Extended Electric System Cascade Analysis (ESCA) for a Carbon Constraint Energy Generation System

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) refers to a set of technologies that can greatly reduce carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions from new and existing coal- and gas-fired power plants, industrial processes, and other stationary sources of CO{sub 2}. In its application to electricity generation, CCS could play an important role in achieving national and global greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals. However, widespread cost-effective deployment of CCS will occur only if the technology is commercially available and a supportive national policy framework is in place. In keeping with that objective, on February 3, 2010, President Obama established an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage composed of 14 Executive Departments and Federal Agencies. The Task Force, co-chaired by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was charged with proposing a plan to overcome the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within ten years, with a goal of bringing five to ten commercial demonstration projects online by 2016. Composed of more than 100 Federal employees, the Task Force examined challenges facing early CCS projects as well as factors that could inhibit widespread commercial deployment of CCS. In developing the findings and recommendations outlined in this report, the Task Force relied on published literature and individual input from more than 100 experts and stakeholders, as well as public comments submitted to the Task Force. The Task Force also held a large public meeting and several targeted stakeholder briefings. While CCS can be applied to a variety of stationary sources of CO{sub 2}, its application to coal-fired power plant emissions offers the greatest potential for GHG reductions. Coal has served as an important domestic source of reliable, affordable energy for decades, and the coal industry has provided stable and quality high-paying jobs for American workers. At the same time, coal-fired power plants are the largest contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and coal combustion accounts for 40 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions from the consumption of energy. EPA and Energy Information Administration (EIA) assessments of recent climate and energy legislative proposals show that, if available on a cost-effective basis, CCS can over time play a large role in reducing the overall cost of meeting domestic emissions reduction targets. By playing a leadership role in efforts to develop and deploy CCS technologies to reduce GHG emissions, the United States can preserve the option of using an affordable, abundant, and domestic energy resource, help improve national security, help to maximize production from existing oil fields through enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and assist in the creation of new technologies for export. While there are no insurmountable technological, legal, institutional, regulatory or other barriers that prevent CCS from playing a role in reducing GHG emissions, early CCS projects face economic challenges related to climate policy uncertainty, first-of-a-kind technology risks, and the current high cost of CCS relative to other technologies. Administration analyses of proposed climate change legislation suggest that CCS technologies will not be widely deployed in the next two decades absent financial incentives that supplement projected carbon prices. In addition to the challenges associated with cost, these projects will need to meet regulatory requirements that are currently under development. Long-standing regulatory programs are being adapted to meet the circumstances of CCS, but limited experience and institutional capacity at the Federal and State level may hinder implementation of CCS-specific requirements. Key legal issues, such as long-term liability and property rights, also need resolution. A climate policy designed to reduce our Nation's GHG emissions is the most important step for commercial deployment of low-carbon technologies such as CCS, because it will create a stable, long-term framework for private investments. A concerted effort to properly address financial, economic, technological, legal, institutional, and social barriers will enable CCS to be a viable climate change mitigation option that can over time play an important role in reducing the overall cost of meeting domestic and global emissions reduction targets. Federal and State agencies can use existing authorities and programs to begin addressing these barriers while ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the environment and public health and safety.

The peculiarity of the operation of solar photovoltaic power plants is the dependence of the generation power on weather conditions, which leads to the maximum production of electrical energy at noon hours of the day. Due to a decrease in electricity consumption, insufficient unloading capacity of pumped storage power plants in the integrated energy system of Ukraine and the specifics of electricity production at solar photovoltaic power plants, dispatching restrictions on the level of generation power are already taking place. To transfer volumes of electrical energy in the world, electrical energy storage systems are used, which operate based on lithium-ion storage batteries. Such systems have a number of advantages over other battery energy systems, which allows their implementation in almost any power generation facility. With the help of energy storage systems, it is possible to make a profit through the purchase of electric energy during a period of low prices and its release during a period of high prices, allowing consumers to save money on its payment. In this paper, we simulate the use of a battery energy storage system for storing electrical energy to transfer excess electrical energy from a solar photovoltaic power plant. To conduct a study and identify excess capacity of a solar photovoltaic power plant, the daily schedule of electrical load is equalized to the capacity of a separate power plant Because of the study, the optimal time for charging and discharging the battery was determined, from which it can be seen that the need to transfer excess electricity to a solar photovoltaic power plant occurs at lunchtime, and their discharge at the peak is the graph of the electrical load of the power system. The aggregate operation of a solar power plant with a total installed capacity of photovoltaic power at the level of 10 MW (DC) and a battery energy storage system for accumulating electric energy with a capacity of 3.75 MWh was simulated. For the study day, the required capacity of a battery system for accumulating electric energy at the level of 1.58 MW was determined. Using the methodology of the levelized cost of electricity and storage, a technical and economic assessment of the transfer of excess capacity of a solar photovoltaic power plant using a battery system for storing electrical energy was carried out. When calculating the cost of storage, the cost of the transferred electrical energy from the solar power plant was taken into account. From the results of technical and economic calculations, it can be seen that, in terms of the cost of equipment, as of 2020, the cost of supplying excess electrical energy from the battery energy storage system is growing when compared with the supply from a solar photovoltaic power plant. Taking into account some forecast assumptions, the cost of electricity supply from the battery energy storage system was calculated for the mode of transferring excess capacity of a solar photovoltaic power plant for 2025 and 2030 years. Keywords: modeling, power system, load demand curve, solar photovoltaic power plant, electric energy storage system, cost

Two scenarios for carbon capture and storage in Vietnam

This paper compares different steam and electricity sources for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) retrofits of pulverized coal (PC) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants. Analytical expressions for the thermal efficiency of these power plants are derived under 16 different CCS retrofit scenarios for the purpose of illustrating their environmental and economic characteristics. The scenarios emerge from combinations of steam and electricity sources, fuel used in each source, steam generation equipment and process details, and the extent of CO2 capture. Comparing these scenarios reveals distinct trade-offs between thermal efficiency, net power output, levelized cost, profit, and net CO2 reduction. Despite causing the highest loss in useful power output, bleeding steam and extracting electric power from the main power plant to meet the CCS plant's electricity and steam demand maximizes plant efficiency and profit while minimizing emissions and levelized cost when wholesale electricity prices are below 4.5 and 5.2 US¢/kWh for PC-CCS and NGCC-CCS plants, respectively. At prices higher than these higher profits for operating CCS retrofits can be obtained by meeting 100% of the CCS plant's electric power demand using an auxiliary natural gas turbine-based combined heat and power plant.

Carbon constrained energy planning is conducted to ensure the allowable carbon emission limit for a nation is fulfilled following the increase in energy demands from growth and development. The increased demand in energy consumption through the years will require additional energy supply and generation which would subsequently increase carbon emission level. However the carbon emission levels in the environment for a country is subject to the allowable limits based on obligated emission limits. More often the reduction in carbon emission requires strategic planning and heavy investments via development of alternative energy (e.g., renewable energy) or carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives. This paper demonstrates the use of targeting technique based on pinch analysis in carbon constrained planning for multi-period scenario in a country. Applying CCS on existing power plants requires comprehensive planning in not only identifying the CCS method to be adopted but also the timing of the modifications. This is to ensure that power plant modifications and retrofitting are inline with the nation's direction in balancing investments with environmental commitments. The timing of the execution can be distributed throughout a given planning horizon. This ensures flexibility for the nation in considering trade-offs between long term investments, expenditure and environmental-friendly policies.

Retrofitting carbon capture and storage to natural gas-fired power plants: A real-options approach

Analysis of GHG Abatement Opportunities under America’s Climate Security Act of 2007

In the not too distant future several power plants throughout Europe will have to be replaced and the decision has to be made whether to build coal-fired power plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS). In a study for the city of Kiel in northern Germany only an 800 MW coal power plant reaches a required minimum for rentability. This study looks at an additional economic and environmental evaluation of a coal plant with CCS. We find that in two out of three carbon and energy price scenarios integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants with CCS have the greatest rentability. Pulverised coal (PC) plants with CCS can only compete with other options under very favourable assumptions. Life-cycle emissions from CCS are less than 70% of a coal plant – compared with at least more than 80% when only considering direct emissions from plants. However, life-cycle emissions are lower than in any other assessed option.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has emerged as a potential strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from large point source emitters, such as coal-fired power plants. The CO2 is transported to a storage location, where it is isolated from the atmosphere in stable underground reservoirs. CCS technology has been particularly intriguing to countries that utilize fossil fuels for energy production and are seeking ways to reduce their GHG emissions. While there has been an increase in technological development and research in CCS, some members of the public, industry, and policymakers regard the technology as controversial. Some proponents see CCS as a climate change mitigation technology that will be essential to reducing CO2 emissions. Others view CCS as an environmentally risky, complex, and expensive technology that is resource-intensive, promotes the continued extraction of fossil fuels, and competes with renewable energy investments. Effective communication about CCS begins with understanding the perceptions of the general public and individuals living in the communities where CCS projects are sited or proposed. Most people may never live near a CCS site, but may be concerned about risks, such as the cost of development, environmental impacts, and competition with renewable energy sources. Those who live near proposed or operational projects are likely to have a strong impact on the development and deployment of CCS. Individuals in locally affected communities may be more concerned about disruptions to sense of place, impact on jobs or economy, or effect on local health and environment. Effective communication about the risks and benefits of CCS has been recognized as a critical factor in the deployment of this technology.

Prospects of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in China’s power sector – An integrated assessment

Renewable energy sources and low-carbon power generation systems with carbon capture and storage (CCS) are expected to be key contributors towards the decarbonisation of the energy sector and to ensure sustainable energy supply in the future. However, the variable nature of wind and solar power generation systems may affect the operation of the electricity system grid. Deployment of energy storage is expected to increase grid stability and renewable energy utilisation. The power sector of the future, therefore, needs to seek a synergy between renewable energy sources and low-carbon fossil fuel power generation. This can be achieved via wide deployment of CCS linked with energy storage. Interestingly, recent progress in both the CCS and energy storage fields reveals that technologies such as calcium looping are technically viable and promising options in both cases. Novel integrated systems can be achieved by integrating these applications into CCS with inherent energy storage capacity, as well as linking other CCS technologies with renewable energy sources via energy storage technologies, which will maximise the profit from electricity production, mitigate efficiency and economic penalties related to CCS, and improve renewable energy utilisation.

This paper studies the economics of carbon-neutral synthetic fuel production from renewable electricity in remote areas where high-quality renewable resources are abundant. To this end, a graph-based optimisation modelling framework directly applicable to the strategic planning of remote renewable energy supply chains is proposed. More precisely, a hypergraph abstraction of planning problems is introduced, wherein nodes can be viewed as optimisation subproblems with their own parameters, variables, constraints and local objective. Nodes typically represent a subsystem such as a technology, a plant or a process. Hyperedges, on the other hand, express the connectivity between subsystems. The framework is leveraged to study the economics of carbon-neutral synthetic methane production from solar and wind energy in North Africa and its delivery to Northwestern European markets. The full supply chain is modelled in an integrated fashion, which makes it possible to accurately capture the interaction between various technologies on an hourly time scale. Results suggest that the cost of synthetic methane production and delivery would be slightly under 150 €/MWh (higher heating value) by 2030 for a system supplying 10 TWh annually and relying on a combination of solar photovoltaic and wind power plants, assuming a uniform weighted average cost of capital of 7%. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis is also carried out in order to assess the impact of various techno-economic parameters and assumptions on synthetic methane cost, including the availability of wind power plants, the investment costs of electrolysis, methanation and direct air capture plants, their operational flexibility, the energy consumption of direct air capture plants, and financing costs. The most expensive configuration (around 200 €/MWh) relies on solar photovoltaic power plants alone, while the cheapest configuration (around 88 €/MWh) makes use of a combination of solar PV and wind power plants and is obtained when financing costs are set to zero.

The ever increasing demand for electrical energy is posing a big challenge to the power system engineers to maintain the balance between supply and demand as well as to take care of environmental and economical issues. The emission of CO2 from the fossil fuel power plants is the key pollutant that is causing a major threat to the environment. So the conventional power plants are required to incorporate with carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems, and this increases the capital cost of the power plants. Hence it becomes a big decision for the investors in the electricity generation sector to make either to invest in construction of fossil fuel-fired plants with CCS or in the units that are free from pollutants such as nuclear and renewable energy systems. This decision making can be mathematically expressed all the way through generation expansion planning (GEP) problem. Due to its large-scale, long-term, non-linear, and discrete nature of generation unit size, GEP becomes a very challenging task. To improve the power system reliability with efficient economic operation, Energy storage systems (ESSs) has been a very effective means of obtaining this objective, whereby based on technology employed the energy is stored in a certain form and is transformed to electrical energy when desired. The day by day increase in the use of renewable energy sources to generate electrical energy poses both expansion and operational challenges. This paper presents an insight review of various aspects related to the expansion of the electrical power system such as GEP and renewable energy technologies (RETs) to maintain supply demand balance besides satisfying reliability criteria as well and various optimization techniques adopted to obtain the solution of the objective function.

Coal-fired power plants are by far the largest single source of carbon emissions in the country, and in the context of the "two-carbon" target, it is urgent to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. At present, CCUS (Carbon capture, Storage and utilization) technology is the only technology that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions of coal-fired power plants on a large scale. At present, the commonly used technology is to install carbon capture devices on the basis of traditional coal-fired power stations to form carbon capture power plants. However, the introduction of carbon capture devices will affect the operation of power plants and peak load control ability. Based on the analysis of the basic principles of different carbon capture technologies, this paper selects a suitable carbon capture scheme based on a typical coal-fired power plant in China. By constructing the simulation models of conventional coal-fired thermal power units and carbon capture power plants, the operation interval of carbon capture power plants is obtained. Meanwhile, the peak regulating performance of power plants installed with carbon capture devices and its influence on the peak regulating capacity of power grids are analyzed.

Novel process design for waste energy recovery of LNG power plants for CO2 capture and storage