"Every year, we generate over 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity using coal gangue, and this initiative brings us a net profit exceeding 100 million yuan," said Zhang Peihua, the manager of the Pingyi Coal Gangue Power Plant in Shanxi Province, as he shared his company's success with reporters. Over the past decade, advancements in coal gangue power generation technology have transformed this low-calorific solid waste into a key energy source in China. Once seen as a major environmental problem, coal gangue is now being harnessed to meet growing energy demands while reducing waste.
As the largest industrial solid waste in China, coal gangue accumulates in massive quantities—billions of tons—and poses serious threats to arable land and the environment. However, with the development of advanced technologies like circulating fluidized bed boilers, coal gangue is no longer viewed as a burden but as a valuable resource. It is now integrated into national and local energy strategies, playing a crucial role in sustainable power generation.
According to a notice issued by the National Energy Administration titled “Accelerating the Healthy Development of Low-Calorific Coal-Fired Power Generation,†by 2015, the installed capacity for low-heat-value coal solid waste, including coal gangue, was expected to reach 76 million kilowatts. The annual consumption of such waste was projected to be around 300 million tons, marking a significant shift in energy policy.
Industry experts suggest that as coal reserves become scarcer, the role of coal gangue and other low-value solid wastes in the power generation mix will only grow. Looking ahead, large-scale, high-efficiency, and supercritical technologies are expected to dominate the future of coal gangue power generation, making it more sustainable and economically viable. This transition not only helps reduce environmental impact but also contributes to energy security and economic growth.
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