Techno-Economic Feasibility Study of the Commercial-Scale Oxy-CFB Carbon Capture System in Turkey

Oxy-fuel combustion is a promising technology for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, in coal-fired power plants that allow the clean use of fossil fuels. Circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers are one of the power generation technologies that can use oxy-fuel combustion design successfully. The purpose of this paper is to perform the techno-economic feasibility analysis of the commercial-scale oxy-fuel combustion circulating fluidized bed (oxy-CFB) power plant generating 550 MWe net power with a carbon capture rate of 90%. So far, economic analysis of oxy-PC power plants has been studied by researchers at many reports. Nevertheless, the cost of an oxy-CFB power plant has rarely been studied.This is the first study that has used Turkish lignite (Orhaneli Coal) in an oxy-CFB carbon capture plant economic analysis. The basic economic performance indicators were investigated. The Models are based on cost scaling and Discounted Cash Flow analysis. Three cases were analyzed: In the first case, A base scenario (air-fired CFB plant without CO2 capture) is considered and then based on this baseline scenario the other scenarios are taken into account. The economic viability of transition from the classical air-fired CFB plant system to oxy-CFB with CO2 capture and compression plant is evaluated. The post-combustion monoethanolamine (MEA) based CO2 capture system is investigated as a benchmark study to compare oxy-CFB capture system performances. The main applicability parameters such  as cost of electricity (COE), levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the cost of CO2 capture for each case are calculated. The obtained results indicated that 54% and 52% increase in terms of total plant cost and COE respectively in the oxy-CFB plant when compared to air fired-CFB without carbon capture. Considering the COE, the designed oxy-CFB power plant is greater than the air-fired SC-PC (without capture) plant by more than 45% (DOE target). The efficiency penalty for oxy-CFB is 10%. Oxy-CFB plant has a net efficiency 2% point higher than amine-based CO2 capture systems. In amine-based CO2 capture system; The capital costs, LCOE, and cost of CO2 captured are higher than the oxy-CFB plant. The results show that the oxy-CFB power plant has a lower cost for carbon capture compared to amine-based capture plant.