Fossil fuel power station is also beneficial to the environment. In some instances, torrefaction of biomass may be needed if biomass is the material the converted fossil fuel power plant will be using. Improving energy efficiency of a coal-fired power plant also reduces emissions. For example, emissions can be reduced by upgrading existing plants or building new high-efficiency, low-emissions plants. Such plants emit almost 20% less CO than a subcritical unit operating at a similar load. Over the longer term, HELE plants can further facilitate emission reductions because coal-fired plants operating at the highest efficiencies are also the most appropriate option for carbon capture
Vulnerability of nuclear plants to attack Vulnerability of nuclear plants to attack The vulnerability of nuclear plants to deliberate attack is of concern in the area of nuclear safety and security. Nuclear power plants, civilian research reactors, certain naval fuel facilities, uranium enrichment plants, fuel fabrication plants, and even potentially uranium mines are vulnerable to attacks which could lead to widespread radioactive contamination. The attack threat is of several general types: commando-like ground-based attacks on equipment which if disabled could lead to a reactor core meltdown or widespread dispersal of radioactivity; and external attacks such as an aircraft crash into a reactor complex, or cyber attacks.