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Technology Collaboration Programme by IEA

Potential for Biomass and Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage

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.

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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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