Opportunities for Carbon Capture and Storage Deployment in Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants in Texas

Abstract

Abstract Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from human activities, especially fossil fuel-fired power plants, poses significant threat to global climate stability and environmental sustainability. Therefore, efforts are intensified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address the climate crisis, aiming to mitigate more than 600 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. This study aims to assess the technical and economic viability of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for Texas coal-fired plants, considering federal tax credits. We utilized the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) to simulate the existing and proposed retrofit of coal-fired power plants. To this end, the input data was collected from the National Electric Energy Data System (NEEDS), Energy Information Administration (EIA) surveys, and Emissions & Generation Resource Integrated Database (eGRID). The net plant efficiency pre- and post-CCS implementation within the selected electricity generation units (EGUs) was estimated. In addition, a cost matrix, derived from IECM outcomes is defined to assess the economic viability of this initiative. The results derived from the unit-level retrofit analysis indicate that implementing CCS at existing coal-fired power plants in Texas reduces the net plant efficiency and significantly maximizes the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) across the fleet. Despite economic challenges, a tax credit of 85 $/t CO2 for storage could offset some costs, potentially making CCS deployment viable for over 7.5 GW total electric power capacity. Incorporating natural gas auxiliary units would enhance plant efficiencies and reduce the LCOE. However, it also leads to a slight increase in CO2 emissions. A sensitivity analysis suggests strategies such as integrating a natural gas auxiliary unit, enhancing capacity factor (CF), and upgrading cooling units for certain EGUs to facilitate CCS deployment in Texas. The findings of this study highlight the feasibility of incorporating CCS into Texas coal-fired power plants to comply with the new EPA's carbon emission standards.