JME_V1_N1_RP1 Harminder Singh T.S. Sidhub S.B.S Kalsi Journal on Mechanical Engineering 2249 - 0744 1 1 1 15 WTE, Waste, Fuel, Efficiency Today the developing countries like India and especially, its Punjab state, is passing through an acute shortage of power (electricity). The crisis is becoming more serious with every passing year. Presently, Punjab generates 6356MW of electricity, a little more than half the requirement of 12000MW of electricity. The state government of Punjab, emphasized the need to fully explore the potential of generation of energy by waste-to-energy (WTE) plants by the year 2020. But since the first WTE plant began to emerge in the mid 1960’s, the WTE plants operating worldwide are still running at low efficiency. The reason for less operating temperature of WTE plants is very rapid surface degradation of the boiler tubes of the plant due to the high temperature corrosion. It is found that the main reason of high rate of corrosion in WTE plants is due to the heterogeneous nature of the fuel and its variable chlorine content. Fuel of WTE plant usually contains alkali metals, heavy metals and various chlorine-containing compounds, all of which can form potential corrosive agents. This paper discusses the power shortage, the need of WTE plants especially in Punjab, fuel used in these plants and the factors which effects the efficiency of the WTE plants. The prevailing methods of protection from high temperature corrosion are also described in this paper. This study will be helpful in reducing the corrosion and hence in increasing the efficiency of plants in future. Additional methods needed to explore and increase the efficiency of WTE plants are also summarized. November 2010 - January 2011 Copyright © 2011 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=1211