Three Singapore gencos to study carbon capture and storage to decarbonise power sector

[SINGAPORE] Three power generation companies (gencos) in Singapore will be conducting site-specific carbon capture and storage (CCS) feasibility studies for the power sector, targeted for completion in 2026.

The companies are Keppel Energy Nexus, PacificLight Power and YTL PowerSeraya, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) announced on Monday (Jul 14).

The agency selected five proposals from these companies for co-funding, following a grant call in October last year for the industry to explore two types of CCS solutions: post-combustion and pre-combustion.

Post-combustion CCS involves an on-site unit that captures carbon emissions from when natural gas is burnt in power plants.

Pre-combustion CCS involves first separating natural gas into carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The carbon dioxide is captured by an on-site unit, while the hydrogen is transported to power plants to be combusted for electricity.

Keppel Energy Nexus and YTL PowerSeraya will be undertaking two studies each, covering both pre and post-combustion CCS. PacificLight Power will study only post-combustion CCS.

The studies will allow EMA and the industry to learn more about the two CCS models, as well as identify infrastructure and site-specific requirements, said the agency.

“The findings would also provide a useful foundation to conduct more detailed engineering studies in future… to further assess the feasibility of CCS to decarbonise the power sector,” it said, citing front-end engineering design as an area that could be studied.

The power sector accounts for about 40 per cent of Singapore’s total carbon emissions, with 95 per cent of the city-state’s electricity generated from natural gas.