Development of Technologies for Carbon Recycling and Next-Generation Thermal Power Generation

In order to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions from coal-fired power generation, NEDO will develop gasification technology for biomass fuel blending and gas turbine element technology to cope with load fluctuations in CO₂ separation and recovery facilities as part of technology development for CO₂ separation and recovery coal gasification fuel cells combined cycle power generation.

With the aim of establishing technology to use ammonia as a fuel for thermal power generation, NEDO will carry out various studies for the initial introduction of fuel ammonia into thermal power generation, develop elemental technologies for co-firing ammonia with coal, and conduct demonstration studies of ammonia co-firing technology at commercial coal-fired power generation facilities.

NEDO is developing technologies for gas turbine combined cycle power generation that are highly mobile to support the instantaneous and continuous decline in power generation due to the mass introduction of renewable energy sources and to improve efficiency at low loads. For coal-fired power generation (steam power generation), NEDO is also working on the development of maintenance technologies such as failure prediction and life prediction for excessive load-fluctuation operation, as well as minimum load reduction.

NEDO will conduct the development of a polygeneration system for capturing CO₂ using biomass and waste as feedstock, which is characterized by the separation and recovery of CO₂ as well as the co-production of electricity and valuable resources such as chemical substances. This system will reduce CO₂ emissions and the cost of recovered CO₂ through the economic benefits of valuable resources.

In order to reduce the environmental impact of coal use, NEDO will develop technologies to expand and reduce the use of combustion ash from coal and other materials. In addition, it will develop technologies to clarify the causes of natural heat generation in coal and compile knowledge on guidelines for coal management.

For CO₂ separation and recovery technologies, it is important to select the appropriate technologies according to the CO₂ emission source and the CO₂ user. NEDO will conduct research and development on the practical application of solid absorption and membrane separation methods, which are expected to save energy and reduce costs, including separation material development, process studies, and demonstration tests.

IIn order to realize early commercialization of carbon recycling technology that effectively utilizes CO₂ as a resource, the R&D and Demonstration Base for Carbon Recycling will be established in the Osaki Power Plant of Chugoku Electric Power Co. Inc. on Osaki Kamijima, where various carbon recycling technologies will be researched and developed.

Based on the Carbon Recycling Roadmap, NEDO will conduct research and development related to technologies for synthesizing chemicals, liquid fuels, and gaseous fuels from CO₂ and for immobilizing CO₂ into concrete, cement, carbonate, carbon, and carbides in order to reduce CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, NEDO will conduct research on the economic efficiency and CO₂ reduction effects of next-generation thermal power plants that will reduce the environmental burden.