Workshop on Operating Flexibility of Power Plants with CCS

Publication Overview

This report is a summary of a workshop on the operating flexibility of power plants with CCS that was organised in November 2009 by IEAGHG in collaboration with Imperial College London. Operating flexibility is becoming recognised as an important issue for CCS plants but so far there has been relatively little discussion of the subject.The workshop included presentations by invited speakers followed by discussions sessions. The presentations focussed on electricity systems and CCS operating requirements, and modelling and operating experience of the flexibility of the three main CO₂ capture techniques (pre-combustion, post combustion and oxy-combustion capture) and CO₂ transport and storage.

Publication Summary

This report has presented a rapporteur’s perspective on presentations and discussions at a workshop on power plant operating flexibility with CCS which was hosted by IEA GHG with Imperial College London on 11^th-12^th November 2009.  Responses to a post-meeting feedback questionnaire on the potential for future meetings in this area are also included.  The workshop did not give a definition of ‘operating flexibility’ and a number of different interpretations were used.  One theme raised towards the beginning of the workshop that is likely to be relevant whatever definition is used, is the importance of understanding the nature of future electricity systems.  Technical, commercial and policy/regulatory considerations must all be taken into account in establishing what changes compared to current systems could mean for requirements and value of operating flexibility for power plants with CCS.