Low Carbon Thermal Power Innovations & Startups Report

Comprehensive Showcase of Global Low Carbon Thermal Power Innovations & Startups

From CLIMAFIX, leader in climate innovation intelligence

Low Carbon Thermal Power Introduction:

Thermal power plants are currently the dominant source of electricity generation in the world. Outside of nuclear, thermal power predominantly comprises coal-based and natural gas-based power generation.

Thermal power plants alone generate about 35% of all man-made CO₂ emissions globally. Low carbon processes and technologies incorporated into thermal power plant value chains can thus have a significant positive impact on decarbonization

About 4 TW (4000 GW) of thermal power generating capacity is available worldwide, generating almost 70% of the total 27,000 TWh of electricity produced annually.

A focus on low carbon thermal power presents a frontal attack on the single largest source of CO₂ emissions and thus could bring significant decarbonization gains for the 2020-2030 period.

A range of low-carbon avenues is available along the thermal power generation value chain. A shift from coal to natural gas alone can have a significant effect on CO₂ emissions, as the latter emits only half the CO₂ as the former for every kWh generated. For coal power plants, shifting from conventional to supercritical technology and further on to IGCC technology could significantly increase efficiency and lower the number of CO₂ emissions for every kWh. Combining clean power sources such as biomass or solar CSP to work as hybrids with coal power plants presents another avenue for decarbonizing coal-based power generation. Finally, capturing and sequestering or utilising the CO₂ emissions from thermal power plants leads to significantly less CO₂ emitted into the atmosphere.

Most of the decarbonization avenues apply to coal or natural gas power plants anywhere in the world from a technological perspective. However, economics, differing national policies, and availability of sources such as biomass will influence the way different countries move towards low-carbon thermal power plants.

For the 2020-2030 period, Innovations for reducing the carbon footprint of thermal power generation will be around the use of digital to increase efficiencies, cooling tower efficiencies, smart grid & grid analytics, waste heat recovery, and carbon capture, storage or utilization.

The Low Carbon Thermal Power Innovations & Startups Report provides insights on the following: