Abstract

The present report reviews activities taking place focused on the eventual large-scale deployment of

carbon capture systems on coal-fired power plants. With this aim in mind, there are three main CO2

capture technology streams currently being developed and tested; these comprise pre-combustion

capture, post-combustion capture, and systems based on oxyfuel technology. Although numerous

other capture systems have been proposed, these three are currently the focus of most RD&D efforts

and this report concentrates on these. More speculative technologies still at early stages in their

development are not addressed.

The overall aims of this report are to provide an update of recent technological developments in each

of the main categories of CO2 capture, and to review the current state of development of each,

primarily through an examination of larger-scale development activities taking place or proposed.

However, where appropriate, data generated by smaller-scale testing is noted, especially where this is

feeding directly into ongoing programmes aimed at developing further, or scaling-up the particular

technology. Each is reviewed and the status of individual coal-based projects and proposals described.

These are limited mainly to what are generally described as pilot and/or demonstration scale. Where

available, learning experiences and operational data being generated by these projects is noted.

Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of individual projects have been used to provide an indication

of technology scale and maturity.

For pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture and oxyfuel systems, an attempt has been made

to identify the technological challenges and gaps in the knowledge that remain, and to determine what

technology developers are doing in terms of RD&D to address these. However, issues of commercial

confidentiality have meant that in some cases, information in the public domain is limited, hence it

has only been possible to identify overarching aspirational goals, rather than to report on individual

detailed research plans and proposals.