Fossil fuel power plant

A fossil fuel power plant (FFPP) (also known as steam electric power plant in the US, thermal power plant in Asia, or power station in the UK) is an energy conversion center designed on a large scale for continuous operation. Just as a battery converts relatively small amounts of chemical energy into electricity for temporary or intermittent use, the FFPP converts the sun's energy stored in fossil fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas successively into thermal energy, mechanical energy, and finally electric energy for continuous use and distribution across a wide geographic area. Each FFPP is a highly complex, custom-designed system. Present construction costs (2004) run to $1300/kW, or $650 million USD for a 500 MWe unit. Multiple generating units may be built at a single site for more efficient use of land, resources, and labor. The operational descriptions below are typical for a large plant and will vary from one plant to the next.

Related Topics:
US - Asia - UK - Battery - Chemical energy - Electricity - Fossil fuels - Coal - Natural gas - 2004 - MWe

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