Utico plans coal-based power plants

After announcing its ambitious $408 million coal power plant in the UAE recently, Utico Middle East, the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) largest private full service utility and solutions provider, is now taking its mission to provide clean coal power to the rest of the GCC. Utico Middle East and Shanghai Electric, the world's largest coal power company, recently announced a joint collaboration to establish the world's greenest coal-fired power plant in Ras Al Khaimah. The Dh1.5 billion facility is expected to be completed in 2015 and will generate 270 MW of power when fully functional. Richard Menezes, managing director of Utico, described the facility as a milestone development for the Arab world that would enable GCC nations to meet their utility requirements while showcasing their commitment towards clean, green energy resources. The project assumes special significance for Gulf states as they explore all possible avenues to meet the growing demand for power from the region's industries and consumers. "Clean coal-fired energy is acknowledged to be even cleaner and greener than gas-reliant energy. By deploying Shanghai Electric's superior energy-efficient and proven technology at the plant, we are confident of reducing flue gas desulphurization, carbon dioxide emissions almost to zero, and setting the benchmark for cleaner energy to the world,- Menezes explained. Clean technology Coal-fired power plants produce almost 65 per cent of the world's energy today but none of them are in the GCC due to the environmental concerns and high costs associated with clean coal technology. Coal-fired plants generate power burning coal in a boiler to heat water to more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (540 degrees Celsius) that, in turn, produces steam. The steam, at tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to produce electricity. The steam is cooled, condensed back into water, and returned to the boiler to start the process over. Times Of Oman