Demonstration test for integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power generation for CO₂ separation and capture started under NEDO project

On September 25, the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) and Osaki CoolGen Corporation announced that they began a demonstration test of the world's first "biomass mixed gasification technology for IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture." This is the first time in the world that biomass fuel has been incorporated in IGCC power generation with CO₂ separation and capture facilities. The two parties are aiming for carbon neutrality, which is possible through a combination of CO₂ storage and utilization technologies.

The demonstration test is a NEDO project, and the goal is to link the obtained results to social implementation of biomass-mixed gasification technology. The impact of large-scale introduction of biomass fuel on the entire plant will be confirmed and verified. The applicability of biomass fuel to the oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture will be demonstrated.

The two parties have conducted demonstration tests (FY2016-FY2022) of the oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture technology combined with the development of high-efficiency coal-fired power generation technology under a NEDO project and have achieved a CO₂ capture rate of >90%. However, in the long-term perspective toward carbon neutrality by 2050, it is becoming even more important to overcome the issue of CO₂ emissions from coal-fired power generation. Technological development aimed at further reducing CO₂ emissions is required.

Therefore, since FY2023, the current project (FY2023-FY2024: Development of Technologies for Carbon Recycling and Next-Generation Thermal Power Generation/Demonstration Project for Combined Cycle Coal Gasification and Fuel Cell Power Generation/Development of Biomass-Mixed Gasification Technology for CO₂ Separation and Capture-Type IGCC) has been promoted as a new effort to reduce CO₂ emissions.

Biomass is a carbon-neutral fuel. If biomass-mixed gasification technology with a biomass fuel blending rate of >10% can be established in an oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture, it will become even more feasible to achieve carbon neutrality by combining it with CO₂ separation and capture technology with a capture rate of >90% and CO₂ storage and utilization technology.

The purpose of this project is to confirm and verify the impact on the entire plant when biomass fuel is introduced on a large scale to an oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture as a practical application study and to demonstrate the feasibility of adaptation. However, there are no examples in the world of incorporating biomass fuel into an oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture. It is important to resolve technical issues in each process. In addition, demonstration of biomass-mixed gasification technology on an actual scale is indispensable for its establishment and social implementation.

Therefore, both parties conducted preliminary elemental research in FY2023 to assess the impact of introducing biomass fuels on each facility, as well as to identify and resolve any issues. Based on these results, a demonstration test of biomass-mixed gasification began on September 21st, with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality for an oxygen-blown IGCC with CO₂ separation and capture.

In the future, the two parties will use the results of the demonstration tests to implement biomass-mixed gasification technology in society. Furthermore, the two parties hope to supply some of the CO₂ separated and captured in this project to an adjacent carbon recycling demonstration research center, thereby contributing to the development of carbon recycling technology.