Systems analyses and economic modeling of potential new processes are crucial to providing sound guidance to R&D efforts.  Since the majority of new CO₂ capture technologies are still at a bench scale level of development, a conceptual design is first generated with emphasis on mass and energy balances. Based on available data and/or engineering estimates, these systems are optimized, and “what-if” scenarios are evaluated to identify barriers to deployment and help the process developers establish system performance targets. 

Capture:
Fossil Energy Cost and Performance Baseline Studies
The goal of Fossil Energy research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) is to ensure the availability of ultra-clean (zero emissions), abundant, and low-cost domestic electricity and energy, to fuel economic prosperity and strengthen energy security.  To this end, we must attain technological advances to greatly improve the efficiency of energy use derived from fossil fuels, while at the same time significantly reduce the impact on the environment, such as reducing the long-term impact of fossil fuel use on the global climate.  It is possible to establish baseline performance and cost estimates for today’s fossil energy plants by looking at the current state of technology.  The studies listed on this page provide up-to-date estimates for the cost and performance of combustion and gasification based power plants, as well as options for co-generating synthetic natural gas and fuels, all with and without carbon dioxide capture and storage.
Results of these “Fossil Energy Cost and Performance Baseline Studies” studies are presented in three volumes:
Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity Volume 2: Coal to Synthetic Natural Gas (Various Coal Ranks) Volume 3: Low-rank Coal to Electricity
These results are considered to be the most comprehensive set of publicly available data to date.  More analyses will be added and existing reports updated as necessary, to keep this information as current as possible. Visit this page frequently to see the latest in baseline performance and cost estimates.
	Pulverized Coal Oxycombustion Power Plants (Aug 2008) [PDF-5.3MB]
	Pulverized Coal Oxycombustion Power Plants (Aug 2008 Presentation) [PDF-1MB]
	As it becomes increasingly likely that future CO2 emissions will be regulated in some fashion, new processes are being developed to capture CO2 from the flue gas of fossil fuel-fired power plants. The most studied approach for a conventional pulverized coal-fired boiler is the use of an amine-based solution to absorb CO2 from the flue gas stream and its subsequent regeneration to produce a nearly pure product stream. An alternative method to capture CO2 is to use oxygen rather than air as the oxidant in the combustion process which yields a flue gas stream comprised primarily of CO2 and H2O.  By removing the water, a nearly pure CO2 stream can be produced. This approach, known as oxyfuel or oxycombustion, is the subject of this systems analysis study.
The study investigates pulverized coal oxycombustion process that can be built in the 2010 timeframe using “off-the-shelf” technologies such as cryogenic oxygen separation.  The study also assesses oxycombustion using next-generation ultra-supercritical power plant designs projected to be available in the 2020 timeframe and advanced air separation unit processes (ion transport membrane).  The report provides a foundation for oxy-fuel combustion and amine-based scrubbing as methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new coal-fired power plants and will used as a point of reference from which R&D progress in the areas of oxy-fuel combustion and post-combustion CO2 capture technologies can be compared to.
	Carbon Dioxide Capture from Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants (Nov 2007) [PDF-7MB] CO2 Capture From Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants (Nov 2007 Presentation) [PDF-1MB] This study evaluates the technical and economic impacts of removing CO2 from a typical existing US coal-fired electric power plant using an advanced amine-based post-combustion CO2 capture system.  The study investigates various levels of CO2 capture (30%, 50%, 70%, and 90%).  The primary impacts are quantified in terms of plant electrical output reduction, thermal efficiency reduction, CO2 emissions reduction, retrofit investment costs, and the incremental cost of generating electricity resulting from the addition of the CO2 capture systems to the selected study unit.
	NETL Systems Analysis Guidelines for Pre- and Post-combustion CO2 Capture and Separation Technologies [PDF-1042KB] These guidelines will be used by all new capture projects funded through the Sequestration program, and are available here for your use and information. The guidelines are consistent with the Quality Guidelines for Energy Systems Studies, which was issued by NETL in February 2004. Several results tables have developed in Microsoft Excel® format and can be used as templates for your analysis. Link to Excel File.
	Greenhouse Gas Emissions Control By Oxygen Firing In Circulating Fluidized Bed Boilers: Phase 1 – A Preliminary Systems Evaluation Final Report (May 2003) Volume I - Evaluation of Advanced Coal Combustion & Gasification Power Plants With Greenhouse Gas Emission Control [PDF-7653KB] Volume II - Bench-Scale Fluidized Bed Combustion Testing [PDF-544KB] In this study, ALSTOM Power Inc. (ALSTOM) has investigated several coal-fired power plant configurations designed to capture CO2 from effluent gas streams for sequestration.  Phase 1 of this work included performance and economic analysis of 13 cases (7 combustion cases, 4 IGCC cases, and 2 advanced chemical looping cases) as well as bench-scale fluidized bed combustion (FBC) testing.
	Evaluation of Fossil Fuel Power Plants with CO2 Recovery  [PDF-5454KB] Final Report (Feb 2002) This report presents results of a study on the potential cost of electricity produced in both conventional and innovative fossil-fueled power plants that incorporate CO2 removal for subsequent sequestration or use. The following power plants with and without sequestration are presented: 1. natural gas combined-cycle, 2. supercritical pulverized coal, 3. supercritical atmospheric fluidized bed combustion, 4. integrated gasification combined-cycle.
	Engineering Feasibility and Economics of CO2 Capture on an Existing Coal-Fired Power Plant [PDF-8MB] Final Report ALSTOM Power Inc.'s Power Plant Laboratories has teamed with American Electric Power, ABB Lumus Global Inc., the Ohio Coal Development Office, and NETL to conduct a comprehensive study evaluating the technical feasibility and economics of alternate CO2 capture and sequestration technologies applied to an existing US coal-fired electric generation power plant.
	Evaluation of Innovative Fossil Fuel Power Plants with CO2 Removal [PDF-5.3MB] Interim Report, (Dec 2000) This interim report presents initial results of an ongoing study of the potential cost of electricity produced in both conventional and innovative fossil-fueled power plants that incorporate CO2 removal for subsequent sequestration or use.
	Updated Cost and Performance Estimates for Fossil Fuel Power Plants with CO2 Removal [PDF-41MB] Interim Report, (Dec 2002) This interim report presents updated results of an ongoing study on the potential cost of electricity produced in both conventional and innovative fossil-fueled power plants that incorporate CO2 removal for subsequent sequestration or use.
Storage:
	Economic Evaluation of CO2 Storage and Sink Enhancement Options [PDF-6.8MB] Interim Report, (Dec 2002) This project developed life-cycle costs for the major technologies and practices under development for CO2 storage and sink enhancement. The technologies evaluated included options for storing captured CO2 in active oil reservoirs, deep aquifers, coal beds, and oceans, as well as the enhancement of the carbon sequestration in forests and croplands. The capture costs for a nominal 500 MWe integrated gasification combined cycle plant from an earlier study were combined with the storage costs from this study to allow comparison among capture and storage approaches as well as sink enhancements
Comprehensive:
	A CO2 Capture Systems Analysis Model for Support of the U.S. DOE Carbon Sequestration Program's Technology Roadmap [PDF-778KB] Scott Klara (NETL), Jared Ciferno (NETL), and Phillip Dipietro (Advanced Resources International), (May 2003) Presented at the Second Annual Conference on Carbon Sequestration
Peer-Review:
Each year the sequestration program selects ~15 projects for peer-review.  Selected projects undergo a rigorous review during which project investigators summarize research status and any preliminary results to a panel of technical experts. Projects are rated based on 6 categories (planning, environmental impact, economics, technology viability, clarity of project objectives, and outreach). Following the review, NETL uses the results to guide and redirect projects, as appropriate. The peer review process is conducted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in cooperation with the National Research Center for Coal and Energy at West Virginia University. The Program initiated annual reviews in 2002 to comply with the President's Management Agenda.  This effort underscores the Program's commitment to funding high-quality research. Copies of each review's Final Report, Meeting Summary and Key Findings will be posted here.
2005 Carbon Sequestration Project Review Volume 1 [PDF-345KB] 2004 Carbon Sequestration Project Review Volume 1 [PDF-361KB] 2003 Carbon Sequestration Project Review Volume 1 [PDF-309KB]

NETL funds the development of the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) at Carnegie Mellon University.  The IECM, through chemical-engineering-based process modeling and cash flow analysis, allows a user to evaluate CO₂ capture technologies applied fossil fueled power plants. IECM allows the user to configure different plant types (pulverized coal, natural gas combined cycle, or integrated gasification combined cycle) with a variety of pollutant control technologies for NOx, SOx, particulate matter, mercury, and CO₂.  IECM is available for public download, click here. 

NETL also funds systems analysis work through the CO₂ capture project.  Reports on a screening process for CO₂ capture technologies applied to a natural gas gasification combined cycle, as well as a more detailed analysis of a membrane-based CO₂ capture concept can be downloaded here, (search under capture, pre-combustion)