Capital Cost Estimates Research Articles

Energy analysis of two stage packed-bed chemical looping combustion configurations for integrated gasification combined cycles

Chemical looping combustion is a promising technology for power production with integrated CO2 capture. High overall efficiencies can be reached, if the CLC reactors are operated at elevated pressures and high temperature, which can be accommodated in packed bed reactors. More possible oxygen carriers can be selected if the desired temperature rise for power production is achieved in a two stage chemical looping combustion (TS-CLC) process. In this work, the TS-CLC configuration using copper and manganese based oxygen carriers has been integrated in a complete power plant based on coal gasification (IG-CLC). An extensive energy analysis based on the combined use of a packed bed reactor modeling tool and a complete process simulation has been undertaken. An economic estimation of the reactors capital cost has also been carried out.From the material and energy balances the IG-CLC with one stage nickel-based CLC process results in a net electric efficiency of 41.1% on low heating value basis. In case of TS-CLC, efficiencies of 40.3%–40.8% have been obtained. This demonstrated that IGCC (integrated gasification combined cycles) adopting a TS-CLC process can also achieve high efficiency compared to conventional CO2 capture technologies. Although a larger reactor volume is required for TS-CLC, the total estimated investment costs are a factor two lower, because the oxygen carriers are much cheaper.

ChemInform Abstract: Solar Photocatalysis: Materials, Reactors, Some Commercial, and Pre‐industrialized Applications. A Comprehensive Approach

AbstractReview: 257 refs.

A critical analysis of thermochemical cellulosic biorefinery capital cost estimates

AbstractThis analysis quantifies the impact of capital cost estimation methodologies and probability distributions on the 20‐year net present values (NPV) of six thermochemical cellulosic biofuel pathways. It reviews the methodologies and distributions employed in the open literature, and compares the latter with those reported for existing energy projects. A sensitivity analysis calculates the impact of methodology choice on the NPV of each pathway scenario and an uncertainty analysis calculates the impact of probability distribution choice on the same. The sensitivity analysis finds that the choice of pessimistic or optimistic estimation methodology changes NPV by up to $300 million. The uncertainty analysis finds that the representation of capital cost by asymmetrical probability distributions increases the standard deviations of the 20‐year NPV cumulative distribution functions by up to 35% relative to symmetrical distributions. Finally, recommendations are given to improve capital cost calculations in cellulosic biofuel techno‐economic analyses. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Biomass gasification-based syngas production for a conventional oxo synthesis plant—greenhouse gas emission balances and economic evaluation

The long-term primary option for the chemical industry to reduce fossil feedstock dependence and greenhouse gas emissions is to switch to a renewable feedstock. This study investigates the global greenhouse gas emission balances and process economics of switching the natural gas-based syngas feedstock of a conventional oxo synthesis plant to a biomass-based feedstock. Two biomass gasification-based concepts are considered: (i) replacing the natural gas with biomass-derived synthetic natural gas; and (ii) replacing the syngas directly with biomass-derived syngas. The work is based on previously conducted work by the authors in which process modeling, integration opportunities, and the thermodynamic performance of the proposed biomass-based concepts were investigated. The assessment approach is to compare two different biomass-based process routes to the same end-product by switching the introduction point in the fossil-based process value chain. The different concepts are compared in terms of greenhouse gas emission reduction potential and change in production cost of oxo products compared with the conventional route. A system boundary expansion approach is applied to estimate the global greenhouse gas emission balances, thus eliminating the need to define the final use of the oxo product. Sensitivity analyses are conducted with respect to future material and energy prices, carbon dioxide emission charges, capital cost estimations, and reference grid electricity generation technologies. The direct biomass-based syngas route is shown to achieve promising environmental and economic performance levels. The results indicate that producing biomass-based syngas directly can be economically competitive with natural gas-based syngas for price projections based on current policies. However, for future policies associated with major greenhouse gas emission constraints, no direct economic incentive for switching to biomass-based syngas production is achieved. These results suggest that policy measures other than a carbon dioxide emission charge can be necessary to achieve a transition to renewables for the production of oxo products.

Energy Efficiency and Capital Cost Estimation of Superheated Steam Drying Processes Combined with Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle

Energy Efficiency and Capital Cost Estimation of Superheated Steam Drying Processes Combined with Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle

Ex post appraisal: What lessons can be learnt from EU cohesion funded transport projects?

This paper is concerned with project level outcomes of 10 large transport projects spread over eight countries that had benefited from EU Cohesion and ISPA funding. These are analysed within a cost benefit analysis framework with comparisons being made between the ex ante and ex post cost benefit analyses. The research finds that despite much attention being placed on the issue of optimism bias over the last decade it still remains prevalent. It also finds that there is a clear need to improve the quality and consistency of ex ante analysis particularly in the areas of capital cost estimation, travel demand modelling and risk analysis. Additionally our research identifies the limited role that formal decision making tools such as cost benefit analysis and multi-criteria analysis play in the decision making process of the countries surveyed. The benefit of undertaking ex post cost benefit analysis is maximised when a set of schemes are analysed – thereby allowing patterns in outcomes and weaknesses in ex ante methodologies to be identified. Ex post work is not without its challenges particularly in defining the counterfactual and addressing institutional memory loss.

Supercritical CO2 oilseed extraction in multi-vessel plants. 2. Effect of number and geometry of extractors on production cost

The objective of this work was to study production costs for the supercritical CO2 extraction of a pre-pressed oilseed (packed bed with 2-mm particles) in a 2-m3 industrial multi-vessel plant operating at 40°C and 30MPa, using a fully predictive mass transfer model to simulate the process. We modified the inner diameter (47.3≤D≤65.6cm) and number (n=2, 3, or 4) of extraction vessels, and the mass flow rate of CO2 (Q=3000 or 6000kg/h), thus changing the aspect ratio of the extraction vessels (3≤L/D≤8), and superficial velocity (2.71≤U≤10.8mm/s) and specific mass flow rate (6≤q≤24kg/h per kg substrate) of CO2. Production cost decreased when increasing the mass flow rate of CO2 or the number of extraction vessels (or when increasing q). Production cost did not depend on the geometry of extraction vessel for a constant specific mass flow rate of CO2, but it decreased with a decreasing of the L/D ratio of the vessel for a constant superficial velocity of CO2. For any given plant, the contribution of fixed cost items (capital, labor) to the production cost increased with extraction time, unlike that of variable cost items (substrate, CO2, energy), which decreased. Thus, there was an optimal extraction time that minimized production cost for each plant. This work proposes an expression for capital cost of an industrial multi-vessel plant as a function of the mass flow rate of CO2 (which defines the cost of the solvent cycle of the plant), and the volume of the extraction vessels (which together with number of extraction vessels define the cost of extraction section of the plant), with a scaling factor of 0.48 for both items. Under optimal conditions, capital cost represented 30–40% of the production cost, but uncertainties in capital cost estimates (about ±50% using the proposed expression) may largely affect these estimates. The lowest production cost estimated in this work was USD 7.8/kg oil for the extraction of prepressed oilseed in a four-vessel plant using 6000kg/h of CO2. The mass flow rate of CO2 and number of extraction vessels also affected annual productivity that was about 360ton oil for the same plant operating 7200h per year. Oil yields were above 90% for both three- and four-vessel plants.

Economic implications of pre- and post-combustion calcium looping configurations applied to gasification power plants

Abstract Gasification is a promising conversion technology to deliver high energy efficiency simultaneously with low energy and cost penalties for carbon capture. This paper is devoted to in-depth economic evaluations of pre- and post-combustion Calcium Looping (CaL) configurations for Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants. The poly-generation capability, e.g. hydrogen and power co-generation, is also discussed. The post-combustion CaL option is a gasification power plant in which the flue gases from the gas turbine are treated for CO2 capture in a carbonation–calcination cycle. In pre-combustion CaL option, the Sorbent Enhanced Water Gas Shift (SEWGS) feature is used to produce hydrogen which is used for power generation. As benchmark case, a conventional gasification power plant without carbon capture was considered. Net power output of evaluated cases is in the range of 550–600 MW with more than 95% carbon capture rate. The pre-combustion capture configuration was evaluated also in hydrogen and power co-generation scenario. The evaluations are concentrated for estimation of capital costs, specific investment cost, operational & maintenance (O&M) costs, CO2 removal and avoidance costs, electricity costs, sensitivity analysis of technical and economic assumptions on key economic indicators etc.

Light olefins and transport fuels from biomass residues via synthetic methanol: performance and cost analysis

A thermochemical processing route from biomass residues to light olefins (ethylene and propylene) is assessed by means of process simulation and cost analysis. A two-step process chain is proposed where (1) biomass residues are first converted to synthetic methanol in a gasification plant situated close to feedstock resources and (2) the produced methanol is transported to a steam cracking site where it is further converted in a methanol to olefins (MTO) plant. Possibilities for heat and product integration as well as equipment sharing with a steam cracking plant are discussed. Overall mass yields from dry biomass to light olefins range from 169 to 203 kg/t. Based on cursory capital cost estimates, the maximum methanol purchase price for such integrated MTO plants is estimated to be in the range of 420–450 €/t.

Exergy and economic analysis of a CaO-looping gasifier for IGFC–CCS and IGCC–CCS

We present exergy and economic analyses for two potential advanced coal-based power plants with CO2 capture and sequestration. Each system generates three products: electricity, carbon dioxide compressed to 15MPa, and pre-calcined feedstock for cement kilns. First, we analyzed a system that integrates a CaO-looping gasifier with a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), labeled here as IGFC–CCS. The SOFC is modeled based on a commercial pressurized SOFC system. Second, we analyzed a system that integrates a CaO-looping gasifier with a Brayton–Rankine combined cycle, labeled here as IGCC–CCS. The exergy analyses evaluated both the power generation/consumption and the exergy destruction in each of the major sub-systems within the power plant. The economic analyses evaluated the internal rate of return on investment (IRR), including the upfront construction costs and the yearly net revenue. Using recent capital cost estimates, we performed a parametric study of this IGFC–CCS system to determine the effect on the IRR on the four key SOFC parameters: current density, air pressure, fuel utilization, and air stoichiometric ratio. For this IGFC–CCS configuration, the calculated exergetic efficiency was 60% at the parameters values that maximized the IRR. For the IGCC–CCS system with same gasifier specifications, the efficiency was 46%; although, this configuration often achieved a higher value of IRR than the IGFC–CCS configuration, depending on the assumptions made on gas turbine and fuel cell equipment costs. We conducted a sensitivity analysis to determine how the IRR was affected by assumptions, such as capital costs and the sale price of CO2. Most importantly, we analyzed the effect of the coal gasification kinetic rate and CaO capture degradation rate on the IRR so that experimental researchers have goal posts as far as required rates for this CaO-looping process. From our sensitivity analysis, we conclude that the addition of alkali catalysts to CaO-looping gasification process can increase the IRR compared with a CaO-looping process without the addition of alkali catalysts, such as KOH.

Project Management Procedures Needed to Design the Newest Four Phosphoric Acid Evaporators in North America

This paper presents the project management techniques needed to design the newest four evaporators installed in North America, and any similar project. The four evaporators included integral fluosilicic acid recovery systems, and were successfully designed, fabricated, erected and operational by mid 2009. Topics discussed in the paper include: Project Objectives, Project Stages, Scope Definition, Design Basis, Codes and Standards, Technology Selection, Capital Cost Estimation, Schedule Development and Control, Operating Cost Estimation, Value Improvement Practices, Equipment Specification, Contractor Bid Specification, Constructability Review, Construction Management, and Commissioning.

Sewage sludge minimisation by means of wet oxidation: process performance and economic sustainability

Today, several technologies and management strategies are proposed and applied in WWTPs to minimise sludge production and contamination and their techno-economic feasibility has to be carefully evaluated. In this work (which is being conducted within the European Union project ‘ROUTES’), based on bench results, a mass balance was drawn for a WWTP (500,000 PE), where it was supposed to install a wet oxidation (WO) stage for sludge minimisation. The design of treatment units and the estimation of capital and operation costs were then performed. Subsequently, a procedure for technical-economic assessment was developed. Basically, this procedure consists in the definition and ranking of several technical (e.g., reliability of the technology, complexity and integration with the existing facilities, amount of residues to be disposed of or recovered, etc.) and economic aspects. Preliminary results have shown WO to be a suitable solution for sludge minimisation.

Solar Powered Steam-methane Reformer Economics

With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and SolarThermoChemical LLC, PNNL is developing a solar-powered steam-methane reformer (SMR). The reformer sits at the focal point of a parabolic dish concentrator, with the concentrated solar energy providing the endothermic heat of reaction. The result is a syngas comprising mostly H2 and CO with a heating value approximately 27% higher than the entering natural gas.On-sun testing completed in 2013 achieved a solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency as high as 69%, based on the ratio of incremental chemical energy created to direct normal insolation striking the parabolic dish concentrator. Advanced designs are expected to improve upon this performance. Details regarding the design and performance of the solar reformer are presented elsewhere.This paper describes the projected economics of the parabolic dish SMR system. The key metrics are the levelized cost of electricity for a modified, combined-cycle power plant that operates with natural gas or syngas from the dish SMR, and the levelized cost of chemical energy based on the incremental chemical energy produced in the SMR. The latter can be compared to the levelized cost of natural gas over the life of the solar-powered system. Initial capital and annual maintenance cost estimates for each system component are also presented.

Cost estimates for nuclear power in the UK

Current UK Government support for nuclear power has in part been informed by cost estimates that suggest that electricity from new nuclear power stations will be competitive with alternative low carbon generation options. The evidence and analysis presented in this paper suggests that the capital cost estimates for nuclear power that are being used to inform these projections rely on costs escalating over the pre-construction and construction phase of the new build programme at a level significantly below those that have been experienced by past US and European programmes. This paper applies observed construction time and cost escalation rates to the published estimates of capital costs for new nuclear plant in the UK and calculates the potential impact on levelised cost per unit of electricity produced. The results suggest that levelised cost may turn out to be significantly higher than expected which in turn has important implications for policy, both in general terms of the potential costs to consumers and more specifically for negotiations around the level of policy support and contractual arrangements offered to individual projects through the proposed contract for difference strike price.

Can the world run on renewable energy? A revised negative case

PurposeThe discussion of climate change and energy problems is generally based on the assumption that technical solutions are possible and that the task is essentially to determine the most effective ways. This view relies heavily on the expectation that renewable energy sources can be substituted for fossil fuels. The purpose of this paper is to improve on an earlier attempt to estimate the investment cost that would be involved in deriving total world energy supply from renewable sources.Design/methodology/approachThis discussion improves on an earlier attempt to estimate the investment cost that would be involved in deriving total world energy supply from renewable sources. It takes common assumptions re future energy demand and estimates of future output and capital costs of major renewable energy sources and explores four strategies for supplying global energy demand in 2050.FindingsThis paper finds that the greenhouse and energy problems cannot be solved by action on the supply side, i.e. by technical developments which promise to provide quantities taken for granted in energy‐intensive societies. This general “limits to growth” perspective is that these and the other major global problems can only be solved by action on the demand side, i.e. by moving to ways, values, institutions and systems which greatly reduce the need for materials, energy and ecological resources.Research limitations/implicationsConfidence in the conclusions is limited mainly by the lack of evidence at this point in time on the actual difficulties set by the problem of integrating the intermittent sources, and the resulting need for redundant plant.Practical implicationsEach of the four strategies explored requires large amounts of redundant plant to be able to cope with the intermittency problem. Each leads to total system capital costs which are well beyond affordable levels.Social implicationsThe findings add to the general “limits to growth” case that solutions to the global energy and other sustainability problems cannot be achieved within consumer‐capitalist society but must be sought via dramatic reductions in production, consumption and GDP. This would require radical system change from the commitment to growth, market systems and affluent lifestyles, to what is described as The Simpler Way.Originality/valueIt does not seem that this approach has previously been taken to the specific issue of the potential and limits of renewable energy. Little or no attention has been given to the thesis that global sustainability and justice require transition to some kind of Simpler Way.

Unleashing the Power of the Bio-Economy

Industrial BiotechnologyVol. 9, No. 2 Industry ReportsUnleashing the Power of the Bio-EconomyPublished Online:3 Apr 2013https://doi.org/10.1089/ind.2013.1564AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byAn Analysis of Circular Economy Literature at the Macro Level, with a Particular Focus on Energy Markets10 February 2023 | Energies, Vol. 16, No. 4Circular Environmental Impact of Recycled Building Materials and Residential Renewable Energy29 March 2022 | Sustainability, Vol. 14, No. 7Mapping the Circular Economy Concept and the Global South28 July 2021 | Circular Economy and Sustainability, Vol. 2, No. 1A method for quick capital cost estimation of biorefineries beyond the state of the art8 July 2020 | Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, Vol. 14, No. 5Taking Part in the Circular Economy: Four Ways to Designing Circular Business ModelsSSRN Electronic JournalMeeting Current Needs and Assessing Future Opportunities to Drive the Global Bioeconomy Vicki Glaser16 October 2013 | Industrial Biotechnology, Vol. 9, No. 5 Volume 9Issue 2Apr 2013 InformationCopyright 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Unleashing the Power of the Bio-Economy.Industrial Biotechnology.Apr 2013.74-80.http://doi.org/10.1089/ind.2013.1564Published in Volume: 9 Issue 2: April 3, 2013PDF download

Assessment of solid sorbents as a competitive post-combustion CO2 capture technology

Solid sorbents are believed to be a promising early-stage technology for achieving more cost-effective capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from large point sources, especially coal-fired power plants. To better assess the potential advantages of solid sorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture, this paper presents preliminary results of an analysis of two representative sorbents in an integrated model for estimating plant-level performance and costs for a new, supercritical pulverized coal (PC) power plant. A probabilistic comparison is then made between two solid sorbents and a commercial amine-based liquid solvent system. Our results show that for a 90% CO2 removal efficiency, the solid sorbent provides an expected net plant efficiency of 32% (higher heating value basis) for a metal-organic framework solid and 29% efficiency for a solid amine-based sorbent, versus 28% net efficiency with a liquid amine- based system using the same reference plant assumptions. Cost estimates for solid sorbent systems, however, remain highly uncertain at this time, mainly because of large uncertainties in capital cost estimates.

Economics of exhaust air heat recovery systems for mine ventilation

Underground mining in cold regions of the world requires the heating of fresh air intake. On the other hand, exhaust air is usually discharged to the atmosphere at much greater temperatures than the ambient air. Using a medium such as water or glycol, heat can be extracted from the exhaust air and transferred to a desired location for use. In some mines, heat recovery could contribute to large energy savings especially with the increasing price of fossil fuels and electricity. This paper describes a computer software application developed in order to evaluate the feasibility of recovering heat from exhaust mine air. The software uses input data for a given mine site to obtain the cost benefits of installing an exhaust heat recovery system to heat the mine intake air during cold periods. There are two main components within the software; energy analysis of the system and capital cost estimation of the project. Assumptions and calculations performed within the software are briefly discussed. Several results of fictitious mine sites are presented.

Challenges of Costing Transmission in a World of Economic Volatility

Transmission capital cost estimation is faced with stiff challenges due to rising costs and volatility. State regulators evaluating transmission capital costs often require alternatives and cost–benefit analyses, which rely on accurate cost estimation. Consideration of environmental issues in early stages of project design and accounting for contingency factors and stakeholder engagement could minimize and avoid last-minute cost surprises.

Comparative analysis of Fischer–Tropsch and integrated gasification combined cycle biomass utilization

Use of agricultural biomass (switchgrass, prairie grasses) through Fischer–Tropsch (FT) conversion to liquid fuels is compared with biomass utilization via (IGCC) integrated gasification combined cycle electrical production. In the IGCC scenario, biomass is co-fired with coal, with biomass comprising 10% of the fuel input by energy content. In this case, the displaced coal is processed via FT methods so that liquid fuels are produced in both scenarios. Overall performance of the two options is compared on the basis of total energy yield (electricity, liquid fuels), carbon dioxide emissions, and total cost. Total energy yield is almost identical whether biomass is used for electrical power generation or liquid fuels synthesis. Carbon dioxide emissions are also approximately equal for the two pathways. Capital costs are more difficult to compare since scaling factors cause considerable uncertainty. With IGCC costs roughly equivalent for either scenario, cost differences between the pathways appear based on FT plant construction cost. Coal FT facility capital cost estimates for the plant scale in this study (721 MW t LHV input) are estimated to be 410 (MUSD) million US Dollars while the similar scale biomass-only FT plant costs range from 430 MUSD to 590 MUSD.