TY - BOOK
T1 - IGCC Power Plant integrated to a Finnish pulp and paper mill
T2 - IEA Bioenergy: Techno-economic analysis activity
AU - Koljonen, Tiina
AU - Solantausta, Yrjö
AU - Salo, Kari
AU - Horvath, Andras
PY - 1999
Y1 - 1999
N2 - In Finland, the pulp and paper industry is the largest
consumer of energy among the industries and its power
demand will increase due to economical and strict
environmental requirements. The ageing of oil and biomass
boilers in Finland also represents a window of
opportunity for the introduction of new environmentally
sound technology with a high efficiency in power
production, e.g., in biomass gasification.
This site-specific study describes the technical and
economic feasibility of a biomass gasification combined
cycle producing heat and power for a typical Finnish pulp
and paper mill. The mill produces SC (super calantered)
paper 500 000 ADt/a. The paper mill employs sulphate pulp
and GW (ground wood) pulp. The capacity of the pulp mill
is 400 000 ADt/a (air dry ton/year) of which 120 000
ADt/a is used at the site. The heat demand of the
integrate is covered by a recovery boiler and a bark
boiler. A condensing steam turbine with two extractions
generates electricity for the mill. The aim is to replace
an old bark boiler by an IGCC (Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle) to enhance the economy and environmental
performance of the power plant. The IGCC feasibility
study is conducted for an pulp and paper integrate
because of its suitable infrastructure for IGCC and a
large amount of wood waste available at the site. For
comparison, the feasibility of an IGCC integrated to a
pulp mill is also assessed.
The IGCC concept described is based on research and
development work performed by Carbona, Inc., who acquired
the rights for know-how of Enviropower, Inc. The
operation and design of the IGCC concept is based on a 20
MWe gas turbine (MW151). The heat of gas turbine exhaust
gas is utilised in a HRSG (Heat Recovery Steam Generator)
of two pressure levels to generate steam for the pulp and
paper mill and the steam turbine. The IGCC power plant
operates in condensing mode. The total investment cost of
the IGCC plant is estimated at FIM 417 million (USD 83.4
million), which is about double compared to that of the
new bark boiler and the steam turbine.
The techno-economic assessment of the biomass IGCC
integrated to a pulp and paper mill or a pulp mill
indicated that the IGCC will be competitive compared to
the conventional bark boiler steam cycle. The IGCC
integrated to a pulp and paper mill was slightly more
economical than the IGCC pulp mill integrate. However, it
should be borne in mind that the internal rate of return
(IRR) was relatively low in both cases or even negative
with high biomass fuel prices. As the IGCC produces about
50% more electricity from the same fuel amount than the
regular power plant its economics will improve with
higher electricity prices (>200 FIM /MWh, 40 USD/MWh)
compared to that of the conventional boiler plant.
According to the Finnish energy policy, the use of
bioenergy should be increased by at least one quarter by
the year 2005. To achieve this target, the Finnish
Government should grant investment aid for the
construction of demonstration plants to promote advanced
power production, like gasification. The Finnish energy
policy is also in line with the objectives of the
European Union, which also grants investment supports. In
this study, an investment aid of 50% was assumed. With an
investment cost of FIM 200 million (USD 40 million) the
IRR value of the IGCC plant increased to about 10%.
Based on test runs at a pilot plant (15 MJ/s) in Tampere
and on the experience of Carbona the pressurised
gasification technology can be considered ready for
demonstration. There are, however, some technical
uncertainty related to full-scale continuos operation of
the biomass IGCC related to hot gas cleaning of gas
contaminants, fuel handling and feeding, operating
parameters of the gasifier, bed material selection,
special material problems, and environmental performance,
especially, if specific feedstock with a high alkaline,
ash or other harmful contaminant content is used. The
full-scale demonstration of advanced technology also
requires reliable, cost-stable biomass feedstock. To make
biomass feedstocks competitive compared to fossil fuels,
emphasis should be placed on fuel logistics and research
and development of biomass plantations.
AB - In Finland, the pulp and paper industry is the largest
consumer of energy among the industries and its power
demand will increase due to economical and strict
environmental requirements. The ageing of oil and biomass
boilers in Finland also represents a window of
opportunity for the introduction of new environmentally
sound technology with a high efficiency in power
production, e.g., in biomass gasification.
This site-specific study describes the technical and
economic feasibility of a biomass gasification combined
cycle producing heat and power for a typical Finnish pulp
and paper mill. The mill produces SC (super calantered)
paper 500 000 ADt/a. The paper mill employs sulphate pulp
and GW (ground wood) pulp. The capacity of the pulp mill
is 400 000 ADt/a (air dry ton/year) of which 120 000
ADt/a is used at the site. The heat demand of the
integrate is covered by a recovery boiler and a bark
boiler. A condensing steam turbine with two extractions
generates electricity for the mill. The aim is to replace
an old bark boiler by an IGCC (Integrated Gasification
Combined Cycle) to enhance the economy and environmental
performance of the power plant. The IGCC feasibility
study is conducted for an pulp and paper integrate
because of its suitable infrastructure for IGCC and a
large amount of wood waste available at the site. For
comparison, the feasibility of an IGCC integrated to a
pulp mill is also assessed.
The IGCC concept described is based on research and
development work performed by Carbona, Inc., who acquired
the rights for know-how of Enviropower, Inc. The
operation and design of the IGCC concept is based on a 20
MWe gas turbine (MW151). The heat of gas turbine exhaust
gas is utilised in a HRSG (Heat Recovery Steam Generator)
of two pressure levels to generate steam for the pulp and
paper mill and the steam turbine. The IGCC power plant
operates in condensing mode. The total investment cost of
the IGCC plant is estimated at FIM 417 million (USD 83.4
million), which is about double compared to that of the
new bark boiler and the steam turbine.
The techno-economic assessment of the biomass IGCC
integrated to a pulp and paper mill or a pulp mill
indicated that the IGCC will be competitive compared to
the conventional bark boiler steam cycle. The IGCC
integrated to a pulp and paper mill was slightly more
economical than the IGCC pulp mill integrate. However, it
should be borne in mind that the internal rate of return
(IRR) was relatively low in both cases or even negative
with high biomass fuel prices. As the IGCC produces about
50% more electricity from the same fuel amount than the
regular power plant its economics will improve with
higher electricity prices (>200 FIM /MWh, 40 USD/MWh)
compared to that of the conventional boiler plant.
According to the Finnish energy policy, the use of
bioenergy should be increased by at least one quarter by
the year 2005. To achieve this target, the Finnish
Government should grant investment aid for the
construction of demonstration plants to promote advanced
power production, like gasification. The Finnish energy
policy is also in line with the objectives of the
European Union, which also grants investment supports. In
this study, an investment aid of 50% was assumed. With an
investment cost of FIM 200 million (USD 40 million) the
IRR value of the IGCC plant increased to about 10%.
Based on test runs at a pilot plant (15 MJ/s) in Tampere
and on the experience of Carbona the pressurised
gasification technology can be considered ready for
demonstration. There are, however, some technical
uncertainty related to full-scale continuos operation of
the biomass IGCC related to hot gas cleaning of gas
contaminants, fuel handling and feeding, operating
parameters of the gasifier, bed material selection,
special material problems, and environmental performance,
especially, if specific feedstock with a high alkaline,
ash or other harmful contaminant content is used. The
full-scale demonstration of advanced technology also
requires reliable, cost-stable biomass feedstock. To make
biomass feedstocks competitive compared to fossil fuels,
emphasis should be placed on fuel logistics and research
and development of biomass plantations.
KW - gasification
KW - biomass
KW - energy production
KW - paper mills
KW - boilers
KW - IGCC
M3 - Report
SN - 951-38-5425-6
T3 - VTT Tiedotteita - Meddelanden - Research Notes
BT - IGCC Power Plant integrated to a Finnish pulp and paper mill
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -