Strategies of Installation of a Solar Integrated Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Plant on a 500-MW Size Coal-Fired Thermal Power Plant in India

Abstract

While coal contributes to over 58% of the entire commercial energy demand in India, it also accounts for more than 50% of gross pollutants. About 1500 MTPA of CO2 is emitted by coal-based thermal power plants with capacities greater than 209 GW, out of total annual emissions of about 3000 MTPA. India has pledged to reduce its carbon intensity by 33% at COP-21: Paris, which would result in a decrease in CO2 emissions intensity at our coal plants from an average level of 0.9–0.58 kg/kWh by 2030. This is achievable through the induction of post-combustion Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) plants in our coal-fired thermal power plants. Out of a total Renewable Energy target of 175 GW by 2022, we have already achieved over 114 GW as of date and the current focus is on photovoltaic (PV) solar plant installation at a rapid pace. At COP-26, India pledged to meet its goal of generating 50% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030, as well as to build 500 GW of green power capacity by that time. Solar thermal technology with Thermal Storage (TES) is also picking up at a faster pace through R&D efforts (Rudra V. Kapila, R. Stuart H: Opportunities in India for Carbon Capture and Storage as a form of climate change mitigation. GHGT-9, l; Washington DC, USA (2008).). If solar thermal devices are used to generate steam for solvent regeneration and CO2 stripping in post-combustion CCS plants on coal-fired units, the CO2 capture by an amine system of 30% CO2 capture, it would result in an energy penalty reduction by about 50%. This has been demonstrated at RKDF University, Bhopal, India, which has established a pilot plant of post-combustion CCS integrated with Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) for solvent regeneration (Sethi V K,: An Innovative Approach in Post Combustion Carbon Capture and Sequestration towards Reduction of energy penalty in Regeneration of Solvent. Intec open Book. Print ISBN 978–1-78,923–764-1. Online ISBN 978–1-78,923–765-8 (2019).). This paper presents the results of a CCS Pilot Plant as well as a feasibility study of scaling up CCS Plant and strategies for the installation of CCS on a 500-MW coal-fired thermal power plant.