Setting requirements to carbon intensity of thermal power plants

The article proposes and substantiates benchmarks of specific greenhouse gas emissions as targets to turn to more advanced and environmentally friendly production mode while reducing carbon intensity of the thermal power industry. Restrictive and stimulating levels of CO2 emissions for thermal power plants were determined based on industry benchmarking results for different types of fuels and power stations, taking into account the actual condition of the operational equipment. Three approaches to determining carbon intensity benchmarks are considered: per ton of oil equivalent burnt (t CO2-eq /t), per unit of generated electric energy (t CO2-eq /MWh), and per unit of generated thermal energy (t CO2-eq /Gcal). The study demonstrates that setting restrictive benchmarks for the use of coal in the thermal power industry would not contribute to a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and slow down Best Available Techniques implementation on pulverized coal-fired thermal power plants. Therefore, the authors propose to establish carbon intensity targets taking into account both the economic and technological status of the energy sector. Additionally, the paper proposes restrictive and stimulating benchmarks for carbon intensity in electricity generation at thermal power plants to promote further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.