The Future of Coal: Carbon Capture and Storage Dmitri Malinin Fall 2006 CBE 555 Dmitri Malinin Fall 2006 CBE 555

Presentation Overview Plan to Keep Carbon in Check Background Overview of Plan How Carbon Capture and Storage Fits In Action Plan Current Implementation of CCS CCS Technology Summary Plan to Keep Carbon in Check Background Overview of Plan How Carbon Capture and Storage Fits In Action Plan Current Implementation of CCS CCS Technology Summary

Background Ominous harbingers of global warming Driving governments and companies to evaluate fossil fuel use Currently the fossil fuel industries: Dig up and pump out ~7 billion tons of carbon/yr Society burns nearly all of it Ominous harbingers of global warming Driving governments and companies to evaluate fossil fuel use Currently the fossil fuel industries: Dig up and pump out ~7 billion tons of carbon/yr Society burns nearly all of it

Background Danger boundary exists at doubling pre- Industrial Revolution carbon conc. Avoiding danger zone would reduce chances of triggering, major irreversible climate changes E.g. Greenland ice cap disappearance Danger boundary exists at doubling pre- Industrial Revolution carbon conc. Avoiding danger zone would reduce chances of triggering, major irreversible climate changes E.g. Greenland ice cap disappearance

Future Scenarios Future Separated into two 50-year scenarios: 1) Emissions rate continues to grow at pace of last 30 years for the next 50 years, reaching 14 billion tons carbon/yr in ) Emissions are frozen at the present rates of 7 billion tons/yr for the next 50 years, then cut in half for the subsequent 50 years Future Separated into two 50-year scenarios: 1) Emissions rate continues to grow at pace of last 30 years for the next 50 years, reaching 14 billion tons carbon/yr in ) Emissions are frozen at the present rates of 7 billion tons/yr for the next 50 years, then cut in half for the subsequent 50 years

“Stabilization Triangle” The stabilization triangle represents difference between two emissions scenarios Represents total emissions cuts that climate-friendly technologies must achieve in the coming 50 years Triangle divided into 7 wedges Each a reduction of 25 billion tons of carbon over 50 years The stabilization triangle represents difference between two emissions scenarios Represents total emissions cuts that climate-friendly technologies must achieve in the coming 50 years Triangle divided into 7 wedges Each a reduction of 25 billion tons of carbon over 50 years

Wedge Framework Allowed to count as wedges only differences in two 2056 worlds as result of deliberate carbon policy Belief that cars will be more efficient regardless of emission policy does not count Allowed to only count strategies involving currently commercialized technologies Allowed to count as wedges only differences in two 2056 worlds as result of deliberate carbon policy Belief that cars will be more efficient regardless of emission policy does not count Allowed to only count strategies involving currently commercialized technologies

Why Carbon Capture and Storage? Coal has become more competitive source of power Energy security concerns Increase in the cost of oil and gas Carbon plant burns twice the carbon per unit of electricity as natural gas plant Coal has become more competitive source of power Energy security concerns Increase in the cost of oil and gas Carbon plant burns twice the carbon per unit of electricity as natural gas plant

Why Carbon Capture and Storage? Absence of concern  World’s coal utilities could build few thousand conventional coal plants in next 50 years 700 of these plants emit one carbon wedge Projection that 6 out of 14 billion tons of carbon emissions will come from power generation, mostly from coal Absence of concern  World’s coal utilities could build few thousand conventional coal plants in next 50 years 700 of these plants emit one carbon wedge Projection that 6 out of 14 billion tons of carbon emissions will come from power generation, mostly from coal

Why Carbon Capture and Storage? New coal plants should be built with carbon capture technology in place More expensive to revamp existing facilities Oil prices driving down the cost of transition Captured CO 2 can be sold to oil companies The higher price of oil, the more valuable the CO 2 New coal plants should be built with carbon capture technology in place More expensive to revamp existing facilities Oil prices driving down the cost of transition Captured CO 2 can be sold to oil companies The higher price of oil, the more valuable the CO 2

Action Plan To routinely use carbon capture and storage Requires institutions that reliably communicate a price for the present and future Price estimate of ~$ /ton of carbon Price range makes it cheaper for owners of coal plants to capture and store CO 2 To routinely use carbon capture and storage Requires institutions that reliably communicate a price for the present and future Price estimate of ~$ /ton of carbon Price range makes it cheaper for owners of coal plants to capture and store CO 2

Action Plan Governments need to stimulate commercialization of low-carbon technologies to increase number of competitive options in future Policies to prevent construction of long- lived facilities that are mismatched to future policy Utilities need to be encourage to invest in carbon capture and storage, because of retrofit costs to older technology Governments need to stimulate commercialization of low-carbon technologies to increase number of competitive options in future Policies to prevent construction of long- lived facilities that are mismatched to future policy Utilities need to be encourage to invest in carbon capture and storage, because of retrofit costs to older technology

Action Plan To keep atmospheric CO 2 concentration levels below risk level requires Power industry start commercial-scale CCS within few years and expand rapidly thereafter In combination with other “wedge” captures To keep atmospheric CO 2 concentration levels below risk level requires Power industry start commercial-scale CCS within few years and expand rapidly thereafter In combination with other “wedge” captures

Geologic Storage Strategy Procedure for CCS involve Separation of CO 2 created by generation of energy from coal Transport to sites where it can be stored underground in porous media Depleted oil or gas fields or saline formations (permeable geologic strata filled with salty water) Procedure for CCS involve Separation of CO 2 created by generation of energy from coal Transport to sites where it can be stored underground in porous media Depleted oil or gas fields or saline formations (permeable geologic strata filled with salty water)

Geologic Storage Strategy Carbon capture technologies have been deployed world-wide Manufacture of chemicals Purification of natural gas contaminated with “sour gas” Industry has significant experience with CCS in: Natural gas purification in Canada CO 2 injections to boost crude output Carbon capture technologies have been deployed world-wide Manufacture of chemicals Purification of natural gas contaminated with “sour gas” Industry has significant experience with CCS in: Natural gas purification in Canada CO 2 injections to boost crude output

Main Concerns Issues Sudden Escape Sudden release of CO 2 could be lethal Gradual Escape Negates the purpose of putting it in the ground 2005 IPCC report estimated that in appropriately selected and managed reservoirs, fraction retained Likely to exceed 99% over 100 years Likely to exceed 99% over 1000 years Sudden Escape Sudden release of CO 2 could be lethal Gradual Escape Negates the purpose of putting it in the ground 2005 IPCC report estimated that in appropriately selected and managed reservoirs, fraction retained Likely to exceed 99% over 100 years Likely to exceed 99% over 1000 years

Technology Choices-Conventional Conventional pulverized-coal steam cycle Burns coal in boiler Heat generated in combustion generates steam Steam turns turbine Electricity from mech. energy with generator Conventional pulverized-coal steam cycle Burns coal in boiler Heat generated in combustion generates steam Steam turns turbine Electricity from mech. energy with generator

Technology Choices-Conventional Modern plants Particulates and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen removed from flue gas Disadvantage of CCS Flue gases contains substantial amounts of nitrogen CO 2 recovered at low temp. and press. from large volumes of gas Processes energy-intensive and expensive Modern plants Particulates and oxides of sulfur and nitrogen removed from flue gas Disadvantage of CCS Flue gases contains substantial amounts of nitrogen CO 2 recovered at low temp. and press. from large volumes of gas Processes energy-intensive and expensive

Technology Choices-IGCC Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) more cost and energy effective than conventional pulverized-coal steam cycle Gasification systems recover CO 2 from a gaseous stream at high concentration and pressure Pre-combustion removal of pollutants Realize very-low emissions at reduced cost and energy penalty Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) more cost and energy effective than conventional pulverized-coal steam cycle Gasification systems recover CO 2 from a gaseous stream at high concentration and pressure Pre-combustion removal of pollutants Realize very-low emissions at reduced cost and energy penalty

Technology Choices Captured CO 2 transported by pipeline to suitable geologic storage sites and subsequent subterranean storage Pressure produced during capture used to transport Captured CO 2 transported by pipeline to suitable geologic storage sites and subsequent subterranean storage Pressure produced during capture used to transport

Costs Cost of CCS depend on Type of power plant Distance to storage site Properties of the storage reservoir Availability of opportunities for selling capture CO 2 Cost of CCS will dampen demand for electricity Energy efficient and renewable energy products more desirable to consumers Cost of CCS depend on Type of power plant Distance to storage site Properties of the storage reservoir Availability of opportunities for selling capture CO 2 Cost of CCS will dampen demand for electricity Energy efficient and renewable energy products more desirable to consumers

Summary Need to implement initiative for holding carbon emission levels constant for next 50 years Coal is abundant source of energy Need to control emissions from coal-powered plants through CCS IGCC plant is most feasible choice for CCS Cost of CCS will create drivers for energy efficiency Need to implement initiative for holding carbon emission levels constant for next 50 years Coal is abundant source of energy Need to control emissions from coal-powered plants through CCS IGCC plant is most feasible choice for CCS Cost of CCS will create drivers for energy efficiency

References “A Plant to Keep Carbon in Check”, Socolow & Pacala, Scientific American, September “Can we bury Global Warming?”, Socolow, Scientific American, July “What to do about Coal”, Hawkins, Lashof, & Williams, Scientific American, September “A Plant to Keep Carbon in Check”, Socolow & Pacala, Scientific American, September “Can we bury Global Warming?”, Socolow, Scientific American, July “What to do about Coal”, Hawkins, Lashof, & Williams, Scientific American, September 2006.