Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2018 May 23

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May 23

U.S. coal burning power plant efficiency

Where can I find data for improvement in efficiency of coal burning power plants in the U.S.? Basically what I want to know is how much power 1 ton of coal produced 10/50/100 years ago in the average coal burning electric power plant vs. today's figures. I'm not particular about the time frame really... Just looking for a large span of time and what 1 ton (again, just an example) of coal would produce then and now.

I just don't know where I can find the numbers in a way that a person who barely knows how to wire a light switch can understand. :)

Thanks, †dismas†|^(talk) 19:36, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

This does not answer your question, but it does provide you with a) examples of different ways efficiency can be measured and b) provides methods of calculating them. So, it may help your search and/or aid you in interpreting the results. Short version: it appears to be quite complicated. :-) Matt Deres (talk) 22:00, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

One complication that becomes significant over longer time frames is the quality of the coal. It varies dramatically in its ability to cleanly deliver energy. Reserves of good coal may become exhausted in one area, leading to a different source being used, or crappier coal. Direct comparisons are difficult. HiLo48 (talk) 23:30, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

Also, "efficiency" is measured in percent of available energy that is extracted, rather than kW/ton (or whatever). According to the following sources, the earliest coal power plants operated at about 1% efficiency, today's average is about 33%, and the most efficient plant in the world is the Nordjylland Power Station in Denmark, with a 47% efficiency rate. These data are for world figures, not U.S., however.

• "High efficiency low emission coal". World Coal Association.
• "Coal-fired power plants efficiency| Level & Trends in the world | WEC". wec-indicators.enerdata.net (in French).
• "Analysis: Efficiency of coal-fired power stations – evolution and prospects". euractiv.com. 25 April 2006.

—2606:A000:1126:4CA:0:98F2:CFF6:1782 (talk) 13:49, 24 May 2018 (UTC)