火力發電廠用煤、石油或天然氣為燃料,是大氣主要固定污染源之一。全世界發電廠每年排到大氣之污染物達幾千萬噸,其中SO2佔58%,NOx佔15%,粉塵佔17%,CO佔5%,HC佔5%。美國電力廠每年排到大氣中污染物在二千萬噸以上,佔美國總工業排出SO2的50%,粉塵佔25%,NOx佔25%。這是由於其所使用燃煤之含灰份高(5~20%,有的甚至50%),含硫多(硫佔1~5%)所致,氮氧化物(NOx)是高溫燃燒過程中所產生。有鑑於火力發電廠所排放之空氣汙染物影響植物之生長及人體之健康,火力發電廠亦加裝煙氣脫硫設備來改善硫氧化物的排放量。因此本研究採用環保署所監測之空氣汙染物排放量之資料,逐步比對各火力發電廠鄰近測站自1999年至2010年之空氣品質,根據本研究之分析結果顯示,興達、大林、南部等南部地區電廠之懸浮微粒汙染皆高於環保署所規定之排放量,其中尤其以深澳電廠所排出之懸浮微粒最為嚴重。在臭氧部分,全台臭氧排放量皆有逐年上昇之趨勢,而在SO2及NO2之排放部分,各電廠鄰近之排放量尚符合標準。因此,對於空氣品質總量管制的改善工作,仍需持續加嚴,尤其以懸浮微粒及臭氧為主要減量控管排放物質。
The use of coal, fuel oil and natural gas by power plants produces air pollutants that may have significantly impacted on public health. Each year, power plants emitted more than ten million tons of air pollutants that need to be curtailed.In this study, we analyzed the air quality monitoring data (1999 to 2008) near fire-powered power plants gathered by the Environment Protection Agency. Our analysis results showed that the particulate pollutants produced by Shanout, Hsinda, Dalin and Nanbu plants exceeded the regulation standard; and the Shanout power plant has the highest emission of particulate pollutants. The ozone pollution appeared to increase over the years. Other air pollutants such as sulfur and nitro oxides are within the regulatory standard. For a good air quality control, the fire-powered power plants need to reduce the particulate and ozone emmisions.