Cost-effective architecture of carbon capture and storage (CCS) grid in India

Various modeling studies analyzing global 2 °C climate stabilization scenarios have projected penetration of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) technologies in India alongside a sizable penetration of renewable energy technologies. The assessments of geological storage potential over India have shown wide variation across regions. This paper examines the locations of large point sources of CO2 emissions in India and matches it with carbon storage locations to minimize the cost of CCS evolving grid. The concept of weighted Euclidean distance and Integrated Environmental Control Model are used to propose suitable pipeline networks for emissions-intensive clusters to optimize the cost of CO2 avoidance. The computational method estimates proximate storage location for each CO2 emitting source taking into account the total storage potential at each location. CCS requirement in India would vary depending on the global climate stabilization target. We examine two targets for India that correspond to 2 °C and well below 2 °C global mitigation regimes. According to our estimates, India could mitigate around 780 Mt CO2 per year below 60 $/t-CO2 (2005 prices) over 30 years, and another 250 Mt CO2 per year for up to 75 $/t-CO2 prices through CCS under these scenarios respectively.