Duke Energy to study Chinese carbon-capture technology at Gibson Station

February 15, 2012-by John Downey in the Charlotte Business Journal

Duke Energy has agreed with the China Huaneng Group on a study to determine if the Chinese company’s carbon-capture technology can be installed on Duke’s Gibson Steam Station in Indiana.

Duke's Gibson power plant is the second largest coal burner in the nation producing a whopping 3,339 megawatts of electricity at any given time. It is also one of the world's largest polluters. One interesting aspect of the Gibson Station being used for this experiment is that it sits just a couple miles from the epicenter of a 2008 Wabash Fault earthquake that shook much of the midwest. What the fault means for the veracity of the study is uncertain at this time. Photo© John Blair

Duke makes clear that it is not committing to install the technology.

This is just a feasibility study. But it acknowledges that it could eventually lead to using Huaneng’s process to trap carbon at Gibson or other U.S. plants.

Once trapped, the gas can be sequestered to prevent it from adding to greenhouse gas emissions.

Earthquakes, even as close as two miles are not something that concerns Duke Energy. Illustration by John Blair from Google Earth image.

“Basically, this is the next step in our relationship with Huaneng,” says Duke spokesman Tom Shiel.

First agreement

Duke signed a memorandum of understanding with Huaneng in August 2009, agreeing to high level talks about the possibility of joint projects on a raft of environmental and energy issues. It included discussions of carbon capture. And it was the first of several such agreements Duke made with major power companies in China, looking to work together on smart grid, carbon capture, energy efficiency and other technologies.

Since the agreement was signed, Huaneng completed a facility that economically captured 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year emitted from its 1,320-megawatt Shidongko coal plant.

“We’re very excited to explore the possibilities of Huaneng Group’s technology here in the United States,” said David Mohler, Duke’s chief technology officer. “Our assessment will help put this technology in context with other options.”

‘Well proven’

The study will look at applying the technology to Unit 3 at Gibson. The station has five units with a combined capacity of 3,145 megawatts.

Jiang Minhua, assistant president of Huaneng, called the technology “well-proven and cost-effective. “We are keen to work with Duke Energy in exploring the feasibility of large-scale carbon capture, utilization and sequestration,” he said.

The feasibility study will get funding from the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, which the two companies established in 2009 for such collaborative endeavors.

Duke and Huaneng will create a Joint Working Group that will begin meeting in the near future to coordinate the project.

John Downey covers the energy industry for the Charlotte Business Journal. Click here to read more recent postings on Power City.