NETL ISSUES FOA FOR CARBON CAPTURE TEST FACILITIES

Tamar Hallerman
GHG Monitor
8/30/13

The National Energy Technology Laboratory is reaching out to the operators of existing facilities that could provide slipstream testing of bench- and pilot-scale advanced carbon capture and gasification technologies. The Department of Energy-operated lab issued a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) late last week seeking previously existing facilities that are capable of providing “multiple and simultaneous slipstream testing” of several third-party gasification and pre- and post-combustion capture technologies at a scale of up to 5 MWe. “These existing R&D facilities must be capable of testing pilot-scale systems and components utilizing actual flue gas from existing coal-fired units for the post-combustion technology systems or on actual syngas for the gasification and pre-combustion technology systems,” the Aug. 22 FOA states.

NETL said it anticipates awarding $100-$150 million total in cost-share agreements to operate and maintain the test facilities over five years, but that applicants must provide at least 20 percent non-federal cost share. The lab said it is interested in two types of facilities: plants capable of running “no less” than 120 technology tests on a scale of 0.01 MWe to 0.5 MWe over a five year contract period; and test centers that can evaluate “no less” than 90 technology tests at a larger scale of 0.5 MWe to 5 MWe. NETL said it plans on issuing multiple awards under the solicitation and that those interested must apply by Oct. 18.

Previous Experience Required

The FOA emphasizes that the facilities must be pre-existing and that applicants should have “integrated project team experience” in operating and maintaining such test centers. It says operators must also have procedures in place to identify and resolve any technical, permitting, environmental, health and safety issues that may arise. The solicitation said interested companies should also have a methodology in place for generating and maintaining a “global data repository of carbon capture and gasification technologies under development” that can also compare technologies and developer readiness. The FOA excludes oxy-combustion capture technologies, as well as chemical looping and any transport and storage components any such testing facilities may have.

NETL is currently contracted with Southern Company to use its Power Systems Development Facility in Wilsonville, Ala. as the National Carbon Capture Center. The lab has used the facility for carbon capture testing since its completion in 1996, with its current five-year, $251 million cooperative agreement expiring at the end of September. That contract has been given a 12-month no-cost time extension so the lab can finish its new solicitation, an NETL official said.