The Contribution of Carbon Capture and Storage to the Decarbonization of Coal-Fired Power Plants in Selected Asian Countries

Abstract

About 26% of global CO2 emissions came from coal-fired power plants (CP) in 2021. Furthermore, 72% of this came from Asian countries, especially China and India. Therefore, reducing CO2 emission from CPs is a must if Asian countries were to achieve net-zero CO2 emission by 2050 or soon afterward. In this study, we evaluate the potential contribution of carbon capture and storage (CCS) to decarbonize CPs in selected Asian countries. Our study area consists of the east coast of China, India, Sumatra, West Java and Kalimantan of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and Thailand which contains one-quarter of the global CP capacity. We screen all existing CPs in the study area for CCS retrofit readiness, considering the size and age of CPs, the CO2 transportation distance, and the storage capacity of nearby oil and gas reservoirs and saline aquifers. Analyses show that out of 520 CPs in the study area, 305 (59%) pass the screening criteria for CCS-retrofitting. If fully implemented at a 90% CO2 capture rate, CCS retrofitting will result in the abatement of 1.55 Gtpa of CO2, equal to 65% of CO2 emission from CPs in the study area and 16% of global CO2 emission from CPs. Furthermore, retrofitting CPs with CCS has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 18% for Malaysia, 26% for India, and 26% for Vietnam. However, the biggest CO2 abatement will be realized in India (715 Mtpa) and China (636 Mtpa). These results quantify the potential contribution of CCS in decarbonizing CPs in Asia. Policy implications to accelerate CCS implementation based on our findings are also discussed.

Comprehensive Review on Leakage Characteristics and Diffusion Laws of Carbon Dioxide Pipelines

“…1,2 The International Energy Agency (IEA) describes 78 pathways to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050, which would require the world to capture and store 79 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. 3,4 As an intermediate link in the CCUS technologies chain, the choice of transportation method plays a crucial role in the deployment of CCUS infrastructure. 5,6 Common transportation methods include tanker truck, tanker train, pipeline and tanker ship.…”

“…Currently, Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies offer a promising pathway for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and combating climate change (Figure ). By capturing, utilizing and storing carbon dioxide emissions, CCUS technologies prevent their release into the atmosphere and minimizes their impact on climate change. , The International Energy Agency (IEA) describes 78 pathways to achieve net-zero emissions globally by 2050, which would require the world to capture and store 79 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually. , As an intermediate link in the CCUS technologies chain, the choice of transportation method plays a crucial role in the deployment of CCUS infrastructure. , Common transportation methods include tanker truck, tanker train, pipeline and tanker ship . Among those methods, pipeline transportation is the primary option for CCUS projects, as depicted in Table .…”