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Water-CCUS nexus: challenges and opportunities of China’s coal chemical industry

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Abstract

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology has begun to transform into the boom of CO2 utilization technology, which is of great significance to China considering its coal-based primary energy mix. CO2 utilization technology can be divided into three categories, i.e., CO2 geological utilization (CGU), CO2 chemical utilization, and CO2 biological utilization. In this paper, first, the development status of the different utilization technologies in China is introduced, and then, the situation, distribution, and water characteristics of China’s Coal Chemical Industry (CCI, i.e., an industry to convert coal to synthetic fuel and/or chemical products) are analyzed in detail. Subsequently, utilization technologies suitable for China’s CCI are proposed combining water consumption of CCS technology. The results of this research led to the following conclusions: (1) CO2 utilization technology is undoubtedly the best choice for the CCI; (2) CGU technologies are viewed as the best choices for the coal chemical industry, with supplementary, small-scale chemical utilization of three wastes, i.e., waste gas, wastewater, and industrial residue; (3) The CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), CO2-Enhanced Uranium Leaching (EUL), CO2-Enhanced Coal Bed Methane recovery (ECBM), and CO2-Enhanced (Saline) Water Recovery (EWR) technologies show great promise, and CCI preferentially uses the option with low water consumption, such as CO2-EWR. However, as the carbon market matures, CO2-EOR will become the first priority.

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Acknowledgments

The financial supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 41274111 and the China Australia Geological Storage of CO2 (CAGS) Program Phase II are acknowledged with thanks and sincere appreciation. Li appreciates the Hundred Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. O931061C01) and the China Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Fund (Grant Nos. 2013085 and 2012087). We would like to thank both editors and reviewers for their insightful comments on the manuscript, as these comments led us to a great improvement of the work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    Qi Li, Ya-Ni Wei & Zheng-Ao Chen

  2. University of Edinburgh, 29 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, UK

    Zheng-Ao Chen

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  1. Qi Li
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  2. Ya-Ni Wei
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Correspondence to Qi Li.

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Li, Q., Wei, YN. & Chen, ZA. Water-CCUS nexus: challenges and opportunities of China’s coal chemical industry. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18, 775–786 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-015-1049-z

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