Biomass Co-Firing at Existing Power Plants: An Opportunity for CO_2 Reduction Compliance in the U.S. and China

摘要

Existing coal power plants represent the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in both the U.S. and China, and both countries are navigating difficult policy processes to reduce these emissions. The analysis in this report provides initial evidence that biomass co-firing has significant potential to cost-effectively reduce U.S. and Chinese coal power CO_2 emissions. Sustainable biomass co-firing at existing power plants has the potential to replace over 25 percent of coal use in each country (100 GW and 180 GW in the U.S. and China respectively), while preserving the value of coal power assets, sequestering soil carbon, and restoring degraded land. Combined, this represents emissions reduction potential of over 1 gigaton CO_2 per year, with significant additional reductions through soil carbon sequestration. About three quarters of this potential is in China. In the United States over 45 percent of these emissions reductions could be achieved at under $45/ton CO_2, while in China 75 percent could be achieved under $45/ton CO_2. This potential is based on the annual availability of over 160 million dry tons of sustainable biomass in the United States and over 560 million dry tons in China. Agricultural residues, forestry and wood processing residues, waste wood and other biomass waste, and some energy crops were included in this assessment, screened with strict sustainability criteria and considering competing biomass markets. Building on this analysis, the report makes several policy recommendations for taking further steps to reduce emissions from existing coal plants, including recognizing sustainable biomass co-firing as a mitigation option under Building Block 1 of U.S. EPA's proposed 111(d) Clean Power Plan, and working to pair power sector policy with sustainable land management. The U.S. can use this domestic policy action to leverage further emissions reductions Chinese power sector, where biomass co-firing represents one of the few options for absolute emissions reductions from an immense, growing fleet of coal plants.