Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)
As carbon removal becomes increasingly central for impactful climate strategies, companies across the globe are looking for tools that will make a tangible difference in the push for global decarbonisation. One such tool is Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): an emerging climate technology that captures and permanently stores carbon dioxide (CO2) from biomass energy generation.
What is BECCS?
BECCS, which stands for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage, is a climate change mitigation process which extracts bioenergy from biomass and captures and stores the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is produced.
The BECCS process works as follows:
- Biomass production: As they grow, plants and trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. These plants are harvested and used as biomass for energy production.
- Energy generation: The biomass is burnt in power plants or processed in other ways to produce energy, which can take the form of electricity, heat, or even biofuels.
- Carbon capture and storage (CCS): During the energy production process, CO2 emissions are captured before they are released into the atmosphere. The captured CO2 is then transported and stored in secure geological formations – often deep underground.
The net effect is negative emissions: rather than being re-released, the CO2 absorbed by the plants during their growth is captured and stored, which effectively removes CO2 from the atmosphere.
The Steps
Below, we outline the three main steps involved in BECCS. This hybrid method combines nature and engineered carbon removal processes, while also producing carbon-neutral energy.
Biomass
CO₂ is trapped by plants using a process called photosynthesis and converted to carbon-rich biomass.
Combustion
Biomass is combusted and it produces heat, which is used for electricity generation. CO₂ is formed as a by-product during combustion.
Capture
Solvents are used to isolate CO₂ from the flue gas stream. The captured CO₂ is compressed to become a liquid and is stored in a CO₂ tank.
Transport and Injection
Liquified CO₂ is transported to suitable locations for subsequent injection and storage underground in geological reservoirs for thousands of years.
How it works
Carbon Sequestration
The sequestration step in carbon dioxide removal via Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage is facilitated by photosynthesis. Plants, such as agricultural crops and trees in forests, take up water from the soil and absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. Using energy from the sun, a green pigment called chlorophyll converts the water and CO₂ to oxygen and glucose. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere and the glucose goes on to nourish the growing plant and create biomass. Agriculture, forestry, food processing, and municipalities produce large quantities of waste biomass suitable for BECCS.
Combustion and Capture
During the process of combustion, pre-treated biomass is burnt as fuel at high temperature (>800ºC). The biomass's organic material reacts with excess oxygen and produces carbon dioxide, water vapour and heat. It then generates carbon-neutral electricity using a steam turbine. The cyclone unit then collects the ash produced, generating a particle-free gas stream that is introduced in the amine-solvent scrubber. There, CO₂ is separated, and the non-harmful outlet gas is released through the chimney.
Carbon Storage
The CO₂ captured during the combustion process is compressed for transport via pipeline or ship. The carbon is pumped into the underground deposit until it is full, usually at a depth of more than 800 metres. It is stored effectively and permanently in porous rock reservoirs, such as sandstone, or in depleted oil and gas wells. However, the captured carbon dioxide can also be embedded in long-lasting products, entering the utilization market.
Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) plays an important role in the context of climate change mitigation. It is one of the most promising available carbon removal technologies, since it is scalable. However, its sustainability and effectiveness rely on the management of the supply chain. Emissions associated with cultivation, harvesting, transformation and processing of the biomass must be considered when stating the potential of this CDR method, and long-term storage must be ensured to secure permanent removal.
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A study from the U.S. National Academy of Sciences estimates a global potential to sequester 3.4-5.2 GtCO₂ per year via BECCS. However, the viability of this method as a negative emissions technology depends heavily on the correct management of the supply chain. The emissions arising from growing, harvesting, transporting and converting the biomass must not surpass the captured carbon.
Further, the captured CO₂ must be stored in permanent reservoirs, such as depleted gas fields, to ensure long-term removal.
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There are fewer direct social and environmental co-benefits directly derived from Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage compared to other carbon removal methods. However, this technology produces both heat and electricity in the “bioenergy” step.
Therefore, BECCS generates carbon-neutral energy, thus contributing to the replacement of fossil fuels in the energy sector. However, biomass production can cause direct or indirect land competition for food production. Using agricultural residues as biomass feedstock reduces this problem.
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Why is BECCS important for decarbonisation?
BECCS is vital for decarbonisation efforts because it addresses one of the most challenging aspects of climate change mitigation: achieving negative emissions.
Because it combines an already established source of renewable energy with the emerging CCS technology, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage is one of the most widely discussed carbon removal options. It is also a flexible option that can be deployed in multiple contexts, enhancing its value in diverse carbonisation strategies.
Here are four other reasons BECCS holds a unique place in the decarbonisation landscape:
1. Carbon removal capability
Rather than just reducing emissions, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage allows for the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. This is crucial, as certain sectors – e.g. heavy industry and aviation – are still impossible to decarbonise completely. BECCS can offset emissions from these sectors by removing CO2 that would otherwise accumulate in the atmosphere.
2. Synergy with renewable energy goals
BECCS produces bioenergy, which can supplement other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Unlike wind and solar energy, which are weather dependent, bioenergy can be generated continuously. This enables BECCS to provide a stable energy supply while still contributing to decarbonisation. Further, bioenergy-based power plants integrated with BECCS can replace fossil fuel-based power generation, which reduces the carbon intensity of the energy sector.
3. Utilisation of existing infrastructure
BECCS can be integrated into existing biomass and biofuel industries, meaning it does not necessarily require entirely new infrastructure. The necessary infrastructure for CCS can be added to existing facilities, potentially reducing the costs and complexities of implementing BECCS.
4. Reduction of atmospheric CO2 levels
Even if the global CO2 emissions were halted today, the CO2 already in the atmosphere would continue to contribute to global warming. BECCS can help actively reduce these atmospheric CO2 levels, potentially helping to reverse some effects of climate change over time.
In short, BECCS is vital for decarbonisation because it addresses a gap left by emission reduction alone: it provides a way to remove existing CO2 from the atmosphere, contributing directly to negative emissions and helping counteract emissions from hard-to-abate sectors.
By balancing emission reductions with atmospheric carbon removal, BECCS could make decarbonisation efforts more robust. All in all, BECCS plays an essential role in comprehensive climate strategies that aim for net zero.
BECCS: benefits and challenges
A key strategy in global efforts to combat climate change, BECCS can provide a variety of benefits. However, it also comes with certain challenges that are important to consider.
Below is a brief overview of some of the benefits and challenges of BECCS:
Benefits of BECCS
- Negative emissions: BECCS is one of the few technologies that can result in negative emissions – i.e. actively removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
- Energy production: Unique from other carbon removal methods, BECCS also generates energy, making it a potentially more economically viable option.
- Flexibility with biomass sources: BECCS systems can use a wide range of feedstocks, including plant-based materials like wood and crop residues, non-fossil-fuel waste, and other renewable organic streams. This flexibility enhances its adaptability and supports the efficient use of resources that might otherwise go unused.
Challenges of BECCS
- Cost and complexity: Although the necessary infrastructure for CCS can be added to existing facilities, CCS infrastructure remains complex and costly. However, it is less costly than other options that have the same length of carbon storage – e.g. 40% less costly than direct air capture.
- Energy efficiency: Capturing and storing CO2 requires energy, which can reduce the overall efficiency of BECCS systems.
- Land and resource use: BECCS requires a significant amount of biomass, which can lead to competition for land, water, and nutrients. However, as the biomass can also be acquired from biogenic, non-fossil waste, this is not a significant risk.
Despite its great potential, the deployment of BECCS is still limited. Its large-scale adoption will likely depend on advances in CCS technology, policy support, and careful management of land and resources.
BECCS stands out in the fight against climate change, offering a unique combination of renewable energy production and carbon removal. While challenges remain, BECCS’s potential to generate negative emissions makes it a valuable tool for net-zero targets.
There is growing consensus that reducing emissions is no longer enough to stay within the goals set forward in The Paris Agreement. This makes actively removing CO2 through processes such as BECCS vital on the road to achieving net zero.
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