Publisher & Editor -In-Chief
Leo Simpson, B.Bus.
PUBLISHER'S LETTER
Ec"ltor
Greg Swain, B.Sc.(Hons.)
Technical Staff
John Clarke, B.E.(Elec.)
Robert Flynn
Darren Yates
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Regular Contributors
Things go better with natural gas
As most people are aware, most of Australia's electrical power is generated by coal burning power stations. There is one overwhelming reason for
that; we have enormous reserves of coal. But burning coal does have its
drawbacks, some of which are obvious and some of which are not. Without
thinking too hard about it, we can consider the drawbacks of mining coal: it
takes a lot of energy to extract and transport it and coal mines have a very
large negative effect on their immediate environment, particularly if they
are open cut mines.
Then when coal is burned, it produces huge amounts of ash which must
be disposed of and there are also the nasty pollutants which go up the
stack; for example, radioactive trace elements. For now, and for a long time
into the future, we'll probably have to live with these drawbacks of coal
fired power stations, because they present less problems than, say, oil fired
or atomic power stations.
Fairly recently though, a new development in power generation has been
introduced in remote parts of Australia, chiefly in the Northern Territory.
Because these regions don't have reserves of coal close by, they have in the
past relied on expensive diesel powered stations. Now though, gas turbine
powered stations are being installed, fuelled by natural gas.
Wh&t an excellent idea! Natural gas is a much cleaner burning energy
source than coal, does not require large amounts of energy to extract and
again, we have enormous reserves of it.
The full story is told in this month's episode of "The Story Of Electrical
Energy" by Bryan Maher (see page 98). There's an interesting twist to the
story too, because it is possible to greatly increase the efficiency of power
conversion, as has been demonstrated in Darwin's power station.
It's a concept that we 'll possibly see a great deal more of in the future.
Consider for example, the concept of garbage and sewage being processed
to produce methane which could then drive gas turbine powered alternators. It's an interesting thought, isn't it?
Leo Simpson
Eirenaan Akhursi
Jennifer Bonnitcha, B.A.
Garry Cratt, VK2YBX
John Hill
Jim Lawler, MTETIA
Bryan Maher, M.E ., B.Sc .
Jim Yalden , VK2YGY
Bob Young
Photography
Glen Cameron
Edltorlal Advisory Panel
Philip Watson, MIREE, VK2ZPW
Norman Marks
Steve Payor, B.Sc., B.E.
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ISSN 1030-2662
NOVEMBER 1990
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