Carbon Capture System Analysis

DOE/NETL possesses strong systems analysis and policy-support capabilities. Systems analysis in support of the Carbon Capture Program consists of conducting various energy analyses that provide input to decisions on issues such as national plans and programs, resource use, environmental and energy security policies, technology options for research and development programs, and paths to deployment of energy technology. This work includes technology, benefits, and current situation and trends analyses related to CO₂ emissions control. Systems analyses and economic modeling of potential new processes are crucial to providing sound guidance to R&D efforts. Since the majority of new CO₂ capture technologies are still at a bench scale level of development, a conceptual design is first generated with emphasis on mass and energy balances. Based on available data and/or engineering estimates, these systems are optimized, and "what-if" scenarios are evaluated to identify barriers to deployment and help the process developers establish system performance targets. Reports that have been generated describing systems analyses in support of carbon capture efforts are shown in the table below.

Carbon Capture Reports
Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants Volume 1a: Bituminous Coal (PC) and Natural Gas to Electricity Revision 3	This report establishes performance and cost data for fossil energy power systems, pulverized coal (PC) plants fueled with bituminous coal and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants, all with and without carbon capture and storage. July 2015 • DOE/NETL-2015/1723
Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants Supplement: Sensitivity to CO₂ Capture Rate in Coal-Fired Power Plants	This report evaluated the effect of lower CO₂ capture rates on plant performance and cost for both IGCC and PC power plants. June 2015 • DOE/NETL-2015/1720
Options for Improving the Efficiency of Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants	This analysis evaluates options for improving the efficiency of existing subcritical pulverized coal electric generating units. The cost impact and extent of CO₂ emission reduction are both presented. April 2014 • DOE/NETL-2014/1650
Cost and Performance of PC and IGCC Plants for a Range of Carbon Dioxide Capture, Revision 1	This study establishes the cost and performance for a range of carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture levels for new supercritical pulverized coal (PC) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plants. September 2013 • DOE/NETL-2011/1498
Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants - Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity, Revision 2a	The objective of this report is to establish a cost and performance baseline for fossil energy power systems, specifically pulverized coal (PC), integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants, all with and without carbon capture and sequestration. September 2013 • DOE/NETL-2010/1397
Quality Guideline for Energy System Studies: CO₂ Impurity Design Parameters	This section of the Quality Guidelines provides recommended impurity limits for CO₂ stream components for use in conceptual studies of CO₂ carbon capture, utilization, and storage systems. These limits were developed from information consolidated from numerous studies and are presented by component. August 2013 • NETL/DOE-341/011212
Impact of Load Following on Power Plant Cost and Performance	This study performed a review of the public literature and interviewed industry experts to determine the impact on cost and performance of forcing fossil fuel power plants without and with carbon capture to load follow in response to changes in demand or output from renewable power generation sources. October 2012 • DOE/NETL-2013/1592
Updated Costs (June 2011 Basis) for Selected Bituminous Baseline Cases	The Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Power Plants, Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity (Nov 2010) establishes performance and cost data for fossil energy power systems, specifically integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants fueled with bituminous coal, pulverized coal (PC) plants fueled with bituminous coal, and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants all with and without carbon capture and sequestration. This report updates the cost of selected cases from that report to June 2011 dollars. August 2012 • DOE/NETL-341082312
Techno-Economic Analysis of CO₂ Capture-Ready Coal-Fired Power Plants	This analysis evaluates CO₂ capture-ready supercritical pulverized coal units. Cost and performance results are presented for capture-ready coal units that achieve a 30-year average emission rate of 1,000 lb CO₂/MWh. The analysis also includes a detailed discussion of the specific elements that comprise a capture-ready unit, as well as different design strategies to minimize costs. August 2012 • DOE/NETL-2012/1581
Current and Future Technologies for Power Generation with Post-Combustion Carbon Capture	The objective of this study is to support DOE’s Carbon Capture and Advanced Combustion R&D Programs by completing an "R&D Pathway” study for PC power plants that employ post-combustion carbon capture. March 2012 • DOE/NETL-2012/1557
NEMS-CCUS: A Model and Framework for Comprehensive Assessment of CCUS and Infrastructure	This paper presents a recent application of the NETL funded NEMS-CCUS Model which enables the simulation of CO₂ pipelines and pipeline networks across the forty-eight contiguous states. The model was used to assess the role of CO₂ capture, utilization and storage in both carbon tax and clean energy standard (CES) cases. February 2012 • CMTC-150377-PP
Evaluating the Impact of R&D and Learning-By-Doing on Fossil Energy Technology Cost Reductions: There Can be No Learning if There is No Doing	This analysis explores the contributions of R&D prior to deployment and learning-by-doing on fossil energy technology cost reductions. A learning curve analysis tool and cash flow model were constructed for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) capital costs to quantify these effects. The results of this analysis show that without CCUS R&D prior to deployment, the opportunity to learn-by-doing does not occur because commercial entry costs are prohibitive.February 2012 • DOE/NETL-342/020613
Fossil Energy RD&D: Reducing the Cost of CCUS for Coal Fired Power Plants	The paper highlights RD&D partnership efforts with both the Nation’s research universities and the private sector, which are focused on maximizing system efficiency and performance, while minimizing the costs of new Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies. January 2012 • DOE/NETL-2012/1550
Research and Development Goals for CO₂ Capture Technology	This document outlines the carbon capture goals set forth by DOE/NETL and provides a detailed breakdown and justification of their derivation. December 2011 • DOE/NETL-2009/1366
Estimating Freshwater Needs to Meet Future Thermoelectric Generation Requirements – 2011 Update	Future freshwater withdrawal and consumption from domestic thermoelectric generation sources were estimated for five cases, using Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) 2011 regional projections for capacity additions and retirements. September 2011 • NETL/DOE-2011/1523
Eliminating the Derate of Carbon Capture Retrofits	Retrofitting existing PC plants with amine-based CO₂ capture technology is thermally- and power-intensive. This study examines the benefit of installing a natural gas simple cycle to provide the auxiliaries required to operate the amine system such that the original power demand can still be met. September 2011 • DOE/NETL-401/091211
A Benefits Analysis of the Existing Plants Emissions and Capture (EPEC) Program	This paper presents an analysis of the NETL EPEC program. The overall goal of NETL’s EPEC program is to develop carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies that limit the increase in the cost of electricity generation to 35 percent of that generated by an equivalent greenfield plant without CCUS. June 2011 • DOE/NETL-2012/1570
Quality Guidelines for Energy System Studies: Cost Estimation Methodology for NETL Assessments of Power Plant Performance	This paper summarizes the costing methodology employed by NETL in its costing models and baseline reports. Further, it defines the specific levels of capital cost as well as outlines the costing metrics by which NETL evaluates various power producing plants. April 2011 • DOE/NETL-2011/1455
Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Plants - Volume 3b: Low Rank Coal to Electricity: Combustion Cases	The Cost and Performance Baseline for Fossil Energy Power Plants Study, Volume 3b: Low Rank Coal to Electricity establishes performance and cost data for fossil energy power systems, specifically pulverized coal (PC) and circulating fluidized bed combustor (CFBC) plants all with and without carbon capture and sequestration.March 2011 • DOE/NETL-2011/1463
Coal-Fired Power Plants in the United States: Examination of the Costs of Retrofitting with CO₂ Capture Technology, Revision 3	This report describes the development of a database and geographic information systems (GIS) analysis of a defined population of coal-fired power plants in the U.S. to model the cost and assist in the assessment of the feasibility of retrofitting these plants with CO₂ capture technology.January 2011 • DOE/NETL-402/102309