Techno-economic modelling of the Baltic CCUS onshore scenario

Techno-economic modelling of the Baltic onshore CO2 transport, storage, and utilization scenario included HeidelberCement-owned Kunda Nordic Cement (KNC) plant, the main Estonian cement producer, four Estonian and one Latvian power plant and CO2 mineral carbonation of the oil shale ash, as possible CO2 use option. In 2019 nearly 6.5 Mt of oil shale ash (OSA) was produced in Estonia from energy production. Estonian OSA could be used as an effective sorbent in the proposed CO2-mineralization process, using CO2 from flue gas and producing precipitated CaCO3 (PCC) of high quality. Mineral carbonation of 0.42 Mt CO2 using 3.8 Mt of fresh OSA and about 6.33 Mt CO2 produced annually by five Estonian and one Latvian plant transported by pipeline for storage into the North-Blidene structure in western Latvia are combined in the CCUS scenario. Cambrian Deimena Formation reservoir sandstone is located at the depth of 1035-1150 m in the selected saline aquifer. The average optimistic storage capacity of about 270 Mt allows planning CCUS project for 30 years. The share of the Estonian emissions avoided and stored in Latvia is 86.5 %, including 8.2 % by KNC, while Latvian stored emissions will compose 13.5 %. Annually 6.8 Mt CO2 could be captured, transported and injected, including 6 Mt CO2 avoided using transport and storage and 0.42 Mt CO2 avoided using MC of Estonian OSA. During 30 years nearly 204 Mt CO2 will be captured, used and stored, while 193 Mt CO2 could be avoided. The total average transport and storage (T&S) cost of the scenario is 18.4 €/t CO2 injected. This cost depends on the transport distance, according to the applied methodology, and it is the most expensive for the Eesti Energia PPs. The lowest T&S cost of 5.54 €/t CO2 injected will have Latvenergo TEC-2 PP located at a smaller distance from the storage site. At the price of EEAP (CO2 Emission Allowance Price in EU ETS) of 40 €/t CO2 and 50 €/t PCC, the CCUS scenario could be beneficial for three Eesti Energia and Latvenergo TEC-2 power plants. For the KNC and VKG Energia plants without CO2 use options, the higher EEAP of about 48-50 €/t CO2 is needed to cover all CCUS costs including capture, compression, transport, storage and monitoring. The transport and storage costs are distance-dependent, as pipelines are the most expensive part of the transport, storage and monitoring costs. At the present EEAP of about 90 €/t CO2, all the participating plants will get benefits from the proposed scenario. This study is supported by CLEANKER project, which has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement n. 764816

Study of Thermooxidation of Oil Shale Samples and Basics of Processes for Utilization of Oil Shale Ashes

A circular economy becomes an object of actual discussions as a real alternative to the existing linear economy system. The problem is actually in Estonia also, first of all in the sector of heat and power production which based mainly on the combustion of local solid fossil fuel—Estonian oil shale (OS) resulting in the formation of ~5–6 million tons of OS ashes annually. The thermooxidative decomposition of OS samples from different deposits and estimation of the possibilities of utilization of OS ashes formed at both—pulverized firing (PF) and circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) of Estonian OS were studied. The thermal analysis combined with evolved gas analysis (EGA) methods like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and mass-spectroscopy (MS) was exploited. It was established that the differences in the thermal behaviour of different OS samples are caused by the differences in the chemical matrix of organic matter, chemical and mineralogical composition of the inorganic part of OS, and morphology of samples. It was also found that moderate grinding of OS ashes with simultaneous moderate water treatment notably improved the SO2 binding efficiency of cyclone ash, and that the strength and leachability characteristics of granulated OS ashes strongly depend on the post-granulation treatment conditions allowing to increase the soil neutralizing ability of the granulated products. This overview was based on our investigations carried out during the last fifteen years

Study of Thermooxidation of Oil Shale Samples and Basics of Processes for Utilization of Oil Shale Ashes

A circular economy becomes an object of actual discussions as a real alternative to the existing linear economy system. The problem is actually in Estonia also, first of all in the sector of heat and power production which based mainly on the combustion of local solid fossil fuel—Estonian oil shale (OS) resulting in the formation of ~5–6 million tons of OS ashes annually. The thermooxidative decomposition of OS samples from different deposits and estimation of the possibilities of utilization of OS ashes formed at both—pulverized firing (PF) and circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) of Estonian OS were studied. The thermal analysis combined with evolved gas analysis (EGA) methods like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and mass-spectroscopy (MS) was exploited. It was established that the differences in the thermal behaviour of different OS samples are caused by the differences in the chemical matrix of organic matter, chemical and mineralogical composition of the inorganic part of OS, and morphology of samples. It was also found that moderate grinding of OS ashes with simultaneous moderate water treatment notably improved the SO2 binding efficiency of cyclone ash, and that the strength and leachability characteristics of granulated OS ashes strongly depend on the post-granulation treatment conditions allowing to increase the soil neutralizing ability of the granulated products. This overview was based on our investigations carried out during the last fifteen years