THERMIE programme supports world's largest circulating fluidized bed power station
The European Commission has provided considerable financial support (ECU 20 million) for an international project for the use of circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology. The project, referred to as the "Provence Clean Energy Project", has been financed under the Community's specific RTD programme for the demonstration and promotion of innovative, clean and efficient energy technologies (THERMIE). Under this project, a new 250 MWe unit at the Provence Power Station in France, equipped with a circulating fluidized bed boiler, was connected to the national electricity grid, "Electricité de France" (EDF) in 1995. At present, this is the world's most powerful single furnace boiler using this technology. The operator of the project is the Société Provençale du Lit Fluidisé (SOPROLIF), which is a joint venture between EDF, ENDESA (the Spanish power producing company), the French "Société nationale d'Electricité et de Thermique", GEC ALSTHOM Stein Industrie and LURGI (the French/German manufacturers of the boiler). CFB technology allows the clean combustion of fuels with a high sulphur content, meeting the highest standards of environmental protection and without the need for complex auxiliary pollution control equipment. The market for power stations with a capacity of 250 to 300 MWe using this type of technology is substantial, particularly in countries with abundant resources of poor quality coal. The "Provence Clean Energy Project" represents an important step forward in the development of CFB technology and paves the way for units of 500 to 600 MWe for the next century.