Volume 7: Urban Energy Systems: Building, Transport, Environment, Industry, and Integration

GHG Mitigation Potentials for Using Urban Wastes as the Resource for Bioenergy With Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in China Yating Kang, Qing Yang*, Liang Wang, Pietro Bartoccid, Francesco Fantozzi, Hewen Zhou, Yingquan Chen, Hanping Chen

Abstract

Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), as a negative emissions technology, plays an increasingly vital role in the low-carbon energy systems. Urban wastes are the fastest-growing bioenergy resources in recent years. This study aims to provide a high-resolution spatial assessment of GHG mitigation potentials for using urban wastes as the resource for BECCS in China towards 2030. For this evaluation, the domestic urban wastes potential in a 2017 baseline year and three waste to energy (WTE) processes are calculated and proposed. Results show that the collectable potential of urban wastes in 2017 was 1026.53 PJ and its utilizable potential would reach 2191.98 PJ in 2030. If this utilizable potential would be fully realized to displace fossil energy, approximately 151.82 Mt CO 2 e of GHG emissions could be reduced. Moreover, WTE process coupled with carbon capture and storage (WTE-CCS) would result in extra negative emissions of 1.83 Mt CO 2 e in 2030. Spatially, higher urban wastes potential leads to larger GHG mitigation potentials of WTE-CCS. Compared with less developed regions (e.g. Tibet, Qinghai and Ningxia), the regions with higher densities of population and economy activity (e.g. Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong) would have larger GHG mitigation potentials. Our study could provide geographically targeted information on the deployment of WTE-CCS in China.

Keywords BECCS, Urban wastes, GHG mitigation potentials, China