UKCCSRC September 2018 Conference: Session blog – Priority Research Directions for CCUS and BECCS

This blog was produced by Hirbod Varasteh.

UKCCSRC Programmed Conference is very good opportunity for experts from academia and industry to transfer their knowledge for CCUS technologies. 

Biomass as the source of fuel combined with Carbon capture storage and utilization CCS&U is one of the cutting-edge technologies for future power plants as it inherently has the carbon negative emission technology. This technology can significantly reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and when co-firing with the coal it permits a continued use of plentiful coal supplies by CCS and thereby secure our future energy needs without the severe environmental impacts expected if fossil fuels are used without CCS.

Increasing efficiency for biomass power plant is highly challenging, it is important to investigate different chemical and thermodynamic solutions to increase overall efficiency of power plant with low cost and less emission

In order to achieve Paris agreement for limiting global mean temperature increase to 2 C and reduce impacts of climate change, it requires reducing carbon dioxide emission and even capture carbon dioxide from atmosphere, BECCS is one of the promising paths to meet Paris agreement target.

BECCS (Bioenergy carbon capture & storage) group are discussing in 5 items, the following items were discussed:

First dissection was Sustainability of supply SBP guideline?   Global allowance? Social + Environment Impact Transparency + accountability scale

We as a group of BECCS survive biomass energy and Carbon capture & storage, its number one type area of which will be grown or stopped. The sustainable supply and sustainable biomass programmed were described for example, footprint control and a global ideal built on that, social environment impact, transparency and where supply chain come from.

We were looking at the biomass usage of local area, local area biomass experience and expanding some of the area which biomass and countries need bioenergy and ccs by 2050.  How sustainable we can develop and manage BECCS in potential growing area. We have discussed operation by promoting sustainable forestry and investing in local economic development.

Second discussion was Further R+D into dirtier Feedstocks, Pretreatment+ removing Ash, Salt, metal, ETC

We discussed how we can appreciate the methods and technology to remove chemistry problems which is in the combustion to be reduced by product emission such as Ash, salt, metal ETC.  the alternative feedstocks were described and how we can develop by expanding and giving more access to all feedstocks all around the world, that could be a good point needs focusing on how we do that.

Third discussion was BECCS Pathway, Optimal utilization of resources (finite),

In terms of pathway for BECCS, bioenergy is not just power generation and this is a finite resource of sustainable biomass and we do optimally use of that. We discussed what is priority to use biomass, is that bioenergy to power generation with CCS , bioenergy to Hydrogen generation with CCS or bioenergy for CH4 , fuels , methanol . There are variety of tools and technologies available but what are right ones and how we collect right ones.

Fourth part was Technology development across the board high fuel cost as starting point 

In terms of technology relevant Biomass is two or three times more expensive than fossil fuels so if we want to grow biomass then it can be technology development across the carbon capture technology options, pre combustion, post combustion and oxy fuel with capture the CO₂. We discussed that fuels are already expensive and also you need cheap technology solutions to make that work.

The fifth discussed item was Global Policy about BECCS, Flexibility, ancillary, Services, But Also operating profile.

The fit point of BECCS would be the Global policy level, we discussed how account Carbone for that may have been grown and absorbed in the Louisiana forest which is then sequestered. where is the Carbone account credit and How does that work globally, countries by doing that and how can be managed.

The final one is that how bioenergy is flexible if the periptery is BECCS power station and you are biopower generation and how you were deal, so are you there to provide negative emissions or generate electricity for grid. They need to give negative emission from the UK and how they are flexible. This is the question that research could benefit at this time.