Capture of CO2 at Thermal Power Stations as One of the Main Trends towards Reducing Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Abstract

The power industry, primarily its branch based on fossil fuel resources, is the major source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere of the planet. Based on direct measurements and some paleogeophysical data, it is shown that the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is currently increasing at a rate that exceeds by an order of magnitude its increase over the last several thousand years. Some methods for solving the global problem of reducing CO2 emissions caused by combustion of fossil fuels and basic technologies used for this purpose are considered. The main CO2 emission sources are identified. Based on the analysis of international statistical data, it is shown that large-scale fossil-coal-fired power-generating plants account for the greater part of the emissions. The existing CO2 capture technologies and those under development and intended for use in industrial power generation are compared and the prospects of their practical implementation are evaluated. The increase in the cost of the electric power generated within the full cycle of capturing CO2 from flue gases of large-scale power stations and storing it using the best-established technologies ready for introduction has been assessed. The basic factors that increase the cost of the power generated using the technologies for carbon dioxide emission sequestration have been determined and potential change in the prices in the future have been considered. The presented results suggest that the problem of drastic reduction in CO2 emissions requires a comprehensive approach and cannot be solved by efforts of only a limited number of industrially developed countries. The necessity of coordinated introduction of measures aimed at carbon dioxide emission sequestration not only in the “large-scale” power generation but also in other industries is shown.