Oxy-combustion Carbon Capture for Pulverized Coal in the Integrated Environmental Control Model

Abstract

This paper describes the newly-developed techno-economic models of oxy-combustion carbon capture systems for pulverized coal-fired power plants now available in the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) developed and maintained by Carnegie Mellon University. The new model is used in case studies that compare the overall performance and cost of electricity generation for power plants employing either oxy-combustion (oxyfuel) or an amine-based post-combustion process to capture and sequester 90% of the flue gas CO2 emission using a variety of U.S. coals. The probabilistic results for 500 MW plants using three coal types (bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite) show that the oxyfuel option is cost-competitive or less costly than the post-combustion option, especially for the lower-rank low-sulfur coals. However, oxy-combustion would not be cost-competitive as a compliance option for the recently promulgated New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) for CO2 in the United States, which requires CO2 capture levels well below the capability of current technology. Other case studies show that alternative policy options, such as a tax on CO2 emissions, could incentivize oxy-combustion capture.