An integrated techno-economic and environmental assessment for carbon capture in hydrogen production by biomass gasification

Abstract

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a potential solution addressing climate change andregional wildfires, and supporting circular economy. This study investigates the economic and environmental performance of a BECCS pathway implementing carbon capture (CC) in hydrogen production via gasifying forest residues in the American West, by developing a framework that integrates process simulations, techno-economic analysis (TEA), and life cycle assessment (LCA). The results show that forest residue-derived hydrogen is economically competitive ($1.52– 2.92/kg H2) compared with fossil-based hydrogen. Incorporating CC increases environmental impact due to additional energy and chemical consumption, which can be mitigated by the energy self-sufficiency design that reduces CC cost to $75/tonne of CO₂ for a 2,000 dry short ton/day plant, or by using renewable energy such as solar and wind. Compared to electrolysis and fossil-based routes with CC, only BECCS can provide carbon-negative hydrogen and is more favorable regarding human health impact and near-term economics.