ABSTRACT
Natural gas has become a major fuel to generate electricity because it has a high heat value and cleaner emissions than coal. We examine the reserves and consumption of this resource, followed by a study of the Brayton cycle, which is used to model the process of gas-fired power plants. Moreover, gas-based conversion can be combined with coal into what are called combined cycle plants. Internal combustion engines, well known in transportation, are also employed for electric power generation. For this reason, we study engines based on the Otto cycle and Diesel cycle. Alternatives to natural gas and oil-based liquid fuels include biomass, landfill gas, manure, biodiesel, biofuels, and solar fuels. After examining these, we study alternative turbines and combustion engines, emphasizing microturbines and Stirling engines that have potential for distributed generation. At the end of the chapter, we briefly cover combined heat and power, which proposes that exhaust heat be recovered and used for a variety of purposes.
