What if? Energy consumption
To reduce emission of greenhouse gases, the conventional fossil fuel-burning power stations at Didcot may ultimately be replaced by power from renewable source. From nuclear fission or nuclear fusion.
How much energy does an average family use? Where does it come from?
The average household in SE England used 4,953 kilowatt hours of electricity in 2003 and 20,542 kilowatt hours of natural gas (DTI website).
The electricity comes from large power stations burning oil, natural gas or coal, or using nuclear energy. The natural gas comes from the North Sea or is imported in liquid form from overseas. We consume additional energy (mainly petrol and diesel refined from oil) for our transport needs.
Our local landscape is dominated by the cooling towers of Didcot. Will they ever be replaced?
There are two power stations located to the west of Didcot: Didcot ‘A’ and Didcot ‘B’ which together produce a total energy output of 3400 MegaWatt. This is 4% of total UK generating capacity (79,562 MW).
Didcot ‘A’ is a 2000 MW coal-fired power station that has been operating since 1970. Coal is normally delivered by rail and there is also the capability to burn gas on three of the four generating units.
At full working capacity, it consumes approximately five million tonnes of coal per year.
Future of biomass
The station also burns biomass in the form of sawdust and palm kernel expeller (shipped from Malaysia), which replaces up to 10% of weight in coal. The management is encouraging local farmers to grow willow as a future biomass source.
Future of Didcto A
Didcot ‘A’ comes to the end of its lifecycle in 2015. The decision about its future, whether it will be upgraded or decommissioned, will be made according to the commercial position of the plant at the time.
Didcot B
Didcot ‘B’ is a 1,400MW combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant that burns natural gas. The power station is designed to operate with an average thermal efficiency of 55%. It was completed in 1996 and has a nominal 25 year life-cycle.
http://www.npower.com/education/powerstations/didcot.aspx
www.open.ac.uk/T206/5longtour.htm
