Feasibility and sensitivity of solid fuel CLC plant investment with oxygen carrier recovery

Possible and predicted high economic value for CO2 emissions and CO2 emission performance standards will probably increase electricity price. These create a rationale for the development of CCS technologies but as well competitive low carbon energy solutions. After the investment, variable operational expenditures of solar and wind power are very low and therefore these plants are utilised before others in the energy system. Large share of solar and wind power in the system will decrease the potential utilisation rates of the plants equipped with CCS. However, this probably favors CLC over the other capture technologies as the higher net efficiency in electricity production by CLC results in lower variable production costs. Therefore higher utilisation rates are possible for CLC than for other capture technologies. In this paper techno-economic feasibility of industrial scale CLC power plant is studied with different properties for oxygen carriers with recovery of oxygen carrier for reuse. Sensitivity analysis of oxygen carrier is done with attrition rate, price and needed inventory of the system. Feasibility study shows that oxygen carrier related cost, with reasonable range of oxygen carrier properties and even mediocre oxygen carrier recovery, does not significantly increase operational costs. Feasibility of CLC investment and operation is compared to oxy- and air combustion references. Compared to other CCS technologies CLC is competitive and oxygen carriers are not an issue at feasibility if significant recovery rate can be achieved. Business models to different oxygen carrier types and industrial operators have been proposed. Business models should be selected on depending on maturity of technology and integration to industry. Oxygen carrier business models have possibility to support feasibility of CLC plant investment.