CO₂ Decisions for Utilities- Hot Topic Hour – April 2

A broad group of presenters discussed the decisions and issues facing utilities with respect to reducing CO₂ emissions, including technological challenges and regulatory uncertainty.  The speakers were:

Megan Parsons of Burns & McDonnell Engineering discussed the challenges facing utilities in planning to meet near-term (five to seven years) baseload demands. Regulatory uncertainty makes capital forecasting, technology choices and financing particularly challenging. Capital planning is even more difficult when renewable portfolio standards and alternative fuel options, such as biomass, are taken into account. Megan Parsons - Burns & McDonnell 4-02.pdf

David St. Angelo of Skyonic says the SkyMine technology captures CO₂ in solid form, as sodium bicarbonate, which can be used as mine fill. The process also produces hydrogen and chlorine which can be sold and the revenues offset the cost of CO₂ capture. The SkyMine process has been operating at (TXU) Luminant’s Big Brown Station since 2007.

David St. Angelo - Skyonic 4-2.pdf

Naomi Goff of AECOM Environmental described the use of the Steam Flow Method as an alternative to monitoring CO2 with CEMs. The method may be particularly useful for facilities which use a heterogeneous mix of fuels. The Steam Flow Method can differentiate biogenic from anthropogenic CO2 emissions and Naomi presented a specific example from a MSW facility in California. Naomi Goff - AECOM Environment 4-2.pdf

George Peridas of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NDRC) discussed recent policy developments and the effect of regulatory uncertainty.  He compared EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook for 2008 and 2009. The 2009 report added three percent to capital costs due to regulatory uncertainty, which had a significant impact on projections for coal-fired power plant construction over the next 10-15 years. George also discussed cap and trade programs and NRDC’s support for providing financial incentives and support to early deployers of carbon capture and storage systems. George Peridas - NRDC 4-2.pdf

Timothy Fout of DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) presented an update on NETL’s programs to develop advanced CO₂ capture technologies for retrofit as well as new power plant applications. Research projects include ionic liquids, carbonate absorption, dry regenerable sorbents and membranes. The goal is to achieve 90 percent CO₂ removal at no more than 35 percent increase in cost of electricity. Timothy Fout - NETL DOE 42.pdf

Frank Princiotta of the U.S. EPA presented data showing the impact CO₂ emission reductions in the US is likely to have on warming under several scenarios.  He concluded that major technological advances are necessary, especially in the power and mobile source sectors.  There is no “silver bullet”.  A number of technologies need to be aggressively pursued.  Frank also reviewed the status of climate change policy under the current Administration.

Frank Princiotta - EPA -02.pdf

John Wheeldon of EPRI says that in order to keep electricity affordable it will be necessary to keep burning coal and to solve CO₂ capture and storage problems. John reviewed the status of post-combustion and oxy-combustion capture technologies and the use of high temperature steam to raise efficiency. EPRI has proposed the UltraGen Initiative with the use of 1400°F supercritical boiler technology. John Wheeldon - EPRI 4-02.pdf

The bios can be viewed as follows: Bios, Abstracts & Photos - April 2, 2009.htm