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By Sreekumar Raghavan

MUMBAI: The world is moving from super critical technology to ultra super critical technology to reduce carbon emissions in coal fired power plants. Sequestrian technology that can capture CO2 and bury it underground is also gaining momentum with many countries conducting R D to make it viable by 2020.

It is against this background that International Finance Corporation s (IFC) defence of the 4000 MW power project of Tata Power Co Ltd should be assessed. On Tuesday, major environmental groups had urged the World Bank to reconsider funding of the $4.2 bn ulta mega power project in Gujarat.

Responding to Commodity Online s story Why is Tata Power silent on Mundra Power Plant , Ruhee Dhar, Associate Sr Consultant of IFC provided us the following details. The (Mundra) project uses supercritical technology. This technology and the choice of unit sizes will help the project produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than regular coal fired power stations.

Supercritical technology will help the project achieve higher efficiency, which saves fuel and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The greenhouse gas emissions per kilowatt hour of energy generated will be about 750 grams of carbon dioxide per kWh, as compared to India s national average of 1,259 g CO2/ kWh for coal based power plants.

The world average is 919 g CO2/ kWh, while the average for OECD countries is 888 g CO2/ kWh. (Figures are for 2005.)

As compared to any other subcritical power plant in India, this project will avoid burning 1.7 million tonnes of coal per year, thus averting carbon emissions of 3.6 million tonnes per year, according to IFC s documents.

In China, a research project of Ultra Supercritical Coal Fired Power Generation Technology supported by the National 863 Program and undertaken jointly by the former State Power Corp., China Huaneng Group and China Power Investment Corporation, passed acceptance check recently.

Proponents of ultra supercritical technology argue that it is a superior technology when compared to supercritical technology. This terminology is used to differentiate the pressure and temperature conditions of the steam as compared to other types of coal plants with lower pressure and temperature conditions.

The ultra supercritical cycle is currently the most advanced steam power cycle that has been developed that is both economical and reliable, according to experts.