EPA leans on carbon capture as it releases final power plant pollution rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Releases Final Power Plant Pollution Rules

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced final rules to crack down on emissions from coal-fired and new natural gas-fired power plants.

The highly-anticipated announcement outlined a suite of measures aimed at reducing air, water, and land pollution from the power sector. As the sector makes long-term investments in the transition to clean energy, EPA said the rules are designed to work with power companies’ planning processes. Regulators say they project the rules will result in reductions of 1.38 billion metric tons of carbon pollution overall through 2047.

Notably, EPA’s final rule heavily relies on carbon capture and sequestration/storage (CCS) as the best system of emission reduction (BSER) for the longest-running existing coal-fired units and most heavily utilized new gas turbines. Unlike the original proposal from nearly a year ago, decarbonizing these plants through clean hydrogen co-firing is not a factor in the new rule.

As we’ve reported, rules for existing natural gas-fired plants aren’t expected to come out until after the November election.

What are the changes from the original proposal?

Under EPA’s final rule, coal plants which plan to stay open beyond 2039 (a year earlier than previously proposed) would have to reduce or capture 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions by 2032.

Initially, the compliance date to implement CCS for this subcategory of coal plants was January 1, 2030, but the agency said it heard from stakeholders that this deadline did not provide adequate lead time.

Under the final rule, coal plants that are scheduled to close by 2039 would have to cut their emissions 16% by 2030. In this case, EPA said the BSER for this subcategory is co-firing with natural gas, at a level of 40 percent of the unit’s annual heat input. For reference, EPA said more than half (100 GW) of still-operating coal-fired units have already announced retirement dates or conversion to gas-fired units before 2039.

Coal plants that are set to retire by 2032 would be exempted from the new rule.

New natural gas-fired plants that run more than 40% of the time, considered “baseload” by the agency, would also have to eliminate 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions using CCS by 2032. Previously, the proposed rule required large turbines with at least a 50% capacity factor to capture 90% of their carbon by 2035 or co-fire with 30% hydrogen starting in 2032.

EPA has also removed hydrogen co-firing as a BSER in the final rule, prompted by cost uncertainties and concerns shared during the public comment process.

“While the EPA believes that hydrogen co-firing is technically feasible based on combustion turbine technology, information about how the low-GHG hydrogen production industry will develop in the future is not sufficiently certain for the EPA to be able to determine that adequate quantities will be available,” the agency said in its explanation.

EPA did say “certain sources may elect to co-fire hydrogen for compliance with the final standards of performance, even absent the technology being a BSER pathway.”

Read EPA’s full explanation for the final rules here.

EPA pivots to CCS

EPA called carbon capture and sequestration an “available and cost-reasonable emission control technology” that can be applied directly to coal and gas-fired plants.

The agency cited lower costs and continued improvements in CCS technology as a reason for it being a BSE. EPA said process improvements learned from earlier deployments of CCS, the availability of better solvent, and other advances have decreased the costs of CCS in recent years.

EPA also said tax incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act would allow companies to help offset the cost of CCS. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) additionally includes billions of dollars to advance and deploy CCS technology and infrastructure.

The power industry has been fractured over EPA’s emissions-slashing proposal since the initial version was released last May. Opposition to the rule has mainly come with concerns that its implementation would jeopardize grid reliability and that the emission reduction technologies proposed by EPA aren’t ready for prime time.

Those concerns continued after EPA released its final rule. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the association that represents U.S. investor-owned utilities, reiterated that its members are not confident in CCS as a compliance technology based on the proposed implementation timelines.

“While we appreciate and support EPA’s work to develop a clear, continued path for the transition to cleaner resources, we are disappointed that the agency did not address the concerns we raised about carbon capture and storage (CCS),” said Dan Brouillette, who is EEI’s President and CEO. “CCS is not yet ready for full-scale, economy-wide deployment, nor is there sufficient time to permit, finance, and build the CCS infrastructure needed for compliance by 2032.”

Brouillette added: “While CCS and other 24/7 clean energy technologies could be important tools for reducing emissions in the future, EPA’s record does not support a finding that CCS is demonstrated today.”

MORE: Power industry “at an inflection point” regarding EPA rules

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 15: Life on Land

The article discusses the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final rules to reduce emissions from coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants. These rules aim to address air, water, and land pollution from the power sector, which aligns with SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy. The use of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology mentioned in the article also connects to SDG 9 on industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Additionally, the reduction of carbon pollution and the focus on clean energy contribute to SDG 13 on climate action. The regulations on mercury and air toxics emissions, wastewater discharge standards, and coal combustion residuals management align with SDGs 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land) as they aim to minimize pollution and protect ecosystems.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 7.2: Increase the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
• Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• Target 14.1: Prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds
• Target 15.1: Ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems

The article highlights the transition to clean energy and the use of CCS technology, which contribute to Target 7.2 of increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The focus on reducing emissions and pollution from power plants aligns with Target 9.4 of upgrading infrastructure and retrofitting industries to make them sustainable. The integration of climate change measures in the EPA’s rules supports Target 13.2. The regulations on mercury and air toxics emissions, wastewater discharge standards, and coal combustion residuals management address Target 14.1 of preventing and reducing marine pollution and Target 15.1 of conserving and restoring terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Percentage of carbon dioxide emissions reduced or captured by coal plants
• Percentage of emissions reduction achieved by coal plants scheduled to close by 2039
• Percentage of carbon dioxide emissions eliminated by new natural gas-fired plants
• Reduction in mercury emissions and toxic metals from coal-fired power plants
• Improvement in wastewater discharge standards for coal-fired power plants
• Implementation of safe management practices for coal ash storage and disposal

The article mentions specific percentages of emissions reduction and capture for coal plants and new natural gas-fired plants. These percentages can be used as indicators to measure progress towards the targets related to emissions reduction. The reduction in mercury emissions and toxic metals from coal-fired power plants can be measured to track progress towards the target of reducing marine pollution. The improvement in wastewater discharge standards and the implementation of safe management practices for coal ash storage and disposal can be indicators of progress towards the targets related to pollution prevention and ecosystem conservation.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Fuente: power-eng.com

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