Potential transition pathways and uncertainty for achieving negative emissions with bioenergy and biochar at local scales
Abstract
Pyrolysis is a process that can be flexibly operated to produce both biochar, a stable form of carbon sequestration, and bioenergy, which can be used for both heating and power needs for communities and industries. Unlike large-scale bioenergy and carbon capture and storage systems, which presume costly chemical processes and geologic sequestration, pyrolysis can be implemented as an add-on technology to existing solid-fuel or gas boiler systems. In this research, we explore several operations scenarios and transition pathways for district-scale heating systems. The analysis is based on a unique case study of an existing bioenergy heating plant in the rural southeastern United States. We conduct a retrospective techno-economic analysis to show that under some circumstances, Pyrolysis-Bioenergy (PyBE) can reach economic parity with direct combustion bioenergy by providing increased energy storage and energy density, while Pyrolysis-Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (PyBECCS) cannot without revenue from byproducts (biochar, bio-oil, and carbon credit finance) . Counterintuitively, PyBECCS could also increase reliance on fossil fuels as compared with direct combustion bioenergy, in order to meet variable district heating demands. We discuss the policy and local infrastructure and land use planning considerations of these findings, as well as present a framework to estimate the carbon sequestration potential of local coupled land-bioenergy infrastructure planning.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021AGUFMGC15F0762L