Ramp-up of CO 2 capture and storage within Europe

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) technologies as part of a portfolio for reducing CO 2 emissions from the European electricity generation system until the year 2050. Special emphasis is put on the ramp-up of CCS with respect to timing of investments and requirement of corresponding CO 2 transportation and storage infrastructure. The investigation comprises scenario analysis through modeling possible development of the electricity supply system for EU25 and together with a more detailed analysis of Northern Europe (Germany, UK, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway). The modeling has been carried out with a techno-economic model (minimizing the system cost) including a detailed description of the present stationary European electricity generation system as obtained from the Chalmers Energy Infrastructure database. It is concluded that CCS can play a significant role in reducing CO 2 emissions at a cost in the range of 20–60 €/t over the period studied. In EU25 as much as 39 Gt CO 2 may be captured over the period 2020–2050 implying a steep ramp-up, i.e. most CCS capacity is added during the first two decades after 2020 from which it is assumed to be commercially available. Corresponding capture in Germany and UK amounts to 9 and 4 Gt, respectively. The analysis show that a transportation infrastructure can be put in place for about 2–5 €/t CO 2. However, the steep ramp-up obtained from the model obviously do not take into account other issues which must be resolved for a large scale implementation of CCS. Examples of such issues are discussed in the paper and concern establishment of a legal framework regulating subsurface storage of CO 2, inclusion of captured CO 2 in the European Union emission trading scheme and issues related to fuel markets and fuel supply to accommodate an increased use of coal as a fuel.