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Pulverised Fly Ash

A key output for CVORR is the creation of a model to account for complex value streams in resource recovery.  In coal fired power generation these value streams can be positive as in the case of the utility of Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA) as a concrete additive, or negative in the form of greenhouse gas emission which also has an direct financial cost within the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

The greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired power stations can be altered by burning biomass as fuel alongside the coal.  The addition of biomass however impacts different values of process outputs, for example: the carbon price liability is reduced and other non-energy payments are affected; at the same time the chemical composition of the fly and bottom ash is altered, making it potentially unsuitable for some applications as a construction material.

Within CVORR the PFA case study explores the complex value relationships between pollutants, waste streams and power generation.  It will demonstrate cross-system interactions between energy and waste, Global vs Local environmental pollutant problems, socio-economic impacts, and the clear engineering interventions which change the dynamics of each.