Techno-economic comparison of three technologies for pre-combustion CO₂ capture from a lignite-fired IGCC

This paper compares the techno-economic performances of three technologies for CO₂ capture from a lignite-based IGCC power plant located in the Czech Republic: (1) Physical absorption with a Rectisol-based process; (2) Polymeric CO₂-selective membrane-based capture; (3) Low-temperature capture. The evaluations show that the IGCC plant with CO₂ capture leads to costs of electricity between 91 and 120 € · MWh⁻¹, depending on the capture technology employed, compared to 65 € · MWh⁻¹ for the power plant without capture. This results in CO₂ avoidance costs ranging from 42 to 84 € · tCO2,avoided1, mainly linked to the losses in net power output. From both energy and cost points of view, the low-temperature and Rectisol based CO₂ capture processes are the most efficient capture technologies. Furthermore, partial CO₂ capture appears as a good mean to ensure early implementation due to the limited increase in CO₂ avoidance cost when considering partial capture. To go beyond the two specific CO₂-selective membranes considered, a cost/membrane property map for CO₂-selective membranes was developed. This map emphasise the need to develop high performance membrane to compete with solvent technology. Finally, the cost of the whole CCS chain was estimated at 54 € · tCO2,avoided1 once pipeline transport and storage are taken into consideration. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]