Addressing Technology Uncertainties in Power Plants with Post-Combustion Capture

Abstract

Risks associated with technology, market and regulatory uncertainties for First-Of-A-Kind fossil power generation with CCS can be mitigated through innovative engineering approaches that will allow solvent developments occurring during the early stage of the deployment of post-combustion CO2 capture to be subsequently incorporated into the next generation of CCS plants. Power plants capable of improving their economic performance will benefit financially from being able to upgrade their solvent technology. One of the most important requirements for upgradeability is for the base power plant to be able to operate with any level of steam extraction and also with any level of electricity output up to the maximum rating without capture. This requirement will also confer operational flexibility and so is likely to be implemented in practice on new plants or on any integrated CCS retrofit project.