Flue Gas Desulphurisation:
The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy recently informed about the installation of Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) equipment in thermal power plants.
- Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) is a technology to eliminate sulphur dioxide (SO2) from exhaust emissions.
- Fossil fuels such as coal and oil often contain high amounts of sulphur, and when these fuels are burned, around 95% or more of the sulphur is converted to sulphur dioxide (SO2), which is emitted as flue gas.
- Sulphur dioxide in itself is a major air pollutant which impacts all life.
- It is also a precursor of acid rain, which has significant adverse impacts on forests, freshwaters, and soils, in turn killing insect and aquatic life forms, causing paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and weathering of stone buildings and statues.
- The removal of sulphur dioxide is critical to establishing a safe and clean environment where toxic emissions are kept to a safe level.
