scholarly journals Post-Combustion Capture or Direct Air Capture in Decarbonizing US Natural Gas Power?

Author(s):  
Habib Azarabadi ◽  
Klaus S. Lackner

<p>This analysis investigates the cost of carbon capture from the US natural gas-fired electricity generating fleet comparing two technologies: Post-Combustion Capture and Direct Air Capture (DAC). Many Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) units are suitable for post-combustion capture. We estimated the cost of post-combustion retrofits and investigated the most important unit characteristics contributing to this cost. Units larger than 350 MW, younger than 15 years, more efficient than 42% and with a utilization (capacity factor) higher than 0.5 are economically retrofittable. Counterintuitively, DAC (which is usually not considered for point-source capture) may be cheaper in addressing emissions from non-retrofittable NGCCs. DAC can also address the residual emissions from retrofitted plants. Moreover, economic challenges of post-combustion capture for small natural gas-fired units with low utilization, such as gas turbines, make DAC look favorable for these units. Considering the cost of post-combustion capture for the entire natural gas-related emissions after incorporating the impact of learning-by-doing for both carbon capture technologies, DAC is the cheaper capture solution for at least 1/3 of all emissions. </p>

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habib Azarabadi ◽  
Klaus S. Lackner

<p>This analysis investigates the cost of carbon capture from the US natural gas-fired electricity generating fleet comparing two technologies: Post-Combustion Capture and Direct Air Capture (DAC). Many Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) units are suitable for post-combustion capture. We estimated the cost of post-combustion retrofits and investigated the most important unit characteristics contributing to this cost. Units larger than 350 MW, younger than 15 years, more efficient than 42% and with a utilization (capacity factor) higher than 0.5 are economically retrofittable. Counterintuitively, DAC (which is usually not considered for point-source capture) may be cheaper in addressing emissions from non-retrofittable NGCCs. DAC can also address the residual emissions from retrofitted plants. Moreover, economic challenges of post-combustion capture for small natural gas-fired units with low utilization, such as gas turbines, make DAC look favorable for these units. Considering the cost of post-combustion capture for the entire natural gas-related emissions after incorporating the impact of learning-by-doing for both carbon capture technologies, DAC is the cheaper capture solution for at least 1/3 of all emissions. </p>


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habib Azarabadi ◽  
Klaus S. Lackner

<p>This analysis investigates the cost of carbon capture from the US natural gas-fired electricity generating fleet comparing two technologies: Post-Combustion Capture and Direct Air Capture (DAC). Many Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) units are suitable for post-combustion capture. We estimated the cost of post-combustion retrofits and investigated the most important unit characteristics contributing to this cost. Units larger than 350 MW, younger than 15 years, more efficient than 42% and with a utilization (capacity factor) higher than 0.5 are economically retrofittable. Counterintuitively, DAC (which is usually not considered for point-source capture) may be cheaper in addressing emissions from non-retrofittable NGCCs. DAC can also address the residual emissions from retrofitted plants. Moreover, economic challenges of post-combustion capture for small natural gas-fired units with low utilization, such as gas turbines, make DAC look favorable for these units. Considering the cost of post-combustion capture for the entire natural gas-related emissions after incorporating the impact of learning-by-doing for both carbon capture technologies, DAC is the cheaper capture solution for at least 1/3 of all emissions. </p>


Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Gutierrez ◽  
Terry B. Sullivan ◽  
Gerald J. Feller

The increase in price of natural gas and the need for a cleaner technology to generate electricity has motivated the power industry to move towards Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants. The system uses a low heating value fuel such as coal or biomass that is gasified to produce a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The potential for efficiency improvement and the decrease in emissions resulting from this process compared to coal-fired power plants are strong evidence to the argument that IGCC technology will be a key player in the future of power generation. In addition to new IGCC plants, and as a result of new emissions regulations, industry is looking at possibilities for retrofitting existing natural gas plants. This paper studies the feasibility of retrofitting existing gas turbines of Natural Gas Combined Cycle (NGCC) power plants to burn syngas, with a focus on the water/steam cycle design limitations and necessary changes. It shows how the gasification island processes can be treated independently and then integrated with the power block to make retrofitting possible. This paper provides a starting point to incorporate the gasification technology to current natural gas plants with minor redesigns.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2161-2173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Siegelman ◽  
Phillip J. Milner ◽  
Eugene J. Kim ◽  
Simon C. Weston ◽  
Jeffrey R. Long

As natural gas supplies a growing share of global primary energy, new research efforts are needed to develop adsorbents for carbon capture from gas-fired power plants alongside efforts targeting emissions from coal-fired plants.


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