Air

Athens Generating makes it a priority to protect air quality while producing efficient electricity. Athens Generating utilizes natural gas to produce electricity. Natural Gas produces fewer emissions than other conventional fossil fuels used to power generating facilities such as coal and fuel oil. To further reduce our impact our facility employs the use of emission reducing technology to lower emission levels and set us apart from other generating facilities.

Athens Generating uses a combination of highly controlled combustion and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technologies to minimize nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The utilization of dry low NOx technology to inject air into the fuel to reduce the amount of NOx produced by combustion and greatly reduces that amount of water use associated with traditional means of lowering NOx production which injects water/steam into the fuel. The SCR process consists of injecting aqueous ammonia (NH40H) into the exhaust gas stream and then passing the stream through a catalyst bed where the NOx and NH40H react to breakdown the NOx into nitrogen and water vapor, harmless elements that are naturally present in the environment.

Natural Gas burns cleaner than both fuel oil and coal, producing fewer emissions and greater efficiency. When put into use in Athens Generating combined cycle technology natural gas provides nearly double the efficiency of traditional fossil fuels. Natural gas produces significantly lower levels of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Sulfur Dioxides (SO2) which are by products of combustion. NOx and SO2 are primary catalysts of acid rain any reduction in the amount of these compounds produced by combustion improves air and water quality. Natural gas is composed of approximately 40 percent less carbon than coal. The Athens Generating Plant has a lower impact on climate change than traditional generating facilities that use coal and oil to produce electricity because natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels. Athens Generating also uses combined cycle technology putting our technology on the cutting edge of efficiency reusing the heat from exhaust that would normally be wasted by older traditional plants. The high rate of efficiency of the plant allows us to produce more energy at a lower carbon cost. The fuel selection and cutting edge technology employed by Athens Generating Plant reduces its impact on climate change in comparison to older plants.

This graph was prepared using data available from the EPA

This graph was prepared using data available from the EPA