The project, which primarily aims to reduce the amount of energy traditionally needed to operate carbon capture technologies, will use Siemen’s Postcap technology to utilize an amino acid salt formulation as a solvent for CO2 absorption. This process is expected to make the carbon capture process more environmentally friendly.
This new carbon capture demonstration is expected to treat a slipstream of the flue gas from Tampa Electric’s 1,892MW coal-fired power plant and capture 90% of its CO2. This demonstration will be installed downstream of an existing Siemens Wet FGD System that processes 890MW of Flue Gas in a single absorber. The piloting plant is scheduled to be operational in 2013.
This pilot plant is one of the 10 CCS projects selected by the DOE to develop cost-effective technologies for capturing carbon dioxide from coal combustion.
The project is aimed reducing the costs of electricity at power plants with carbon capture systems to less than 30% for a new pulverized coal plant and to 10% for a new advanced gasification plant as required by DOE.
Gordon Gillette, president of Tampa Electric, said: “We chose to partner with Siemens on its post-combustion carbon capture technology, not only because of its promise in terms of energy efficiency and emissions control, but also because the process utilizes non-toxic and biodegradable solvents.”
