Emissions of Substances Other than CO₂ from Power Plants with CCS
- 1 March 2012
- Capture
The emissions of CO₂ from power plants equipped with carbon dioxide capture systems are reduced by upwards of 85% compared to equivalent plants without capture. However the full environmental impact of a plant fitted with CO₂ capture will depend also on what changes are induced in emissions of other substances in gaseous, liquid and solid form. Furthermore due to the increase in fuel and chemicals consumption typical for a CCS plant emissions due to the “upstream” and “downstream” processes and particularly those associated with increased fuel use, will also increase. Both these effects need to be taken into account if the technology is to be assessed on a life cycle basis. This study focuses only on the changes which are to be expected in the direct emissions, discharges and solid wastes of substances other than CO₂ from within the boundary of power plants fitted with CO₂ capture