Fossilkraftværker

Fossilkraftværker are power plants that generate electricity by burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, oil, or heavy fuel oil. They represent one of the oldest methods of large-scale electricity production and have historically provided the backbone of industrial and national power grids worldwide. The core technology involves combustion engines or boilers that produce steam, which then drives turbines connected to generators.

Coal-fired plants are the most common subtype, often operating as simple cycles or more efficient supercritical and ultra-supercritical units that maintain higher steam pressures and temperatures. Natural gas plants usually employ combined-cycle systems, in which gas turbines produce electricity and the waste heat generates steam to drive additional turbines, achieving greater efficiencies—often above 60%. Oil-fired plants are less common today due to cost and environmental concerns but remain in use for peaking power and in regions where coal or gas supplies are limited.

Fossil fuel combustion releases significant amounts of carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter, contributing to air pollution and climate change. Mitigation technologies such as flue-gas desulfurization, selective catalytic reduction, and carbon capture and storage have been developed to reduce emissions, though their deployment varies by country and economic feasibility.

Government policies increasingly favor renewable and low‑carbon energy sources, leading to a gradual decline in new fossil fuel power capacity and upgrades in existing plants. Nevertheless, many fossil power plants continue to operate as baseload power providers, offering dispatchability that complements intermittent renewable generation.