Plant-level analysis of the CO2 emission reduction and water recovery potentials of near-term CCS-EWR retrofits coal-fired power plant in China

Carbon dioxide capture and storage combined with enhanced water recovery (CCS-EWR) presents a promising solution for climate change, but its deployment costs and environmental benefits remain uncertain. Coupling the source-sink matching model with the techno-economic model reveals the plant-level and spatio-temporal potential of carbon emission reduction and water recovery for CCS-EWR retrofitting for coal-fired power plants (CFPPs)in China. Results show the application will substantially decrease carbon emissions, with an average reduction of 1.32 Gt/a between 2025 and 2060. Additionally, there is an estimated 38.48 Gt of fresh water accessible, enabling 44.35 % of CFPPs to meet their initial water needs fully. Around 70.7 % of CFPP units become financially viable when the carbon price reaches 400 CNY/t. Spatio-temporal analyses provide insights into changes and progress in the implementation of CCS-EWR over time, and starting the deployment of CCS-EWR at an earlier stage will result in more favorable environmental advantages.