Cited by 29Carbon Dioxide Capture TechnologiesRenewable energy and sustainable power systemsForest Biomass Utilization and Management

The Economic Accessibility of CO2 Sequestration through Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in the US

Open access
Langholtz, Matthew, Busch, Ingrid, Kasturi, Abishek, Hilliard, Michael R., McFarlane, Joanna, Tsouris, Costas, Mukherjee, Srijib, Omitaomu, Olufemi A. +5 more·2020·Land

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is one strategy to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. To assess the potential scale and cost of CO2 sequestration from BECCS in the US, this analysis models carbon sequestration net of supply chain emissions and costs of biomass production, delivery, power generation, and CO2 capture and sequestration in saline formations. The analysis includes two biomass supply scenarios (near-term and long-term), two biomass logistics scenarios (conventional and pelletized), and two generation technologies (pulverized combustion and integrated gasification combined cycle). Results show marginal cost per tonne CO2 (accounting for costs of electricity and CO2 emissions of reference power generation scenarios) as a function of CO2 sequestered (simulating capture of up to 90% of total CO2 sequestration potential) and associated spatial distribution of resources and generation locations for the array of scenario options. Under a near-term scenario using up to 206 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 181 million tonnes CO2 can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $62 to $137 per tonne CO2; under a long-term scenario using up to 740 million tonnes per year of biomass, up to 737 million tonnes CO2 can be sequestered annually at scenario-average costs ranging from $42 to $92 per tonne CO2. These estimates of CO2 sequestration potential may be reduced if future competing demand reduces resource availability or may be increased if displaced emissions from conventional power sources are included. Results suggest there are large-scale opportunities to implement BECCS at moderate cost in the US, particularly in the Midwest, Plains States, and Texas.

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Crossref · 10.3390/land9090299

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  • BECCS has the potential for growth in Pennsylvania due to the presence of geologic storage potential in the region and the degradation of the coal industries.

    “Bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration has the potential for growth in PA due to the presence of geologic storage potential in the region 13 and the degradation of the coal industries.”

    From Mobilizing mine lands for biobased decarbonization strategies (2025) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Introduction describes US-wide BECCS potential associated with suitable geological formations, and the Conclusions discuss regions with sequestration basins. Neither passage establishes geologic storage potential or BECCS growth specifically in Pennsylvania; the paper also does not link such growth to the decline of the coal industry (searched: Pennsylvania, coal-industry decline). (LLM, conf=0.79)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • With BECCS, approximately 90% of the CO2 produced from power generation is stored below ground instead of being emitted into the atmosphere.

    “With BECCS, approximately 90% of the CO2 produced from power generation is stored below ground instead of being emitted into the atmosphere. 13”

    From Mobilizing mine lands for biobased decarbonization strategies (2025) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Introduction says BECCS captures CO2 from biomass combustion and stores it below ground. The Discussion reports that more than 80% of CO2 from biomass used for BECCS is sequestered net of other emissions; it does not establish the claimed approximately 90% share of CO2 produced during power generation. The paper’s 90% scenarios refer to the extent of potential sequestration implemented, not the share captured at each plant. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Established coal facilities require similar water-cooling requirements to BECCS facilities.

    “Established coal facilities require similar water-­ cooling requirements to BECCS facilities. 13”

    From Mobilizing mine lands for biobased decarbonization strategies (2025) · cites this paper as [13]

    Section 2.2 (p. 10) estimates similar cooling-water use for coal with carbon capture (990 gal/MWh) and BECCS (1050 gal/MWh). But its estimate for coal without capture is 520 gal/MWh, so the comparison does not hold for coal facilities generally; the BECCS figure is also based on an assumed capture penalty. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Bioenergy production without carbon capture and storage re-emits the CO2 that was captured from the atmosphere and returns it into the atmosphere when the energy is produced.

    “Bioenergy production without carbon capture and storage re-­ emits the CO 2 that was captured from the atmosphere and returns it into the atmosphere when the energy is produced. 13”

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1 of the 50 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Toensmeier, E.; Garrity, D. The Biomass Bottleneck, Strategies for drawing down carbon dioxide depend on more trees, grasses and crop residues than the planet can spare. Sci. Am. 2020, 66-71. [CrossRef] · DOI
  2. Efroymson, R.; Langholtz, M.; Johnson, K.; Negri, C.; Turhollow, A.; Kline, K.; Bonner, I.; Dale, V. Chapter 14: Synthesis, interpretation, and strategies to enhance environmental outcomes. In 2016 Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1;
  3. Preston, B.L.; Langholtz, M.H.; Eaton, L.M.; Daly, C.; Halbleib, M. Chapter 13: Climate Sensitivity of Agricultural Energy Crop Productivity. In 2016 Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1;
  4. Efroymson, R., Langholtz, M., Johnson, K., Stokes, B., Eds.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Oak Ridge, TN, USA, 2017; p. 624. [CrossRef] · DOI
  5. Canter, C.; Qin, Z.; Cai, H.; Dunn, J.; Wang, M.; Scott, D.A. Chapter 4: Fossile energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, including soil carbon effects, of producing agriculture and forestry feedstocks. In 2016 Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy, Volume 2: Environmental Sustainability Effects of Select Scenarios from Volume 1;
  6. Efroymson, R., Langholtz, M., Johnson, K., Stokes, B., Eds.; Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Oak Ridge, TN, USA, 2017; p. 624. [CrossRef] · DOI
  7. CrossRef · DOI

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Authors
Langholtz, M., Busch, I., Kasturi, A., Hilliard, M. R., McFarlane, J., Tsouris, C., Mukherjee, S., Omitaomu, O. A., Kotikot, S. M., Allen-Dumas, M. R., DeRolph, C. R., Davis, M. R., & Parish, E. S.
Affiliations
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)
  • Georgia Institute of Technology (US)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
Corresponding author
Langholtz, Matthew
Venue
Land
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-08-27
Volume
9
Issue
9
Pages
299
ISSN
2073-445X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3080095438
Cited by
29
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1
FWCI
1.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Land (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Preprints.org (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DE-15593)
  • Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DE-15593)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Carbon Dioxide Capture Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Renewable energy and sustainable power systems
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
Keywords
bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, CO2 sequestration, biomass supply, biomass logistics, biomass pellets, integrated gasification combined cycle, supply chain emissions, spatial distribution of resources

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