Assessing Representative CCUS Layouts for China's Power Sector toward Carbon Neutrality

Area of Science:

• Energy policy and climate change mitigation.
• Environmental engineering and infrastructure planning.

Background:

• China's commitment to carbon neutrality necessitates rapid decarbonization strategies.
• Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) offers a pathway for the power sector's emissions reduction.
• A comprehensive understanding of CCUS pipeline network blueprints is currently lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess representative CCUS pipeline network layouts for China's power sector.
• To evaluate the impact of CCUS deployment levels and transportation distances on network design.
• To provide engineering guidance for CCUS infrastructure development towards carbon neutrality.

Main Methods:

• Integration of the China TIMES model with the ChinaCCUS Decision Support System 2.0.
• Simulation of CCUS deployment at low, medium, and high levels.
• Analysis of pipeline network characteristics, including total length and pipe diameters.
• Consideration of geographical spread and terrain influences on pipeline routing.

Main Results:

• Proposed CCUS pipeline network lengths range from 5,100 km (low deployment) to 37,000 km (high deployment).
• Annual CO2 capture potential varies from 0.4 Gt to 1.7 Gt with increasing deployment.
• Medium-diameter pipes (12-20 inches) form the majority of the infrastructure across all scenarios.
• Network layouts expand geographically with increased deployment, with some terrain-influenced exceptions.

Conclusions:

• The study provides crucial insights into CCUS infrastructure planning for China's power sector decarbonization.
• Optimized pipeline network designs are essential for achieving national carbon neutrality goals.
• Carbon pricing mechanisms can further enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of CCUS implementation.