Assessment of the Potential Economics of Natural Gas Cofiring in Utility Coal-Fired Boilers

摘要

The report develops the 'premium value' of natural gas for a number of benefits of cofiring. This premium value, in dollars per unit of gas energy input, is the estimated economic worth of gas, beyond its energy input, in providing each specific benefit. Values ranged from $0-5.25 per MMBtu of gas used beyond the assumed basic energy input value of $1.48/MMBtu. Aggregate cofiring benefits were also calculated for specific modes of boiler operation and for annual gas use in a hypothetical boiler operation. The premium value in the latter case was calculated as $1.19 per MMBtu of gas use.