Global Prospects for Gas-Fired Power Generation

The prospects for gas-fired power generation are excellent. Driven by the decommissioning of ageing coal plants in the developed world and the growing availability of natural gas from new pipeline schemes, expanding LNG development and a boom in the production of unconventional gas, installed capacities of gas-based plants are forecast to increase significantly. Considering the problems associated with coal and nuclear – where developments have slowed down in the aftermath of the Fukushima accident – gas will be the fuel of choice, buoyed by its relatively clean-burning characteristics and flexible operating capabilities.