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The role of BECCS technology in achieving carbon neutrality: evidences from China’ coal power sector

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Abstract

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a potential technology to help achieve carbon neutrality. Currently, many researchers focus on the contribution of BECCS technology to achieving carbon neutrality but lack consideration of the actual spatial distribution of biomass resource endowments. Taking China's coal power sector, the largest carbon emitter, as an example, this study explores how BECCS technology can help achieve its carbon neutrality and maximize its emission reduction potential based on existing available biomass resources. The results show that all available biomass within 250 km and 100 km of coal power plants is 14.8 EJ and 11.8 EJ, respectively. With this biomass, the BECCS technology can help the coal power sector of China become carbon neutral after retrofitting most of the young generating units (younger than 20 years). After all units are retrofitted, the technology can achieve negative emissions of − 1.26 Gt and − 0.92 Gt, respectively. Furthermore, based on the layout of the biomass supply chain, provinces with better potential for biomass resource utilization are identified. Additionally, over 50% of generator units nationwide have biomass price advantages over coal. These findings provide a positive perspective for the promotion of BECCS technology in China's coal power sector to achieve carbon neutrality or even negative emissions.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

Our sincere gratitude also goes to the anonymous reviewers and in particular to colleagues in our research team for their hard work on this challenging project.

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers 72104025, 72293600 and 72293605), and the China’s National Key R&D Program (grant number 2022YFE0206800).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China

    Yun-Long Zhang, Jia-Ning Kang, Yi-Ming Wei & Hua Liao

  2. Beijing Key Lab of Energy Economics and Environmental Management, Beijing, 100081, China

    Yun-Long Zhang, Jia-Ning Kang, Yi-Ming Wei & Hua Liao

  3. School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China

    Yun-Long Zhang, Jia-Ning Kang, Yi-Ming Wei & Hua Liao

  4. School of Energy and Mining Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing, 100083, China

    Min Dai

  5. Business School, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Juan-Juan Hou & Lan-Cui Liu

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  1. Yun-Long Zhang
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Correspondence to Yi-Ming Wei.

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Zhang, YL., Kang, JN., Dai, M. et al. The role of BECCS technology in achieving carbon neutrality: evidences from China’ coal power sector. Environ Dev Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03842-5

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