Investigating the efficiency of Combined Cycle Power Plants with the data envelopment analysis process (with an emphasis on air pollution)

Abstract

Performance management is one of the most significant strategies in promoting the efficiency of organizations and is highly sensitive. It is important to check the efficiency of combined cycle power plants because of their major contribution to power generation and air pollution. This study was conducted to evaluate the economic and environmental efficiency of Combined Cycle Power Plants (CCPPs). The inputs and outputs required to evaluate the performance of the power plants were determined according to expert opinions. Then, the 7-year statistics and information of the Qom, Neishabour, Shahid Rajaee, Yazd and Kerman power plants were collected as the desired CCPPs in Iran. The Window Data Envelopment Analysis (WDEA) method was used for evaluating the efficiency of the power plants. The 3-year window length showed that most of the power plants were efficient. Only the Rajaee, Neishabour and Yazd power plants were ineffective in some years. The mean efficiency of the power plants in the 4-year window length showed that the plants were efficient from 2008 to 2010.