Abstract

 

 

Global climate change has substantial impact on human security and prosperity. Scientific research shows that increased carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere has an undeniable relationship with global climate change. Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels, chemical production and deforestation, are the primary cause of the increased CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. In particular, burning fossil fuels accounts for 75% of human-induced CO2 emissions. A recent study predicts that from 2007 to 2030, global primary energy demand will grow at a rate of 1.5% per year, and the overall growth rate will reach 40%. Fossil fuel is still the world’s dominant source of energy, and its associated CO2 emissions will reach 34.5 billion tons in 2020 and 40.2 billion tons in 2030. If human beings do not take action to reduce emissions, the global average temperature will increase by more than 2℃, thus contributing to catastrophic damage and irreversible climate change. Therefore, there is an urgent need for human beings to take action in the short term in order to reduce the intensity of human-induced CO2 emissions and to slow down the trend of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration.

 

CCS (Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage, hereinafter CCUS) is a technology that captures waste CO2 from large point sources and permanently stores CO2 underground, thus allowing for a large-scale reduction of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel usage. It is identified as one of the most important technologies for greenhouse gas reduction and for cutting emission by at least 50% from the 1990 baseline by 2050.

 

         Heavily resource-dependent, Xinjiang is characterized by high-carbon consumption and high per capita CO2 emissions. With the booming economy, industrialization, increasing population, energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions in Xinjiang will continue to grow. To prepare for the changing climate, to follow up on China’s development strategies, and to develop a sustainable economy, Xinjiang is determined to transit from high-carbon to low-carbon energy. The switch will get Xinjiang ready for a new wave of economy and help creates new economic growth areas. It also identifies a reliable pathway to optimize the industrial structure, change the mode of development and achieve sustainable economic growth.

 

1.   Overview of the feasibility of developing CCUS in Xinjiang

(1)  CCUS technology is required for business and economic development in Xinjiang. Given its key role in China’s energy industry, it is more challenging and demanding for Xinjiang to develop low-carbon energy than for other provinces. Multiple factors must be considered for low-carbonization in Xinjiang, including the level of economic development, capabilities of technological innovation, industrial structures, status of energy consumption and carbon emissions, key drivers of economy growth. It is also important for Xinjiang to identify a proper low-carbon energy model, without slowing down its regional economic growth. Finance should also make a difference on different levels in the development of low-carbonization. CCUS plays a key role in efficiently using fossil fuels and significantly reducing CO2 emissions, thus achieving low-carbonization. In addition, for large CO2 emission sources (e.g. cement, petrochemicals, iron and steel industries) in Xinjiang, CCUS may be the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions.

 

(2)  There is an increase in demand for the development of Xinjiang CCUS. Xinjiang is an important energy industrial base in China. In particular, its pillar industries, including coal, petroleum and petrochemical industries, account for more than 60% of value added of industries. This particular industrial structure would inevitably result in massive emissions of carbon, which leads to greater challenges of emission reduction.

Xinjiang, as an important gateway to China's export-oriented economy, is one of the key areas of the Open Up the West Program.  With its rich coal, oil, natural gas, wind, solar and other resources, Xinjiang serves as an important energy production base in China. Since the implementation of the Open Up the West Program, Xinjiang has been seizing important opportunities to perform transformation strategies based on its advantageous resources. The development of mineral and other natural resources has intensified. Meanwhile, Xinjiang has been undertaking industrial transfers from eastern provinces in China, which leads to a rapid-growth economy and society. Since 2001, the energy consumption growth rate has accelerated in Xinjiang, and its proportion of the country's total energy consumption continues to rise. Energy consumption per 10,000 Yuan of GDP, as well as the amount of carbon emissions, is much higher than the national average. As the portion of added value from secondary industry keeps increasing, Xinjiang has moved to the stage of heavy industrialization.

In a scenario where earth’s average surface temperatures rise within 2˚C, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that CCUS-related contribution of emission reduction will increase from 3% in 2020 to 2030 in 10%. By 2050, it will reach 19%, and CCUS could become the biggest contributor to CO2 emissions reduction technology among single technologies.

 

(3)  CCUS will bring opportunities for industrial development. CCUS has been identified, one of the National Development and Reform Commission "emerging strategic industries", it in capture, transport, and storage of the three links are involved in many technology and equipment, so the project demonstration and commercial deployment will drive the development of a series of industry, such as equipment manufacturing, chemical sorbents, manufacture and laying of onshore pipelines, marine engineering, and the corresponding financial and service industries.

Xinjiang, located in China's northwest border, energy-rich, coal, oil, natural gas forecast resources were 2.19 × 1012t, 2.09 × 1010t and 1.10 × 1013m3 land accounted for 40% of the amount of resources, 30% and 34%, has become China's important strategic energy replacement area and onshore energy major thoroughfare. Therefore Xinjiang coal industry can develop many technologies and industries.

 

(4)  R & D and policy environment construction CCUS needs from now. Since the technology chain CCUS project, industry value chain is longer, we need to key technology and equipment, engineering design and construction, the effect of long-term storage of verification, environmental impact assessment, risk prevention and treatment, operation and supervision mechanisms, and financing and other aspects of preparation fully only after the large-scale implementation. Therefore, in order to be able to achieve after 2030 CCUS commercial development of Xinjiang CCUS we need to strengthen related research from now on, as soon as possible and strive CCUS development plans into action and provincial planning low-carbon development, and to take the necessary preparatory measures to develop appropriate action plans and policies supporting the program.

 

2.   Recommendations on CCUS development in Xinjiang

CO2 capture coal industry: coal sector is the future of Xinjiang to achieve deep emission reductions of CO2 through the implementation of key industries CCUS. Studies have shown that the implementation of CCUS Xinjiang coal industry from having the greatest cost advantage, and post-combustion capture technology is most suitable for electric power and depending on the application in Xinjiang over a wider range of CO2 capture technologies. Because trapping is the most costly CCUS chain link, at home and abroad in the new absorber, large-scale and lower energy consumption, lower cost and other aspects of a lot of development work has been carried out. Xinjiang can focus on the selection and application of appropriate for this area as well as the case of captures technology to bring the best industrial prospects of supporting technology. By 2020 the whole process of forming a power plant CCUS demonstration projects by 2025 the power plant project has reached a preliminary CCUS commercial scale.

High concentrations of CO2 capture coal chemical industry: Xinjiang early opportunity to carry out CO2 capture is a high concentration of CO2 gas produced by coal chemical industry. Resource investigation should be undertaken to elevated CO2 gas emissions from the coal chemical industry as soon as possible, capturing technological priorities and economic assessment, and began designing and building CO2 capture demonstration projects.