Identification of Effective Components for Increasing the Sustainable Efficiency of Thermal Power Plants (with emphasis on Air Pollution) Using the SBSC Technique

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Sanjaranipour, Noushin^a | Atabi, Farideh^{b; *} | Momeni, Mansour^c | Ghodousi, Jamal^a | Lahijanian, Akram al-Muluk^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran | [b] Department of Environmental Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran | [c] Management Department, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding Author. [email protected]

Abstract: Increasing the efficiency of the electric power industry is extremely important, leading to lower costs, higher profitability, possibility of proper output, efficient use of resources, reduction of pollutants and, ultimately, environmental protection. In this regard, identification of effective indicators for the sustainable operation of thermal power plants is essential, which has the largest share in the country’s electricity production and one of the most important air pollutant industries. Using the Sustainable Balanced Score Card (SBSC) technique is a powerful way to design indicators for assessing the organization’s sustainability performance (efficiency). The purpose of this research is to identify the effective components on performance evaluation in thermal power plants (with emphasis on air pollution) with respect to the Sustainable Balanced Score Card approach. In this research, the statistical population consisted of experts and managers of Tavanir Company and senior managers of power plants. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The reliability of the results of the questionnaires evaluation was estimated 0.84 using Cronbach’s alpha. The results of this research showed that thermal power plants can be evaluated based on Sustainable Balanced Score Card model with five economic indicators (3 criteria), environmental (4 criteria), internal processes (4 criteria), growth and learning (5 criteria), sustainability (2 criteria), and while monitoring of their main processes; it can be identified as efficient units with maximum efficiency and the least pollutants.

Keywords: Thermal power plants, efficiency, air pollution, sustainable balanced score card (SBSC)

DOI: 10.3233/AJW-180058

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 57-68, 2018