Optimization of Carbon Capture Percentage for Technical and Economic Impact of Near-Term CCS Implementation at Coal-Fired Power Plants

While capture of carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants has important potential for abating climate change, capturing nearly all of the emissions, or full capture, currently has a significant impact on plant technology, performance, and economics. Capturing only part of the emissions, or partial capture, can take advantage of technological differences that result in a reduction of capital investment and improved plant performance. By reducing technical and economic disincentives for first movers, partial capture can serve as an important near-term strategy to meet electrical demand while expediting widespread deployment of full capture.(C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.