Air Pollution Control for Coal-Fired Power Plants

Report Highlights

The U.S. market for air pollution control technologies for coal-fired power plants should reach nearly $3.9 billion in 2012. Total market value is expected to reach nearly $4.4 billion in 2017 after increasing at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%.

Report Includes

• An overview of the market for air pollution control technologies for both utility and nonutility coal-fired power plants.
• Analyses of market trends, with data from 2011, estimates for 2012, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2017.
• Examinations of technologies designed for retrofitting existing plants to meet new standards, as well as technologies for repowering existing facilities and for new plant construction.
• Characterizations of the types of air emissions associated with coal-based power systems and the key regulations that drive technology requirements.
• Evaluations of the current research-and-development status and effectiveness of control technologies for sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), and so-called hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), or “air toxics,” with a primary emphasis currently on mercury.
• Reviews of recent patent activity.
• Discussion of industry structure and competitive analysis, with a focus on the electric power generation and air pollution control industries.
• Delineation of current government, regulatory, and public issues.
• Comprehensive company profiles of major players.

Report Scope

The report provides an analysis of the market for air pollution control technologies and equipment for both utility and non-utility coal-fired power plants.  It includes technologies designed for retrofitting existing plants to meet new standards, as well as technologies for repowering existing facilities and for new plant construction.  The report characterizes the types of air emissions associated with coal-based power systems and the key regulations that drive technology requirements.  It evaluates the current R&D status and effectiveness of control technologies for sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and so called hazardous air pollutants (HAPs, or “air toxics”).  The primary emphasis for HAP control at this time is on mercury emissions.

Since carbon dioxide (CO₂) is not a toxic substance in the chemical and environmental control sense, it is not in the scope of this study even though there are current measures being taken to call it a pollutant for its greenhouse gas properties.  We do discuss some of the current discussions regarding carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, but do not attempt to estimate and forecast such markets since they do not yet really exist at this time (and, since CO₂ is not a toxic air pollutant, these markets are outside our scope).

The market analysis section in this report provides a detailed analysis and estimates of the markets in base year 2012 and five-year market forecasts for year 2017 for each major technology.  Because of the extreme uncertainties in these times, both economic and political, we use a simple scenario analysis to estimate and forecast these markets.  Any market estimates these days, especially in politically sensitive regulated arenas, are very speculative, and ours are no exception.

This report consists of eight narrative chapters, of which this is the first, plus an appendix with a glossary of important terms.  The narrative and market analysis chapters that follow are:

The Summary is next and encapsulates our findings and conclusions, including a summary market table.  It is the place where busy executives can find the major findings of the study in summary format.

Next is an Overview to the coal-based power industry.  We start with an overview to coal, electricity generation and industrial processes used in the industry.  We then discuss the primary air pollutants from coal-based power generation.

Next is a section devoted to air pollution control technologies for coal-fired power plants.  We describe and discuss the major pollutants and the means for their control.  We end with a review of recent patent activity.

Next is our market analysis chapter, with estimates and forecasts for methods to control the four primary types of air pollution from coal-based power plants: sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter and hazardous air toxics (for these the focus in recent years is on mercury control).  Our base estimate year is 2012 and we forecast to 2017.  As noted, our market analyses and forecasts are in the form of a simple scenario analysis, with optimistic, pessimistic and most realistic scenarios.

The next chapter is devoted to industry structures and competitive analysis, with focus on the electric power generation and air pollution control industries.

We follow next with a chapter devoted to government, regulatory and public issues.  The environment is a very politically sensitive issue, and governments, ranging from the federal Congress and agencies down to local pollution control districts are all working on this issue.  We review current and pending legislation, the status of deregulation, note some current regulatory issues, and end with some current public perceptions and issues.

Our final narrative chapter is devoted to company profiles of several of the most significant companies in the air pollution control industry.

We end with an appendix, a glossary of important terms and acronyms that are important to this industry.

Analyst Credentials

Dr. J. Charles Forman has been a research analyst for BCC Research covering polymers and chemicals for more than two decades. His work in the industry includes 21 years at Abbott Laboratories in R&D and manufacturing management. Dr. Forman has researched and written more than 70 multi-client market research reports on a variety of subjects, ranging from building construction materials and spectroscopy to several studies on plastic packaging. He holds a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University, all in chemical engineering. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.).