Carbon Capture Research Articles

Modeling and economic analysis of block absorber (RadFrac) performance with stage variations for post-combustion CO2 capture

This study presents a comprehensive modeling and economic evaluation of a Monoethanolamine (MEA)-based post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) absorber unit. The simulation provides detailed insights into the absorber's internal profiles, including temperature gradients and the percentage of CO2 captured, with a particular focus on the effects of varying the number of stages and absorber diameters. Validation against experimental data demonstrated close alignment between simulated and observed values, with an average Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) of 0.018 and 4.0129, respectively, confirming the reliability of the simulation in capturing the complex dynamics of the absorber.The economic analysis, conducted using the Aspen Process Economic Analyzer (APEA), simplified the complex relationship between absorber segmentation, capital and operational costs, and absorber diameter. The study revealed that increasing the absorber diameter and the number of stages leads to a significant rise in Total Capital Cost (TCC), Total Operating Cost (TOC), Equipment Cost, and Total Installed Cost (TIC), with the highest costs observed at a stage number of 90 and a diameter of 1.0 m. However, the analysis identified an optimal configuration at an absorber diameter of 0.45 m with either 10 or 20 stages. This setup effectively balances cost and CO2 capture efficiency, offering a more economical solution compared to configurations with larger diameters and higher stage numbers, which substantially increase expenses. The findings highlight the critical trade-offs between operational efficiency and capital expenditure, stressing on the crucial role of absorber diameter in determining the economic feasibility of the absorber block in PCC systems.

Global status and prospects for hybrid hydrogen-natural gas systems for power plants in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract With the lowest power access rate in the world (51.4%), Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a severe energy crisis. Many of the region’s countries report access rates of less than 20%. Even though Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest global greenhouse gas emissions, the region still suffers from climate change, especially extreme droughts. Efforts to tackle these issues by implementing a macro-grid system that integrates natural gas and renewable energy resources have not been successful in reducing the adverse environmental effects and energy poverty. This study highlights research on the technological approaches used in hybrid hydrogen/natural gas in heavy-duty dual-fuel power plants, their benefits and drawbacks, and their economic viability. The goal of this is to suggest an improved and more reliable hub energy system for Sub-Saharan Africa. While all countries in Sub-Saharan Africa utilize natural gas plants, only 17% are involved in hydrogen production, and none have implemented hybrid methods for electrical energy generation. Studies using experimental and numerical analyses have shown that adding hydrogen to natural gas plants increases overall efficiency and lowers CO2 emissions. Furthermore, this research introduces an energy hub approach that incorporates carbon capture and power-to-X technologies, potentially improving efficiency by 42%. These strategies not only support environmental sustainability but also provide economic advantages by decreasing operational and financial losses in power plants. The results reveal a new pathway for the region’s transition to sustainable energy: identifying key locations for the technological and economic viability of hybrid hydrogen/natural gas power plants in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Enhanced Carbon Capture through Mineral Carbonation of Steel Slag: A Sustainable Approach to CO2 Sequestration

Enhanced Carbon Capture through Mineral Carbonation of Steel Slag: A Sustainable Approach to CO2 Sequestration

Urban green spaces with high connectivity and complex vegetation promote occupancy and richness of birds in a tropical megacity

Urban growth often leads to land-use changes that result in biodiversity loss and reduced human benefits. In urban zones, green areas facilitate physicochemical processes (such as carbon capture, reducing environmental temperature and noise pollution), offer multiple benefits to human beings (e.g., water filtration and purification), and support numerous vertebrate populations, including birds. In the tropics, the capacity of green spaces to maintain bird populations is regulated by characteristics of these areas (e.g., vegetation structure) and environmental seasonality. In order to generate ecological knowledge to help conserve bird diversity in large urban settlements, this study aimed to (1) identify the most influential variables on the distribution of bird species in green areas of a tropical megacity, and (2) assess how bird richness varies between the dry and rainy seasons. Across two dry and rainy seasons between 2021 and 2022, detection records of 108 bird species were obtained from 101 green areas. Air temperature and sampling time were the primary factors influencing bird detection. Bird occupancy and richness were higher in parks near other green areas in first dry and increased with tree richness during the rainy seasons. Floral abundance explained the occupancy and richness in the second dry season. In 2021, the highest richness was observed during the dry season, while in 2022, the highest richness was estimated during the rainy season. These findings highlight the importance of resource availability and spatial arrangement in urban green areas for bird diversity, offering insights for conservation and maintaining ecosystem benefits in urban environments.

Highly dispersed Ni-Ce catalyst over clay montmorillonite K10 in low-temperature CO2 methanation

The Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) option can be an efficient solution for CO2 emission mitigation. To this end, we have investigated the carbon dioxide methanation at low temperatures. Highly active, selective, stable, low-cost catalysts are required for energy and carbon balance benefits. Supported nickel-based catalysts result as the most studied and promising candidates showing a good compromise between performance and low preparation costs. The catalyst design role is key to obtaining the best performance, requiring many experiments and optimisation procedures. Herein, the enhanced Montmorillonite MK10-supported Ni(0)Ce(III) catalyst, prepared by consecutive hydrothermal and electrostatic adsorption methods followed by reduction under hydrogen flow, was used in batch CO2 methanation, exhibiting 76 % of CO2 conversion with 100 % CH4 selectivity after 3 h. The catalytic system reveals very high robustness preserving the same activity and selectivity for at least 5 reaction cycles if compared with γ-Al2O3-supported Ni(0)Ce(III) catalyst, the latter showing the same activity but only in the first cycle. EDX, XPS, SEM, TPD, TPR, and BET characterisation techniques were used to elucidate and evaluate the potential synergistic effect of the active metal centre-promoter-support interfaces, highlighting their role in the activity and robustness of the catalyst, comparing the same effect using different alumina and silicate solid supports. The effects of the reaction conditions on the methane yield and selectivity were also evaluated.

Optimizing economic feasibility of CO2 capture processes with rotating packed bed (RPB): Strategies for scale and modularization

Rotating Packed Bed (RPB) technology is increasingly recognized in the field of carbon capture for its potential to broaden application scopes and significantly reduce capital expenditures by minimizing packing volume. However, the commercialization of RPB-based CO2 capture presents several challenges at the process level, including enhancing energy efficiency, refining equipment design, and achieving scalability. Given the mechanical constraints, designing excessively large RPB units may be impractical. Thus, the economic scalability of RPB-based CO2 capture under practical constraints remains an unresolved issue. This study explores the cost-optimal CO2 capture scale through rigorous process simulation using 30-70 wt% monoethanolamine (MEA) solvents. It optimizes the process design and operating parameters to minimize the specific CO2 avoidance costs, within the bounds of practical RPB design limitations. The findings suggest that a capture scale of 100–200 Tons Per Day (TPD) is cost-optimal when using 50 wt% MEA for flue gases with CO2 concentrations above 14.5 mol%. However, cost-effective RPB design becomes challenging at CO2 concentrations as low as 4 mol%. The analysis suggests that the optimal scale might increase with future advancements in RPB design technologies. Current design constraints necessitate a modular approach as the most economically viable strategy for scaling up RPB-based CO2 capture. This modularization strategy supports the wider adoption of CO2 capture technologies at small- to medium-scales, facilitating industry-wide implementation and sustainable progress by reducing initial investment and allowing for phased scaling.

Responding to low-carbon shipping via a novel BOG-ORC-CCS system onboard LNG carrier: 4E analyses and optimization

As the international LNG trade market is booming, the LNG carrier fleet has expanded year after year. How to reduce energy consumption in boil-off gas (BOG) re-liquefaction process and CO2 generated during transportation has become a hot topic. This paper obtains ideas from the LNG cold energy contained in LNG carriers, and proposes a novel BOG-ORC-CCS system for direct BOG re-liquefaction, Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The BOG-ORC-CCS system recycles waste heat from the ship while realizing the LNG cold energy gradient utilization. The reference ship (Q-Flex) is specified under the framework of Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) phase Ⅲ requirement and the BOG-ORC-CCS system is simulated by Aspen HYSYS software. A comprehensive evaluation of the system performance is carried out under the guidance of energy, exergy, economic and environment (4E) modeling. The results of the 4E analyses show that the proposed BOG-ORC-CCS system has the advantage of low energy consumption and good economic performance. Finally, a multi-objective optimization of the system performance in 4E aspects: system energy and exergy efficiency (ηen,sys×ηex,sys), payback period (PBP) and primary energy saved (PES) are carried out by the third-generation non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-Ⅲ). As a result, the optimal solutions are as follows: ηen,sys is 50.91%, ηex,sys is 54.00%, PBP is 1.55 years and PES is 1.32 MWh, while Load of 75%, TL5 is −136.01 °C, pB5 is 1.82 MPa and ScrL2 is 99.88%. Additionally, SEC is 0.20 kWh/kg, which is much lower than that of conventional indirect re-liquefaction. This demonstrates the feasibility of the BOG-ORC-CCS system on LNG carriers.

Landfill-gas-to-biomethane via a new carbon capture and utilization technology: One-pot sodium chloride batch mineralization

A new landfill-gas-to-biomethane route adopts a new carbon capture and utilization process via sodium chloride (NaCl) mineralization. The new process exports chlorine (Cl2), dense carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen (H2) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). Process absorbs CO2 from landfill-gas with aqueous NaOH/Na2CO3 in batch multi-purpose columns that execute several processing steps in one-pot; namely: CO2 absorption; sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) precipitation; NaHCO3 filtration driven by pressurized CO2; NaHCO3 breakage to Na2CO3 via hot CO2 injection; Na2CO3 cooling via cold CO2 injection; and solid Na2CO3 disposal through column lateral doors. The one-pot columns avoid investment with several steady-state complex equipment like bubble-columns, centrifuges, filters, solid dryers, heaters, mud pumps and solid transporters. The depleted solvent from the one-pot columns is regenerated via steady-state, high current-density, brine electrolysis wherein solvent continually feeds cathodes, while brine continually feeds anodes as sodium source. Sodium reaches the cathode through selective Flemion F9010 ion-exchange membrane. CO2 is partially mineralized to Na2CO3 and partially exported as supercritical CO2. Process output-ratios per captured CO2 are: 1.159kgNa2CO3/kg, 0.7754kgCl2/kg, 0.4299kgCH4/kg, 0.0219kgGREEN−H2/kg and 0.51875kgCO2/kg, while the input-ratios are 1.2782kgNaCl/kg, 0.197kgH2O/kg and 1.7495kWh/kg. The new landfill-gas-to-biomethane (480,000Nm3/d landfill-gas) was evaluated environmentally and techno-economically reaching 48.6MMUSD investment, 112MMUSD/y revenues and 418.34MMUSD net value (30 years).

Modulating the Amine-CO2 Interaction Strength: Toward Efficient Carbon Capture.

This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between CO2 and amines at the molecular level by exploring the rotational spectra of binary complexes between CO2 and eight different amines through pulsed-jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The findings reveal a consistent pattern in which CO2 is bonded to the amino group, primarily through a C···N tetrel bond, while being supported by C-H···O/C hydrogen bonds. Notably, the binding energies increase from primary through tertiary amines and with increasing chain length of the alkyl groups. These groups are found to enhance the electron density at the amino group significantly, thereby facilitating the formation of stronger C···N tetrel bonds. The insights provided into how the interaction strength is modulated by the geometries of amines are deemed essential for the design of more effective CO2 adsorption materials, thus advancing carbon capture technologies.

Integrated Absorption and Mineralization to Carbon Capture from Marine Engine Exhaust Gases and Coproduce Magnesium Carbonate

Integrated Absorption and Mineralization to Carbon Capture from Marine Engine Exhaust Gases and Coproduce Magnesium Carbonate

Semi-Closed Oxy-Combustion Combined Cycles for Combined Heat and Power Applications

Abstract This study focuses on the design and comparison of three utility-scale combined heat and power (CHP) cycles with carbon capture and storage (CCS): (i) a CHP semi-closed oxy-combustion combined cycle (SCOC-CC), (ii) a CHP natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) with postcombustion CCS, and (iii) a CHP NGCC with postcombustion CCS and supplementary firing. Performance evaluations are conducted at the design point and partial load (gas turbine at 30%) for different exports of high-temperature pressurized steam. The comparison is extended against two reference separate production systems with CCS, one based on postcombustion technologies, and another based on oxy-combustion. Simulations of the H-class gas turbines are performed using gas steam (GS), a specific in-house validated software, while the heat recovery steam cycle is modeled using Thermoflex. The CO2 capture processes employ validated models in Aspen Plus. The results highlight the suitability of the SCOC-CC for CHP applications, demonstrating superior performance and flexibility compared to CHP postcombustion technologies at both nominal and minimum loads. The SCOC cycle achieves a maximum first-law efficiency of 65.95%, outperforming CCS technologies that generate electricity and heat separately and enabling fuel savings up to 9.2%.

Prediction of the Flame Characteristics of an Industrial Gas Turbine Operated With CO2-Diluted Air Through a High-Fidelity Numerical Analysis: A Comparison Between Flamelet Generated Manifolds and Artificially Thickened Flame

Abstract In light of the global commitment to decarbonize industrial processes, carbon capture and storage (CCS) plays a pivotal role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from gas turbine (GT) power generation processes. Achieving an efficient GT–CCS coupling requires the employment of high percentages of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to maximize the CO2 content at the CCS inlet. Nevertheless, such operating conditions pose critical challenges for conventional combustion systems due to reduced oxygen levels associated with higher EGR, limiting engine operability. To address this challenge, the development of innovative technical solutions is essential to extend the combustor operational capabilities at high EGR rates. For this goal, a significant number of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are required to identify the flame stability limits across various EGR levels and burner designs. It is imperative, in this context, to minimize computational costs while maintaining high accuracy. In this work, a comprehensive comparative study of an extended version of the flamelet generated manifolds (FGM) and the artificially thickened flame (ATF) model is performed through a large eddy simulation (LES)-based CFD analysis. The investigation is performed within the context of an industrial lean-premixed burner manufactured by Baker Hughes, operating with natural gas and CO2-diluted air at atmospheric pressure. While the extended-FGM has been previously presented by the authors in a study on the same test rig under standard air conditions, the current work aims to extend its application to critical oxygen-depleted conditions, where near-blowout phenomena such as flame liftoff and length elongation may become significantly pronounced. Numerical validation is carried out through a direct comparison of the computed averaged heat release, representing the flame topology, with detailed OH* chemiluminescence images from a test campaign conducted by the technology for high temperature (THT) Lab of the University of Florence. The experimental data will serve as the primary benchmark for assessing the models’ effectiveness in capturing the main dynamics of such critical operating conditions. Furthermore, potential disparities in both thermal and flow fields at the burner exit region between the two models will be discussed.

Progress in carbon dioxide capture, storage and monitoring in geological landform

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is recognized as a potent strategy for managing the accumulation of human-generated CO2 in the atmosphere, helping to alleviate climate change’s effects. The CO2 gas is captured from the point source through methods such as pre-treating fossil fuels, oxy-fuel combustion, or post-combustion capture; thereafter; it is transported to a storage location and injected into geological formations. This article provides an overview of carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, focusing on its key principles, technologies, associated risks, and challenges. Direct Air Capture (DAC) and Scalable Modelling, Artificial intelligence (Al), Rapid Theoretical calculations SMART technologies are detailed as emerging and promising approaches to CO2 capture. Numerous pilot and commercial projects commissioned to manage carbon dioxide emissions are presented. Additionally, the paper explores approaches combining geological, geophysical, geochemical, and environmental monitoring techniques to ensure the secure and sustainable storage of CO2 underground. These are essential to address uncertainties, minimize risks, and build public confidence in CCS as a viable climate mitigation strategy. The successful deployment of these technologies on a global scale will require continued innovation, particularly in the areas of monitoring, risk management, and public engagement. Emerging technologies such as AI and SMART systems could play a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and safety of CCS operations. However, the integration of these advancements with existing infrastructure and regulatory frameworks remains a challenge. Ultimately, a multi-disciplinary approach, combining technological, economic, and regulatory perspectives, will be vital to realizing the full potential of CCS in combating climate change.

Can't see the carbon for the CO2? Regulating CCU value chains under and beyond climate law

AbstractTo realise the objectives of the European Green Deal (EGD), fossil carbon will have to be not only reduced but also replaced with recycled carbon. The European Commission considers industrial carbon management and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies to be part of the solution. A value chain ensues when carbon dioxide (CO2) is captured and utilised as raw material. Examination of the climate, energy and environmental legal landscape of one specific CCU value chain—comprising of waste, waste incineration and plastic raw material—reveals the varied approaches regulation has towards CO2 and carbon. In this article, both carbon cycle legislation and legislation on the carbon source and the material storing carbon are analysed. The legislation being developed directly for CCU for products (other than synthetic fuels) focusses on the carbon cycle and CO2 under the EU emissions trading system (ETS) and a proposed Carbon Removal Certification Framework. Regulatory uncertainty remains for the studied CCU value chain as the capture of CO2 from waste incineration has yet to be incentivised under the EU ETS. Further, the criteria for the permanence of carbon storage in products to qualify under the EU ETS and of the long‐term storage under the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) have yet to be developed. For a more complete understanding, we have also analysed waste and product regulations. The conceptual structure of the EU Waste Framework Directive does not seem to support circulating carbon. This context also raises the fundamental question of whether the purpose of waste incineration could be carbon recycling instead of mere energy production. Regarding material storing carbon, plastics, the regulator has been silent as CCU‐originated plastic raw material is not recognised in EU plastics law. These issues must be identified and resolved one by one before the EGD can be secured; revisiting only climate law instruments does not suffice.

Environmental life-cycle analysis of hydrogen technology pathways in the United States

Hydrogen is a zero-carbon energy carrier with potential to decarbonize industrial and transportation sectors, but its life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions depend on its energy supply chain and carbon management measures (e.g., carbon capture and storage). Global support for clean hydrogen production and use has recently intensified. In the United States, Congress passed several laws that incentivize the production and use of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022, which provides tax credits of up to $3/kg depending on the carbon intensity of the produced hydrogen. A comprehensive life-cycle accounting of GHG emissions associated with hydrogen production is needed to determine the carbon intensity of hydrogen throughout its value chain. In the United States, Argonne’s R&D GREET® (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated emissions, and Energy use in Technologies) model has been widely used for hydrogen carbon intensity calculations. This paper describes the major hydrogen technology pathways considered in the United States and provides data sources and carbon intensity results for each of the hydrogen production and delivery pathways using consistent system boundaries and most recent technology performance and supply chain data.

Molecular Insights into CO2 Diffusion Behavior in Crude Oil

CO2 flooding plays a significant part in enhancing oil recovery and is essential to achieving CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage). This study aims to understand the fundamental theory of CO2 dissolving and diffusing into crude oil and how these processes vary under reasonable reservoir conditions. In this paper, we primarily use molecular dynamics simulation to construct a multi-component crude oil model with 17 hydrocarbons, which is on the basis of a component analysis of oil samples through laboratory experiments. Then, the CO2 dissolving capacity of the multi-component crude was quantitatively characterized and the impacts of external conditions—including temperature and pressure—on the motion of the CO2 dissolution and diffusion coefficients were systematically investigated. Finally, the swelling behavior of mixed CO2–crude oil was analyzed and the diffusion coefficients were predicted; furthermore, the levels of CO2 impacting the oil’s mobility were analyzed. Results showed that temperature stimulation intensified molecular thermal motion and increased the voids between the alkane molecules, promoting the rapid dissolution and diffusion of CO2. This caused the crude oil to swell and reduced its viscosity, further improving the mobility of the crude oil. As the pressure increased, the voids between the internal and external potential energy of the crude oil models became wider, facilitating the dissolution of CO2. However, when subjected to external compression, the CO2 molecules’ diffusing progress within the oil samples was significantly limited, even diverging to zero, which inhabited the improvement in oil mobility. This study provides some meaningful insights into the effect of CO2 on improving molecular-scale mobility, providing theoretical guidance for subsequent investigations into CO2–crude oil mixtures’ complicated and detailed behavior.

Contestation in social acceptance of direct air capture (DAC) technologies in Korea by differing framings over governance principles

Recently, DAC technologies have been recognized as a viable innovation in Korea’s mitigation efforts. In 2023, while formulating a specific implementation plan to meet the national mitigation target in Korea’s 2030 nationally determined contribution (NDC), the government considered setting a separate mitigation target for DAC technologies alongside the existing target for carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCUS) technologies. During government-wide meetings, a clear divide emerged between supporters and opponents. Despite strong demand from supporters, the final national implementation plan did not include a mitigation target for DAC technologies. Focusing on this contestation, this paper explores why setting a separate target for DAC technologies was contested and not accepted at the policy-drafting stage. From the theoretical ground of social acceptance of new and innovative technologies, this paper utilizes four governance principles as social norms with which stakeholders understand and interpret DAC technologies, and analyzes differing framings on DAC technologies. Research results show that dominant framing approaches, hindering the establishment of a DAC technology-specific mitigation target, are i) risks of considering short-term and binding targets in commensurate with long-term targets through DAC technologies, ii) the uncertainty of mitigation potentials by technologically and methodologically under-developed DAC technologies, and iii) the inefficiency of financial investment for DAC technologies. This paper concludes with policy recommendations, emphasizing the need to establish binding short- and mid-term targets in alignment with the 2050 long-term target, government support for technology demonstrations, methodological assistance for leveraging carbon markets, and a redefinition of the relationship between CCUS and DAC technologies.

Exploring Online Education for Circular Economy: Content Analysis and Didactical Approaches in Plastic Waste Management Courses

Purpose: The increasing emphasis on sustainable practices in managing plastic waste underscores the importance of education and training in fostering a circular economy. This article aims to elucidate the critical role of awareness-raising and capacity-building initiatives, which have become pivotal as societies transition towards more sustainable economic models, particularly concerning plastic management. Study design/methodology/approach: This article investigates online courses' availability, content, and methodological frameworks dedicated to the circular economy and plastic-related issues. The primary objective is to develop a comprehensive theoretical framework that elucidates how these courses are designed to enhance awareness of plastic-related challenges, disseminate relevant knowledge, and educate the public about potential solutions. Findings: The analysis focuses on these courses' structure, content, and pedagogical methodologies to evaluate their effectiveness in informing and engaging learners. It assesses how effectively these courses enhance learners' capacities to tackle plastic-related challenges and equip them with the skills necessary for fostering innovation within the plastic value chain. Originality/value: While awareness-raising and capacity-building are essential for advancing a circular economy, systemic changes in production and consumption patterns are equally critical. The integration of advanced recycling methods, renewable energy solutions, and carbon capture technologies can significantly mitigate the plastic industry's carbon footprint. A holistic approach that comprehensively addresses the lifecycle of plastics—from design to disposal—is essential for achieving a genuinely circular and climate-neutral economy.

A bio‐reactive transport model for biomethanation in hydrogen underground storage sites

AbstractUnderground biomethanation, which relies on the subsurface microbial activity to convert hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane, is a promising approach to support carbon capture, utilization, and storage technology. The process involves injecting hydrogen with captured CO2 into depleted oil and gas reservoirs or aquifers colonized by hydrogenotrophic methanogens that can convert these two substrates into methane. Despite the attractiveness of this technology, there are still uncertainties about the efficiency of the conversion process, particularly the impact of microbial parameters. To investigate the efficiency of the hydrogen conversion process, we relied on a bio‐reactive transport model that can mimic microbial growth and decay, consumption of substrates, and transport of reactants and products. It was found that the methane concentration peaks near the injection well when the hydrogen fraction is in the range of 75% to 80% of the injected gas composition. In addition, a noticeable hydrogen sulfide concentration can be produced due to sulfide ions in the brine. Using the Kozeny‐Carman relation, an attempt was made to correlate microbial growth with reduced porosity and permeability. It was then revealed that substrate consumption by microbes leads to a drastic increase in the microbial population in the subsurface, which can reduce the petrophysical properties of the reservoir, especially in the near wellbore area. The results obtained from a series of parametric analyses showed that the hydrogen concentration in the injected gas, pressure, well spacing, and injection rate are some of the most important parameters contributing to the biomethanation process. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Regional Operation of Electricity-Hythane Integrated Energy System Considering Coupled Energy and Carbon Trading

The deepening implementation of the energy and carbon market imposes trading requirements on multiple regional integrated energy system participants, including power generation plants, industrial users, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) facilities. Their diverse roles in different markets strengthen the interconnections among these subsystems. On the other hand, the operation of CCUS, containing carbon capture (CS), power-to-hydrogen (P2H), and power-to-gas (P2G), results in the coupling of regional carbon reduction costs with the operation of electricity and hythane networks. In this paper, we propose a regional economic dispatching model of an integrated energy system. The markets are organized in a centralized form, and their clearing conditions are considered. CCUS is designed to inject hydrogen or natural gas into hythane networks, operating more flexibly. A generalized Nash game is applied to analyze the multiple trading equilibria of different entities. Simulations are carried out to derive a different market equilibrium regarding network scales, seasonal load shifts, and the ownership of CCUS. Simulation results in a 39-bus/20-node coupled network indicate that the regional average carbon prices fluctuate from ¥1078.82 to ¥1519.03, and the organization of independent CCUS is more preferred under the proposed market structure.