Modeling water use demands for thermoelectric power plants with CCS in selected Brazilian water basins

This article analyses the increase in water withdrawal due to the implementation of carbon capture by chemical absorption, with the use of monoethanolamines (MEA), in coal-fired thermal power plants installed or planned to operate in Brazil. Due to the installation of an amine-based carbon capture system, results indicate that water withdrawal increases, respectively, by 102–121% and by 93–113% in thermal power plants equipped with once-trough cooling and closed cooling systems. Therefore, if thermal power plants are installed in hydrographic regions where water levels are critical, the lack of available water may limit the implementation of CO2 capture. The analyses show that the thermal power plants in the Candiota and Porto de Pecem regions are the most vulnerable from the viewpoint of water stress. Our findings emphasize the importance of considering water availability in deciding the places where future coal-fired power plants will be installed, especially if the objective is to build capture-ready thermal power plants.

► Brazilian coal power plants operation was simulated with and without CO2 capture.
► The implementation of CO2 capture doubles the amount of water demanded.
► Pecem and Candiota regions present restrictions on the amount of available water.
► Coal power plants from Pecem/Candiota regions will face challenges to implement CO2 capture.