This project is concerned with the comprehensive question of possibilities of setting up a CO2 infrastructure in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) as part of a CCS application as well as the political implications and prospects of NRW as an energy region. The survey is based on the considerations of the ad hoc group "re-fitting" of the Kompetenznetzwerk Kraftwerke (competence network power stations) NRW. The state-of-the-art technology of the NRW reference power station is taken as a basis and the survey is to be carried out parrallely with the pre-engineering of the 1300 °F (700 °C) power station. This project shall clarify whether, and possibly how, highly efficient conventional coal-fired power plants can be re-fitted with a CO2 capture to flexibly react to potentially changing climate political conditions and to keep up with the market.
This study deepens the already available results of the Wuppertal Institute's study "CO2 Sequestration and Utilization: Assessment of Chances and Risks from the Point of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)". It also specifies them concerning the re-fitting of CO2 capturing measures.
In view of a possible future export of technologies, which are developed in connection with re-fitting measures, the survey discusses in how far there could be a market for re-fitting technologies and which of the power station concepts would be appropriate.
The analysis hints at which specific expert's report should be developed in NRW, respectively which promises potentials for the future, from an industrial political perspective in view of re-fitting components.