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An efficient technology for producing carbon negative heat and power
It’s possible not just to keep carbon emissions low, but to reverse the outcome – to generate carbon negative heat and power. Oxyfuel can have this effect when combined with carbon neutral fuels such as bio-based residues and waste derived fuels.
Our design allows up to 300MWe or 1GWth power generation with upscaling capabilities. And, for example, the technology has successfully achieved several thousand operational hours at a plant in Compostilla Spain in 30MWth scale.
Tabs
SFW’s Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology is operated in an oxygen-rich environment allowing for the highly efficient recovery of both heat and power. This produces a concentrated CO2 stream readily available for storage or utilization. By replacing combustion air in typical combustion units with oxygen and recirculated CO2 rich product gas, capturing CO2 becomes part of the integrated energy production step. The energy penalty typically associated with capturing CO2 after already releasing it is significantly reduced.
The required oxygen can be produced in air separation units or electrolyzers. Oxy-fuel allows for additional industrial symbiosis opportunities. Renewable gases like industrial grade nitrogen and hydrogen are also generated to support the growing demand for green hydrogen to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors.
Well-established and potentially carbon-negative
- Oxy fuel is a mature and robust technology based on commercially-proven components. It produces a high purity CO2.
- If used in plants firing carbon neutral fuels, including biomass, residues and waste, Oxy fuel leads to overall negative carbon emissions.
Flexible and efficient
- It’s possible to switch between Oxy fuel and air, so a plant can capture CO2 if and when desired. And CFB technology is suitable for a wide range of fuels
- Oxy fuel can be applied to both existing and new plants. It can increase the output of an existing retrofitted unit and achieve higher output per given footprint in new units.
- The technology allows effective use of by-product oxygen when in proximity to hydrogen-producing electrolyzers. So, sector coupling is feasible.
- There’s the option for storing energy when coupled with our Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) solution.
Power plants, industrial and CFB boiler operators, and green hydrogen plants can all benefit from this technology. The potential to achieve negative carbon status is extremely valuable for us all as we strive for net zero. Applying this technology as widely as possible will enable us to reach that target much quicker.