Sweden-based technology developers Phoenix BioPower AB and UK-headed renewable energy company Drax Group plc have jointly announced that the duo will explore ways to drive down the costs of second-generation bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) technology. Phoenix BioPower will conduct a feasibility study to investigate how the latest energy-efficient turbine technology could reduce the costs of new-build BECCS plants.
Phoenix BioPower has developed a proprietary integrated scalable technology called Biomass-fired TopCycle (BTC) whereby biomass gasification in combination with a high-pressure gas turbine process and steam injection results in conversion efficiencies double that of conventional steam cycle technologies.
Phoenix BioPower will investigate how the latest energy-efficient turbine technology could reduce the costs of new-build bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plants. The feasibility study will look at how energy-efficient gas turbines could make new-build BECCS projects more cost-effective by generating 50 percent more power with the same amount of fuel when powering a 300 MWe biomass plant with integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS).
The innovative top cycle turbines are up to 15 percentage points more efficient with BECCS than existing technologies used in power stations and could also be used with other renewable technologies, to support decarbonizing energy systems globally.
By integrating pressurized biomass-derived syngas into the turbine, instead of high-pressure steam, Biomass-fired Top Cycle turbines can almost double the electrical efficiency from biomass compared to the traditional steam cycle.
The study will also investigate how the biomass-fired top cycle gas turbines can be utilized for other renewable technologies such as hydrogen combustion and production. The study will be based on results from Phoenix’s test facilities in Sweden and Germany.
Working alongside Drax, a global leader in sustainable biomass power generation and BECCS, gives us an exciting opportunity to explore the next generation of negative emissions technologies together with our high-efficiency biopower technology. We look forward to working with the world-class engineers at Drax on this study to further develop these essential technologies, said Henrik Båge, CEO of Phoenix Biopower.
Drax is already the largest decarbonization project in Europe having converted its power station near Selby in North Yorkshire to use sustainable biomass instead of coal. By using the vital negative emissions technology BECCS at the site, Drax aims to go further, by becoming a carbon negative company by 2030.
Negative emissions technologies such as BECCS will play a crucial role in the global fight against climate change and at Drax, we’re planning to install this technology at our existing power station in the UK. This partnership with Phoenix BioPower is one of a number of options we’re investigating as part of our long-term innovation programme, which will enable Drax to understand the potential of future technological advances, so we can continue to innovate, develop and grow as a business, said Jason Shipstone, Chief Innovation Officer, Drax Group.
