The Future of Coal Ash

Transcription

1 The Future of Coal Ash NRMCA April 15, 2010 Ken Ladwig Senior Research Manager Concrete Sustainability Conference 1 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

2 About EPRI Established in 1973 Objective, tax-exempt, t collaborative research Participating companies provide over 90% of North American electricity generated. Independent, nonprofit center for public interest energy and environmental research Concrete Sustainability Conference 2 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

3 EPRI Coal Combustion Product Research CCP Research Program initiated in years of experience and results Provides utilities with information and technologies for management of CCPs Provides scientific information to inform policy regulatory decisions Current focus is to help ensure sustainable CCP management practices combining environmentally sound disposal and continued beneficial use Concrete Sustainability Conference 3 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

4 What Are CCPs? Fly Ash Bottom Ash Boiler Slag Flue Gas Desulfurization Materials FGD Gypsum Scrubber Sludge Spray Dryer Absorber Material FBC Ash Concrete Sustainability Conference 4 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

5 CCP Generation and Collection Concrete Sustainability Conference 5 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

6 CCP Annual Production million short tons SDA, 3.5 Other, 1.5 Scrubber Sludge, 13.0 FBC, 9.5 FGD Gypsum, 17.8 Fly Ash, 72.5 Boiler Slag, 2.0 Bottom Ash, 18.4 ACAA, 2009; SDA data from EPRI, Concrete Sustainability Conference 6 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

7 Fly Ash Composition - Major Constituent Medians (39 plants) K S Mg Na Other Ca Fe Si Al Data from EPRI (1987) Concrete Sustainability Conference 7 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

8 Fly Ash Composition - Trace Constituents (39 plants) 1E+05 1.E+05 1.E+04 Co oncentration (mg g/kg) 1.E+03 1.E+02 1.E+01 1.E+00 1.E-01 1.E-02 Hg Cd Se Mo As Pb Ni Cr Mn Ba Sr Data from EPRI (1987); mercury from EPRI database Concrete Sustainability Conference 8 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

9 Fly Ash Management Collected dry with electrostatic precipitator or fabric filters Transported either wet (to ponds) or dry (to silos) 55-60% disposed landfills and ponds 40-45% utilized concrete structural fills cement Concrete Sustainability Conference 9 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

10 Fly Ash Use Million Tons (42%) 14 of tons) Fly Ash Us sed (millions Concrete Structural Fills Cement Waste Stabilization Road Base Mine Reclamation Soil Stabilization Other Concrete Sustainability Conference 10 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

11 Environmental Benefits of Using Fly Ash Energy Savings Water Savings Reduced CO 2 Emissions Reduced Need for Disposal Sites Conservation of Natural Resources; Reduced Use of Virgin Materials Concrete Sustainability Conference 11 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

12 Environmental Benefits of Using Fly Ash in Concrete Point of Impact Annual Savings* Equivalent to Energy Annual energy use for 0.6 million households 55 (trillion Btu) 16% of annual wind power generation in the U.S. Water 11% of domestic water withdrawals for Arizona in 1.2 (billion gal) 2000 CO 2 equiv. (million tons) 9.6 Removal of 1.7 million cars from roadways Land Space Land area about the half the size of New York s (million yds 3 13 ) Central Park (25 ft thick) Financial (billion $) 1.7 Annual full-time salary of 44,000 average Americans *Based on 2007 data for beneficial use of CCPs Concrete Sustainability Conference 12 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

13 Fly Ash Production and Management Trends Disposed Other Uses Concrete ons Million T ACAA, Concrete Sustainability Conference 13 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

14 Potential Threats to the Future Use of Fly Ash in Concrete Changing Air Emissions Controls (Clean Air Act) NO X,Mercury, SO 3, Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) Regulations/Hazardous Waste Designation (RCRA) Environmental Risk/Public Perception Acetate De-Icers Biomass Co-Firing Advanced Coal Generation Technologies (IGCC) Changes in US Energy Portfolio; Increased Renewables, Nuclear, Natural Gas Concrete Sustainability Conference 14 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

15 NO x Control SNCR Economizer Combustion Modifications, RRI Furnace SCR Air Heater Particulate Collector FGD Absorber Stack Potential Issues Ammonia; Unburned Carbon Concrete Sustainability Conference 15 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

16 Mercury Control MinPlus Injection Combustion Modifications Furnace Economizer MerCure Sorbent Injection Toxecon II Sorbent Injection Wet ESP Coremoval Air Heater FGD Absorber b Particulate Collector KNX Injection -Activated Carbon Injection -Amended Silicates Injection -BASF Mineral-based Sorbent Injection -Mercury Oxidation Catalysts -Toxecon Installation -Wet FGD Coremoval Stack -Scrubber Additives Potential Issues Activated Carbon, Mercury, Halides Concrete Sustainability Conference 16 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

17 SO 3 Control Furnace Mg Injection Economizer Furnace - SBS Injection? - Mg Injection - SBS Injection - Hydrated Lime Injection - Condensing Air Heater Wet ESP -Fuel Additives Air Heater Particulate Collector - Ammonia Injection - Hydrated Lime Injection - SBS Injection - Trona Injection FGD Absorber Stack Potential Issues Sodium; Alkalinity; Trace Constituents Concrete Sustainability Conference 17 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

18 Regulatory Background 1980 Bevill Amendment 1988 First Report to Congress 1993 First Regulatory Determination - fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, FGD products 1999 Second Report to Congress 2000 Second Regulatory Determination - comanagement with low volume wastes Concrete Sustainability Conference 18 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

19 Current Regulatory Schedule Kingston Dike Failure (Dec 2008) Proposal Sent to OMB and Others for Interagency Review (Oct 2009) Alternatives Subtitle D (Non-Hazardous) Subtitle C (Hazardous) Hybrid Approach Proposal by May? Final Rule? Concrete Sustainability Conference 19 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

20 Some Regulatory Options Hybrid Approach Disposal hazardous; Some CCP uses exempt Liability concerns may significantly limit all CCP use Wet C Wet handled CCPs hazardous; dry nonhazardous Less impact on CCP use? Wet Management Phaseout Could be combined with other options DPrime Concrete Sustainability Conference 20 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

21 Key Issues in the Regulatory Decision Damage Cases (including new cases) Refined Risk Assessment Impact on CCP Use Impact on Power Plant Operations Length of Phase-in Period Cost Federal Enforceability States, CCP marketers, trade groups, utilities, and others assert that hazardous waste designation will reduce or eliminate use of CCPs Concrete Sustainability Conference 21 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

22 Changes that Could Increase the Future Use of Fly Ash in Concrete Improved Combustion Technology Conversion to Dry Handling Increased Disposal Costs Regulatory Restrictions on Unencapsulated Uses Improved Beneficiation Technologies High Volume Fly Ash Concrete Research Sustainability Initiatives CO 2 credits Green labeling Concrete Sustainability Conference 22 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

23 Together Shaping the Future of Electricity Concrete Sustainability Conference 23 National Ready Mixed Concrete Association