In message ,
David Paste writes
Hello all,

Reading an article in the Guardian (yes, I know) about a looming
electricity shortage, one of the reasons cited was the phasing
out of coal-fired generating capacity:

http://www.theguardian.com/environme...ers-warn-of-lo
oming-uk-energy-gap

How much of a pain / why can't coal plants be converted to gas if
they are cleaner on the emmissions front?

From very limited knowledge and roughly 40 years ago.... we looked at
converting oil fired boilers to gas and found they would need to be
hugely derated because the gas flame for the same energy would be too
long and hit the back of the burner tube. I guess coal, which may be
powdered before injection, might have a raft of similar issues.

An expert will be along shortly:-)

--
Tim Lamb