The Economic Accessibility of CO 2 Sequestration through Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in the US

Matthew Langholtz, Ingrid Busch, Abishek Kasturi, Michael R. Hilliard, Joanna McFarlane, Costas Tsouris, Srijib Mukherjee, Olufemi A. Omitaomu, Susan M. Kotikot, Melissa R. Allen-Dumas, Christopher R. DeRolph, Maggie R. Davis and Esther S. Parish
Additional contact information
Matthew Langholtz: Renewable Energy Systems Group, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Ingrid Busch: Transportation Analytics & Decision Science, Energy & Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Abishek Kasturi: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
Michael R. Hilliard: Transportation Analytics & Decision Science, Energy & Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Joanna McFarlane: Isotope and Fuel Cycle Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Costas Tsouris: Chemical Process Science Group, Energy & Transportation Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Srijib Mukherjee: Power and Energy Systems, Electrical & Electronics Systems Research Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Olufemi A. Omitaomu: Computational Systems Modeling Group, Computational Sciences & Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Susan M. Kotikot: Department of Geography, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16802, USA
Melissa R. Allen-Dumas: Computational Urban Sciences Group, Computational Sciences & Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Christopher R. DeRolph: Aquatic Ecology Group, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Maggie R. Davis: ARM Data Science and Integration, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
Esther S. Parish: Renewable Energy Systems Group, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA

Land, 2020, vol. 9, issue 9, 1-24

Abstract: Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is one strategy to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. To assess the potential scale and cost of CO 2 sequestration from BECCS in the US, this analysis models carbon sequestration net of supply chain emissions and costs of biomass production, delivery, power generation, and CO 2 capture and sequestration in saline formations. The analysis includes two biomass supply scenarios (near-term and long-term), two biomass logistics scenarios (conventional and pelletized), and two generation technologies (pulverized combustion and integrated gasification combined cycle). Results show marginal cost per tonne CO 2 (accounting for costs of electricity and CO 2 emissions of reference power generation scenarios) as a function of CO 2 sequestered (simulating capture of up to 90% of total CO 2 sequestration potential) and associated spatial distribution of resources and generation locations for the array of scenario options. Under a near-term scenario using up to 206 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 181 million tonnes CO 2 can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $62 to $137 per tonne CO 2 ; under a long-term scenario using up to 740 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 737 million tonnes CO 2 can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $42 to $92 per tonne CO 2 . These estimates of CO 2 sequestration potential may be reduced if future competing demand reduces resource availability or may be increased if displaced emissions from conventional power sources are included. Results suggest there are large-scale opportunities to implement BECCS at moderate cost in the US, particularly in the Midwest, Plains States, and Texas.

Keywords: BECCS; bioenergy with carbon capture and storage; bioenergy; biopower; biomass resources; biomass logistics; biomass economics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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