Economic-mathematical model of fuel supply for thermal power sector taking into account the substitution of regular fuel and limits for emissions

The economic and mathematical model for choosing the optimal variant of the thermal power sector operation and the corresponding method of coal supply is presented. The model includes production activities for coal supply variants of power plants operation, electricity generation, accompanied by the emission of pollutants. The model presents a problem of the mixed integer linear programming with binary variables, providing a choice of coal supply variant. The results of calculations of coal supply for power plants of Ukraine subjected to restrictions on emissions in different variants of operation are done. Taking into account the absence of surplus of coal with high volatile matter now as well as a high level of pollutant emissions from the combustion of this coal type in existing thermal power plants, retrofitting the plants that consume anthracite to coal with high volatile matter without installing pollution control equipment is inappropriate. Given the coal with high volatile matter deposits in the country, as well as the ability to import from world market, in contrast to the anthracite, the optimal direction of modernization of coal-energy sector is the construction of modern heat power plants using coal with high volatile matter. As a temporary option coal supply for thermal power plants must be considered anthracite coal imports.