Techno-economic and life cycle assessment of the integration of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in the polygeneration system (BECCS-PS) for producing green electricity and methanol

• Published in: Carbon Neutrality (Online) 2023-10, Vol.2 (1), p.26-22, Article 26
• Main Authors: Pratama, Muhammad Raihan, Muthia, Rahma, Purwanto, Widodo Wahyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Avoidance; Bioenergy; Biomass; Carbon capture and storage; Carbon dioxide; Carbon sequestration; Clean energy; Climate Change; Coal-fired power plants; Combined cycle power generation; Costs; Economics; Electric power generation; Electricity; Electrolysis; Emissions; Energy; Energy efficiency; Environmental impact; Environmental Science and Engineering; Flue gas; Gasification; Geothermal energy; Geothermal power; Green hydrogen; Green methanol; Hydrogen; Hydrogen production; Integrated gasification combined cycle; Life cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment; Life cycles; Methanol; Natural gas; Original Article; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Power plants; Renewable energy; Renewable hydrogen; Synthesis; Techno-economic and environmental study
• ISSN: 2731-3948; 2731-3948
• DOI: 10.1007/s43979-023-00069-1

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) has the potential to produce negative emissions. This study assessed the overall energy efficiency and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) avoidance costs and emission footprint following the integration of BECCS with a polygeneration system (BECCS-PS) for the co-production of green electricity and methanol. The process was simulated in Aspen Plus and Aspen HYSYS v.11. Oil palm empty fruit bunches were used as the feed in a biomass integrated gasification combined cycle power plant. The flue gas, which contained CO 2 , was captured for methanol synthesis and carbon storage. Green hydrogen for use in methanol synthesis was produced through proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis powered by solar PV (PV-PEM) and geothermal power with double-flash technology (GEO-PEM). The environmental impacts of the process were investigated by a life cycle assessment and the economic aspects were evaluated using the levelized cost method. The overall system efficiency was higher in the PV-PEM scenario than in the GEO-PEM scenario. For any production capacities, the green electricity generated from the BECCS-PS plant resulted in negative emissions. A biomass power plant with a low production capacity generated higher production and CO 2 avoidance costs than that with a larger production capacity. The CO 2 − eq emissions and costs for methanol production in the PV-PEM scenario were larger than those in the GEO-PEM scenario, with values of -0.83 to -0.70 kg CO 2 − eq /kg MeOH and 1,191–1,237 USD/ton, respectively. The corresponding values were − 1.65 to -1.52 kg CO 2 − eq /kg MeOH and 918–961 USD/ton, respectively, for the GEO-PEM scenario. Graphical Abstract Highlights • This study proposes the co-production of green electricity and methanol in a polygeneration system. • Both hydrogen production scenarios powered by solar photovoltaics and geothermal electricity result in negative emissions. • The cost decline for the system with hydrogen production powered by solar photovoltaics is projected to be more significant due to its high learning rate.