Sustainability

Energy

Oil

Reduction of pollutants

Pollutants remissions in thermoelectric plants can be reduced by using different technologies:
• denitrification: it reduces nitrogen oxides by mixing them with ammonia and oxygen in order to obtain water and molecular nitrogen (not polluting)
• dust collector: thanks to the action of electrostatic fields or filters, solid particles are retained and not dispersed into the atmosphere (the current total abatement capacity reaches 99.9%)
• river desulphurization: this operation allows to eliminate up to 97% of nitrogen compounds that are present in plant fumes
• water treatment: water can be used in different ways in power plants. Anyhow, before being discharged, water has to be treated in order to eliminate pollutants. Water is then emitted into the rivers or in the sea only if pollutants concentrations or temperatures are in line with the law.
In a few words, all substances are somehow filtered and retained by the abatement systems that are present in the plants. In order to facilitate the dispersion of residual emissions at high altitudes and avoid soil pollution, discharge chimneys are very high, in some cases up to 200 metres.