Energy Dictionary

combined cycle power plants

Twin-stage power plants that deliver 50-60% higher fuel efficiency.

In the first stage, a gas (natural gas, gaseous coal, etc.) is heated, cleaned, and used to run a gas turbine that produces electricity.

In the second stage, the waste heat from the gas turbine, from gas cleaning, and from the gasification processes are used to raise the pressure of steam, which is in turn used for generation of additional power.

By operating a combination of both these stages, a combined cycle power plant is able to maximize the efficiency of the fuel used.

See also:

Transmission line, line loss, load center, transmission, distribution, conductor, generating station