Study of the Effectiveness of Using Natural Gas as an Effort to Reduce Conventional Emission Load at Gas and Steam Power Plant in Medan City

Abstract

Gas and Steam Power Plant PT. PLN (Persero) Belawan Generation Control Implementation Unit (UPDK) is the main supplier of electricity needs in the Northern Sumatra System. In the early days of Gas and Steam Power Plant PT. PLN UPDK Belawan, the fuel used was diesel oil. However, since 2015, this Gas and Steam Power has started to use natural gas as fuel. This study aims to analyze the differences in conventional emission loads (SO2, NO2, and Total particles) before and after the fuel shift from diesel oil to natural gas. This conventional emission load calculation uses Tier 1 emission factors and WSR (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks) statistical analysis to analyze real differences in the use of these fuels. Based on the calculations, it is concluded that the percentage change in conventional emission load by switching fuel from petroleum to diesel is around 32%–87%. According to the findings of statistical research, there is a considerable variation in the emission load of immobile sources before and after the use of natural gas as the primary fuel.