Carbon reduction cost estimating of Chinese coal-fired power generation units: A perspective from national energy consumption standard

Abstract

The coal-fired power sector is the main source of CO2 emissions in China. This paper proposes a carbon abatement cost estimate model based on computing the emissions gap between the Chinese national energy consumption standards of units (NECS) and the units' coal consumption for per unit electricity supply (CCES). By applying the proposed model, the abatement costs of four coal-fired power generation units (600 MW USC, 1000 MW USC, 265 MW IGCC, 600 MW SC CFB) with or without Carbon capture and storage (CCS) are estimated in six combined scenarios. The results show that (1) the units' total cost would increase more than one time after conducting CCS while the unit cost of carbon emissions abatement would decrease more than 64%; (2) the 1000 MW USC unit with CCS has the largest carbon reduction potential and the lowest unit abatement cost among all units in all scenarios; (3) 265 MW IGCC unit would have no carbon reduction potential after 25 service years, and its service years may be shortened; and (4) the 256 MW IGCC and 600 MW SC CFB is the most sensitive to the average annual decline rate of NECS but the four units of installed CCS are not.