Flexible Carbon Capture Workshop
Crystal City Marriott - Reagan National Airport
Arlington, VA
July 30-31, 2019
ARPA-E sought information regarding the role of flexible carbon capture in terms of plant- and grid-level performance, economics and emissions. This workshop focused on the impact of a growing share of renewable generation on conventional power plants equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems. Future natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants, for example, will ramp their output, turn down to a low level, operate at a reduced capacity factor, and experience increasing fluctuations in locational marginal price signals.
Leading experts in carbon dioxide capture technologies and controls, plant- and grid-level modeling and techno-economic analysis, as well as materials scientists, chemists, and chemical, mechanical, and systems engineers, convened to explore how the design and operation of CCS systems could be modified to lower the cost of capturing CO2 given such constraints. Participants lent their expertise to help ARPA-E explore innovative technologies to determine relevant and compelling metrics that will define a successful research program.
The workshop featured presentations related to changes in the grid, power plant flexibility, prior work on flexible CCS, and modeling and optimization tools. It included breakout sessions to brainstorm potential solutions and what types of research tasks (e.g. what level of modeling and simulation) are warranted at this time. The workshop also considered related topics, such as integration of energy storage, applicability to capture from industrial sources, and potential synergies with direct air capture systems.
ARPA-E Program Director Dr. Scott Litzelman recently developed a helpful webinar on flexible CCS, a recording of which can be found below.
The meeting's output will help direct the actions of ARPA-E towards the most promising and appropriate high risk, high return R&D funding opportunities and management strategies. This event was closed to the media.
Day 1 Agenda
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8:30-9 | Registration, Breakfast on Your Own |
| 9-9:15 |
Welcome and Introduction to ARPA-E Jennifer Gerbi, Associate Director for Technology, ARPA-E |
| 9:15-9:45 |
Workshop Overview, Structured, and Desired Outcomes Scott Litzelman, Program Director, ARPA-E |
| 9:45-10:05 |
Electricity Markets for Process Engineers; Why We're Not Giving You a Mass Flow Max Tuttman, Technology-to-Market Advisor, ARPA-E |
| 10:05-10:25 |
The Rolfe of Firm, Low-Carbon Power in a Deeply-Decarbonized Grid Jesse Jenkins, Princeton University |
| 10:25-10:45 | Group Q&A: Potential Program Economic Inputs and Outputs |
| 10:45-11 | Attendee Instructions: Table-by-Table |
| 11-11:20 | Networking Break |
| 11:20-11:40 |
Gas Turbines: Capacity & Context Pat Riley, GE Global Research Center |
| 11:40-12 |
Niall Mac Dowell, Imperial College |
| 12-1:10 | Lunch/Networking |
| 1:10-1:30 |
Thermal Energy Storage: Cost-Effective Avoidance of Plant Cycling Scott Hume, EPRI |
| 1:30-1:50 |
Controls for Flexible CCS Operations Debangsu Bhattacharyya, West Virginia University |
| 1:50-2 |
Breakout 1 Overview and Objectives Scott Litzelman, Program Director, ARPA-E |
| 2-2:30 | Networking Break |
| 2:30-4:15 | Breakout Session 1 - Potential CCS Solutions for the Future Grid |
| 4:15-4:30 | Transition Back to Main Room; Day 1 Wrap-Up |
| 5-7 | One-on-One Meetings |
Day 2 Agenda
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 8-8:30 | Breakfast (Provided) / Networking |
| 8:30-8:45 |
Scott Litzelman, Program Director, ARPA-E |
| 8:45-9:05 |
Introduction and Some Advances in Optimization of Engineering Systems Shapour Azarm, University of Maryland |
| 9:05-9:25 |
NETL Carbon Capture Modeling Overview: CCSI, IDAES David Miller, National Energy Technology Laboratory |
| 9:25-9:50 | Networking Break |
| 9:50-11:30 | Breakout Session 2 - Finding Optimal Process Solutions |
| 11:30-12 | Transition Back to Main Room; Concluding Thoughts |
| 12:30-2:30 | One-on-One Meetings |