The economic accessibility of CO₂ sequestration through bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in the US

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is one strategy to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. To assess the potential scale and cost of CO₂ sequestration from BECCS in the US, this analysis models carbon sequestration net of supply chain emissions and costs of biomass production, delivery, power generation, and CO₂ capture and sequestration in saline formations. The analysis includes two biomass supply scenarios (near-term and long-term), two biomass logistics scenarios (conventional and pelletized), and two generation technologies (pulverized combustion and integrated gasification combined cycle). Results show marginal cost per tonne CO₂ (accounting for costs of electricity and CO₂ emissions of reference power generation scenarios) as a function of CO₂ sequestered (simulating capture of up to 90% of total CO₂ sequestration potential) and associated spatial distribution of resources and generation locations for the array of scenario options. Under a near-term scenario using up to 206 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 181 million tonnes CO₂ can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $62 to $137 per tonne CO₂; under a long-term scenario using up to 740 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 737 million tonnes CO₂ can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $42 to $92 per tonne CO₂. These estimates of CO₂ sequestration potential may be reduced if future competing demand reduces resource availability or may be increased if displaced emissions from conventional power sources are included. Results suggest there are large-scale opportunities to implement BECCS at moderate cost in the US, particularly in the Midwest, Plains States, and Texas.