Natural gas and BECCS: A comparative analysis of alternative configurations for negative emissions power generation
File(s)Manuscript-CCumicheo.pdf (1.74 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Cumicheo, Constanza
Mac Dowell, Niall
Shah, Nilay
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
There is a reliance on negative emissions technologies (NETs), primarily in the form of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in most Integrated Assessment Model (IAM) scenarios which are capable of limiting the maximum global temperature rise to 1.5–2 °C. Two currently independent features of transition pathways are fuel switching from a coal to gas, and the deployment of BECCS. The former makes natural gas an important transition fuel which at the same time could be combined with biomass to further abate emissions. To date the majority of studies have considered BECCS in the context of a conversion from coal-fired base configuration. There is therefore a pressing need to identify routes for the effective utilization of biomass-derived fuels in the context of gas-fired power generation infrastructure. In this contribution, we study three distinct CCS-based processes which combine natural gas and biomass capable of producing low-, or carbon-negative power. Both fuel supply chains are considered in order to quantify the net overall CO2 emissions. An important insight is the configuration-specific impact of biomass co-combustion on the overall carbon intensity of power generated. We found that an external biomass combustion configuration was the most carbon negative, removing between 0.5–1 ton of CO2 per MWh of power generated. Results revealed a trade-off between carbon negativity and efficiency of the processes. The generation of net carbon negative power is observed to be highly sensitive to the carbon footprint of the biomass supply chain.
Date Issued
2019-11
Date Acceptance
2019-02-08
Citation
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2019, 90, pp.1-11
ISSN
1750-5836
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
11
Journal / Book Title
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Volume
90
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750583618305954?via%3Dihub
Subjects
04 Earth Sciences
05 Environmental Sciences
09 Engineering
Energy
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
102798
Date Publish Online
2019-08-16