Carbon Capture Costs: FEED & pre-FEED Cost Reports

Bechtel National Inc., with the Electric Power Research Institute, is conducting a FEED study to retrofit Panda Power Funds’ 758 MWe natural gas combined cycle plant in Sherman, Texas, with a post-combustion CO₂ capture system. Using an open-access design and a conventional amine absorber-stripper system with a non-proprietary solvent such as MEA, the project targets CO₂ capture for enhanced oil recovery.

Tampa Electric Company, with ION Clean Energy, Sargent & Lundy, Koch Specialty Plant Services, and Siemens Energy, completed a FEED study to retrofit post-combustion CO2 capture onto Unit 2 of the Polk Power Station, a 1,190 MWe (1,168 MWe net) 4x4x1 natural gas combined cycle plant in Mulberry, Florida. Using ION Clean Energy's ICE-31 advanced solvent across two parallel capture trains, the design targets at least 95% capture, nearly 3.7 million tonnes of CO2 per year, with downstream Siemens compression and dehydration and integrated pipeline transport to dedicated Class VI geologic storage. Each train includes a direct contact cooler, absorber, stripper, and compression, with the absorber columns sized to support 1x1 operation at 75% combustion turbine load to preserve dispatch flexibility. The study was funded under DOE Award DE-FE0032224 and produced an AACE Class 3 (-20%/+30%) capital cost and cost-of-capture estimate.

The University of Texas at Austin, with AECOM Technical Services and Trimeric Corporation, is conducting a FEED study for the Piperazine Advanced Stripper (PZAS) CO₂ capture process at Golden Spread Electric Cooperative’s Mustang Station in Denver City, Texas. Designed for two GE gas turbines with HRSGs and a steam turbine totaling 464 MWe, the PZAS process uses 30 wt% piperazine for higher efficiency, solvent stability, smaller absorber size, and cost savings compared to conventional amine systems. The project will deliver a 30–60% complete design package and a capital cost estimate with ±15% accuracy.