Carbon capture and coal consumption: Implications of energy penalties and large scale deployment

•Estimates of energy penalty for coal CCS technologies are compiled.•Scenarios for future CCS deployment are reviewed.•Associated coal consumption in CCS scenarios is calculated using energy penalties.•Implied coal consumption exceeds production projected in many resource constrained studies.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can limit carbon emissions from coal power stations, but unfortunately decreases the net efficiency of such power plants. This study examines the link between capture technology and coal consumption for large scale CCS deployment. Estimates of the efficiency reduction (i.e., the energy penalty, EP) are assembled for three main technologies. Pre-combustion CCS is most efficient (EP = 18.9 ± 3.9%), oxy-fuel combustion CCS is intermediate (EP = 21.4 ± 5.3%), and post-combustion CCS is least efficient (EP = 24.8 ± 7.5%). Published CCS scenarios are compiled and their associated coal uses are calculated using the obtained EPs under different technology pathways. Coal consumption using CCS can be up to 31% higher compared to equal non-CCS cases, leading to several scenarios exceeding projected coal production in resource constrained studies.