Sunday, May 31, 2009

Power


Just to the south of Copenhagen stands this power plant. Avedøre Power Plant was built in two stages, Avedøre 1 in 1990 and Avedøre 2 in 2001. Avedøre 1 is a coal fired power plant while Avedøre 2 can burn most fuels; wood pellets, oil, natural gas and straw. Total output is 810MW of electricity, which is enough to give power to 1.3 mio. households, and 900MW of heating for 200.000 households.



The smoke is cleaned for NOx, SOx and ash so it's as clean as it can be. It's done by adding ammonia, water and lime to the smoke and sending it through filters. The end result is plaster that is sold to construction companies.


The power plant is operated by the Danish company DONG Energy, that has a virtual monopoly on power generating in Denmark.


Right next to this power plant DONG has placed a row of wind power generators (wind turbines for short). By 2011 20 pct. of the energy in Denmark will be from renewable energy sources like wind and bio fuels according to the government's plans.

4 comments:

  1. Very interesting post, who show us how practical things and building can be really beautiful.
    I understand that much has to do with your proven photographic prowess, but those power stations are so neat and look so clean!

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  2. Your final picture in the series is spectacular!!!! I think it should be put in a portfolio of your work...to be marketed when you wish!!!! Love it!!! I also am drawn to the windmills in the mist...beautiful! Great post!~Janine

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  3. 20% sounds very little, but even for your country it is such a big achievement. What about nuclear plant and solar energy? In Saijo, most energy is supplied by nuclear plant and natural gas is imported from my country :). Christopher, what lens did you use for the last photo?
    PS: don't you think to add a little something in your profile? :).

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  4. @Vogon: I think that was the designer's idea, to make a not-so-clean power plant at least look clean.

    @Janine: Some of my photos, this among them, I've made into posters. I haven't started a sale yet, but a few of them are up on walls:-)

    @Henny: The problem with wind power is that we need to put about 10.000 of these wind mills up, and not many people want them in their backyard:-) We don't have nuclear power in Denmark. The parliament decided 30 years ago (I think) that the risks were too high so it was banned. A very few use solar energy as a supplement to heating, but it's really not cost-effective yet.

    The lens for the last photo was a Tamron 18-250 mm on 250 mm. It's my preferred lens when I'm out shooting architecture as it is light and flexible.

    What have I left out of my profile? :-)

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