Author:

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Technology, Green & Sustainable Science & Technology, Energy & Fuels, Engineering, Environmental, Engineering, Chemical, Science & Technology - Other Topics, Engineering, CCS, CO2, Infrastructure, Pipelines, Optimisation, Mixed-integer linear programming, CAPTURE, 04 Earth Sciences, 05 Environmental Sciences, 09 Engineering, Energy, 37 Earth sciences, 40 Engineering, 41 Environmental sciences

Abstract:

If CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) is to become a viable option for low-carbon power generation, its deployment will require the construction of dedicated CO 2 transport infrastructure. This paper describes the InfraCCS model, which can determine the likely extent and cost of the optimal least-cost CO 2 transport network at European scale for the period 2015-2050, with 2015 the earliest foreseeable starting date of the CCS projects co-funded by the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR), and 2050 the EU's target date for 80-95% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The computation is made possible by a number of methodological innovations compared to previous research, in particular: the use of k-means clustering to reduce the number of nodes in the network; the application of the Delaunay triangulation algorithm for pipeline pre-selection; and the introduction of a mathematically convenient yet realistic new pipeline costing model. The InfraCCS tool is applied to determine the optimal network corresponding to a CCS scenario that ensures near-complete decarbonisation of the European power sector. It is shown that the size of the CO 2 network could range from 11,000 to 17,000km by 2050, requiring 16-36 billion euros investment, with the higher numbers corresponding to the case when onshore aquifers are excluded as potential CO 2 storage sites. Since the model shows that by 2030 more than half of the EU Member States could be involved in cross-border CO 2 transport, international coordination seems crucial for the development of an optimised trans-European CO 2 transport network. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.