The promulgation of the Action Plan for the Low-Carbon Transformation and Construction of Coal-fired Power (2024-2027) aims to promote the low-carbon transformation of existing coal-fired power units and the low-carbon construction of new coal-fired power units, and promote the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient new energy system.
On July 15, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) issued the Action Plan for the Low-Carbon Transformation and Construction of Coal-fired Power (2024-2027) (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan"), which clearly puts forward the main objectives, construction requirements and safeguard measures for the low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power. It is understood that the introduction of the "Action Plan" aims to promote the low-carbon transformation of existing coal-fired power units and the low-carbon construction of new coal-fired power units, and promote the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient new energy system.
The low-carbon transformation of coal-fired power should be effective
"The low-carbon transformation of coal power is not only important, but also time-sensitive." Chen Zongfa, chief expert of China Electricity Council, emphasized in an interview with a reporter from China Energy News.
According to the data, in 2023, coal-fired power will account for 70% of the country's peak supply guarantee task with less than 40% of the installed capacity, effectively guaranteeing the mainland's people's livelihood electricity and economic and social development needs. However, in 2023, carbon emissions from the energy sector will account for more than 80% of the country's total carbon emissions, of which electricity carbon emissions will account for more than 50% of the energy industry, and the vast majority will come from coal power.
In the first three years of the 11th Five-Year Plan, the 12th Five-Year Plan, the 13th Five-Year Plan and the 14th Five-Year Plan, the average coal consumption for power supply in China decreased by 37.0 g/kWh, 17.6 g/kWh, 9.9 g/kWh and 1.6 g/kWh, respectively.
With the large-scale integration of new energy into the grid, the depth and frequency of coal power peak regulation continue to increase, and the operating conditions of coal power have undergone profound changes, and it is urgent to further promote the low-carbon transformation of coal power through technical methods such as carbon reduction at the source and carbon sequestration at the end.
In recent years, the mainland has vigorously developed renewable energy and accelerated the construction of a new power system. Chen Zongfa also pointed out that coal-fired power is the "pillar" and "ballast stone" of energy supply in the near and medium term, the "main regulating power supply", "emergency backup power supply" and key support force for building a new power system, and the main starting point for reducing pollution and carbon emissions and achieving the "double carbon" goal.
"In the context of responding to climate change and accelerating the realization of the 'dual carbon' goal, it is necessary to further promote the low-carbon transformation of coal power and make special arrangements to achieve tangible results." Chen Zongfa emphasized.
The Action Plan puts forward the goal of low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power: by 2025, the first batch of low-carbon transformation and construction projects of coal-fired power will be started, and a number of low-carbon power generation technologies will be transformed and applied; The LCOE carbon emissions of relevant projects are about 20% lower than the average carbon emission level of similar coal-fired power units in 2023, which is significantly lower than the carbon emission level of advanced coal-fired power units in service. By 2027, the technical route of low-carbon power generation of coal-fired power generation will be further broadened, and the construction and operation costs will be significantly reduced. The LCOE carbon emissions of relevant projects will be reduced by about 50% compared with the average carbon emission level of similar coal-fired power units in 2023, which is close to the carbon emission level of natural gas power generation units.
Precise measures are implemented according to local conditions
In response to the introduction of the "Action Plan", the relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission said in an interview that on the basis of full research, systematic analysis and in-depth demonstration, the "Action Plan" put forward three transformation and construction methods, and clarified the project layout, unit conditions, and carbon reduction effect of the three aspects of transformation and construction requirements.
The three transformation and construction methods are: biomass blending, making full use of biomass resources such as agricultural and forestry wastes, sand plants, energy plants, etc., and implementing coal-fired power units coupled with biomass power generation; Green ammonia blending, using surplus electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar power generation, producing green hydrogen through water electrolysis and synthesizing green ammonia, and implementing coal-fired units to blend green ammonia for power generation; Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) uses chemical, adsorption, membrane and other technologies to separate and capture carbon dioxide in the flue gas of coal-fired boilers, and implements efficient oil flooding, methanol preparation and other resource utilization, or implements geological storage according to local conditions.
These three renovation and construction methods are also applicable to different scenarios. Chen Zongfa told reporters that the "Action Plan" sets the conditions and scope of implementation accordingly. For example, the co-firing technology of biomass and coal-fired boilers, including mixed combustion after gasification, indirect mixed combustion and direct mixed combustion, can achieve 0%-100% mixed combustion capacity, but the stable supply of a large amount of biomass is a problem. From the economic point of view, except for CCUS, the cost of coal-fired power units is basically unchanged, and the cost performance is better than that of gas turbines. From a technical point of view, the technical challenges are high, but they are not unattainable.
According to Zhang Lin, director of the Planning and Development Department of the China Electricity Council, since the "13th Five-Year Plan", the mainland has implemented biomass direct combustion blending in coal-fired power plants in Shiliquan, Rizhao and other places in Shandong, and the relevant technologies have the basis for large-scale demonstration; In recent years, the mainland has carried out ammonia combustion tests on industrial-grade coal-fired units in Taishan, Guangdong Province and other places, and the relevant technologies have a large-scale demonstration foundation. CCUS, on the other hand, is the ultimate technology to achieve carbon neutrality.
It is also understood that power generation companies are constantly making breakthroughs in technology and projects in view of the three ways of low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power. On July 14, the first set of verification project of low-temperature integrated pollutant removal technology (COAP) of Huaneng large-scale coal-fired units successfully passed 168 hours of trial operation in Huaneng Linyi Power Plant. The next-generation "COAP+" technology, which is deeply integrated with COAP technology and carbon dioxide capture technology, can finally achieve efficient and coordinated removal of flue gas pollutants and carbon dioxide. This is also the world's first low-temperature pollutant integrated near-zero discharge project put into operation.
"Carbon reduction" requires more innovative practices
Chen Zongfa told reporters that since the "13th Five-Year Plan", the mainland has solved the problem of "pollution reduction" through the implementation of ultra-low emission transformation of coal power, and better achieved clean power generation, comparable to gas turbines. However, in order to make a major breakthrough in the issue of "carbon reduction", it is still necessary to carry out technology research and development and innovative practice. "According to the new strategic positioning of coal power, to build a new type of coal power with performance comparable to gas turbines, it is necessary to increase the ramp-up rate of the unit, increase the frequency of the unit's start and stop, and adopt the new technology of wide load and high efficiency of the unit and low-carbon technology."
In terms of strengthening the application of technological innovation, the "Action Plan" points out that it is necessary to strengthen the technical research and development of coal-fired power blending with biomass, low-cost green ammonia preparation, and high-proportion blending with crop straw, accelerate the research and development of technologies such as carbon dioxide capture and consumption reduction of coal-fired flue gas, absorption agent loss, mass transfer performance improvement of large-scale tower internals, cohesion of capture-power generation system, and optimization of control processes, so as to make up for the technical shortcomings of carbon dioxide resource utilization, saline aquifer storage, and industrial integration and coupling.
In addition, the "Action Plan" also proposes that for the projects included in the national list of low-carbon coal power transformation and construction projects, on the basis of overall comprehensive operating costs, actual carbon reduction effects and various market benefits, explore the establishment of a tripartite sharing mechanism shared by the government, enterprises and users, and give phased support policies. Eligible projects are encouraged to obtain financing through the issuance of real estate investment trusts in the infrastructure sector, green bonds, or applications for green credit, scientific and technological innovation and technological transformation re-loans, etc., to attract all kinds of investment entities to participate in and support the low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power plants。
In order to effectively stimulate the enthusiasm for the low-carbon transformation and construction of coal-fired power plants, the Action Plan also points out that it is necessary to promote the separate measurement of part of the electricity generated by biomass/green ammonia power generation and the installation of carbon capture, utilization and storage facilities. Power grid enterprises should optimize power operation and dispatching plans, give priority to supporting low-carbon transformation and construction projects with outstanding carbon emission reduction effects to be connected to the power grid, and give priority to renewable energy power generation or zero-carbon power generation of projects.
Original title: The construction drawings of low-carbon transformation of coal-fired power have been released
Text丨Reporter Zhao Qiong Lin Shuijing
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Editor丨Yan Zhiqiang