets are well-functioning. | Coal mining impacts significantly on the landscape and infrastructure. |
CWC Gulf are working on a number of renewable energy projects involving Solar power, Wind and Wave energy. We are also the appointed consultants for a $50 million Biomass project in Iran as well as advisers on several coal fired power projects and electricity grid developments in the Caribbean.
CWC Gulf can provide in co-operation with our partners the technology and plant to produce either green, clean biofuel products such as Bio diesel/ EN590/B100/EN14214 or electricity. Using organic solids, municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial waste, sludge, wood, agricultural waste, used oil, rubber tires, and non-recyclable plastics, brown coal and/or peat as the primary feed stock, a waste to energy (WTE) plant can provide an efficient, environmentally friendly, cost effective and emission free process.
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