Potential for Biomass and Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage

Technical Report

1 July 2011

Joris Koornneef, Pieter can Breevoort, Chris Hendricks, Monique Hoogwijk, Klaas Koops, Michèle Koper

Citation: IEAGHG, "Potential for Biomass and Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage", 2011-06, July 2011.

Publication Overview

A contract for this study was awarded to Ecofys B. V. of the Netherlands. The aim of the study was to provide a global and regional assessment of potential for BE-CCS, identifying the main potential types of biomass, technologies applicable for energy conversion/process and whether CCS application is possible; considering deployment to target future scenarios; complimenting the IEAGHG study on ‘Techno-economic evaluation of biomass fired or co-fired power plant with post-combustion CO₂ capture’. The contractor was asked to assess the net carbon balance for likely biomass CCS technology options, taking into account biomass supply chains and processing; to provide quantitative indications of the emissions performance potential; consider other potential greenhouse gas impacts such as land-use change, identifying any potential negative environmental consequences, such as non-sustainable biomass production; and consider deployment issues, in terms of policy and regulatory barriers and incentives.

Publication Summary

This study has shown the value of a first order techno-economic assessment of BE-CCS technologies which is currently under wide debate due to its potential for negative emissions. The global Technical Potential for BE-CCS technologies is found to be large and, if deployed, can result in negative emissions up to 10 Gt of CO₂ equivalent annually; or a more conservative Economic Potential of up to 3.5 Gt of CO₂ equivalent of negative emissions per year; which compared to the IEA ETP (2010) estimate of 43 Gt of global CO₂ emissions reductions required from the energy sector by 2050, shows significant potential. Given the impact such could have on atmospheric CO₂ reduction targets, it is important IEAGHG continues to expand upon this study to further assess these results.

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