BECCS: A Critical Tool for Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) will be one of the largest consumers of stainless steel over the next 30 years. BECCS is carbon negative and much more economical than direct separation, which is the only other carbon negative alternative. The most attractive option for India and other developing countries with access to coal is to build as many ultra supercritical coal-fired power plants as needed over the next 24 years and convert them all to BECCS by 2050.

By Robert McIlvaine, President and Founder – The McIlvaine Company

The largest single example of greenhouse gas reduction is the 4,000-megawatt (MW) Drax plant in the UK. Drax owns forest in the United States and converts the wood to pellets which it then ships to the 4,000 MW Drax Power Station in the UK. Scrubbers extract the CO₂ from the exhaust gas. The CO₂ is then liquefied and piped to the North Sea. Drax has plans to build similar power plants in the U.S.

Stainless Steel’s Multiple Roles

The cost of renewable energy is influenced by solar and wind initiatives. Coal is the choice in crowded areas with less-than ideal renewable conditions. Stainless steel plays a crucial role in various components of BECCS systems due to its corrosion resistance, strength, and ability to withstand high temperatures and pressures:

• Biomass Handling and Processing: Stainless steel is used in equipment for handling, storing, and processing biomass. This includes conveyors, storage silos, and pretreatment systems. Stainless steel’s corrosion resistance is important because biomass can be corrosive, especially after decomposition.
• Gasification and Combustion Systems: In BECCS systems that involve gasification or combustion of biomass, stainless steel is used in reactors, burners, and heat exchangers. These components are exposed to high temperatures and corrosive gases, making stainless steel a suitable material.
• Carbon Capture Equipment: Stainless steel is used in various parts of the carbon capture process. This can include absorbers, strippers, and other equipment used to separate CO₂ from flue gases. Different grades of stainless steel are selected based on the specific chemicals and conditions involved in the capture process.
• CO₂ Compression and Transportation: After capture, CO₂ needs to be compressed and transported to storage sites. Stainless steel is used in pipelines, compressors, and storage tanks to ensure the safe and reliable transport and storage of CO₂ under high pressure.
• Storage Well Components: In the geological storage of CO₂, stainless steel can be used in well casings and other components that come into contact with CO₂ This is important to prevent corrosion and ensure the storage site’s long-term integrity.

Conclusion

In summary, there is widespread agreement that carbon negative technology is needed as a supplemental alternative. BECCS and direct separation serve as two viable options. Amine scrubbers employed during the direct separation process are 100 times larger than those for BECCS, so there is no comparison in the economics. It is therefore likely that BECCS will be used widely by 2050.