1.1        This document specifies methods for measuring and evaluating the performance of CO2 capture connected to a CO2 intensive plant, and which separates CO2 from the CO2 intensive plant exhaust gas in preparation for subsequent transportation and geological storage. In particular, this document provides a common methodology to calculate key performance indicators (KPI) for the CO2 capture plant. To determine the KPIs, the boundaries of the CO2 capture plant need to be defined and the necessary parameters need to be measured.

1.2        This document covers the CO2 capture plant capturing CO2 from CO2 containing exhaust gas connected to CO2 intensive plants. The connection of a CO2 capture plant to a CO2 intensive plant is anticipated to have negligible impact on the product quality or the quantities produced by the CO2 intensive plant. This is in contrast with the integration of CO2 capture plants with power plants which usually results in a reduction of the power plant output. For the CO2 intensive industry, it is important that product quality remains the same after connection of the CO2 capture plant, in order for the industry to continue to meet customer requirements.

The CO2 capture technologies covered by this document are able to operate without interfering with the operations of the CO2 intensive plant. Frequently used CO2 capture technologies are chemical absorption (e.g. liquid amine) and solid adsorption [e.g. pressure swing adsorption (PSA), temperature swing adsorption (TSA)]. Other CO2 capture concepts are membranes, cryogenic and other capture technologies. The CO2 capture plant can be installed for treatment of the full volume of exhaust gas from the CO2 intensive plant or a fraction of the total (i.e. a slipstream). Captured CO2 is then conditioned, e.g. dried and compressed or liquefied, as determined by the conditions needed for transportation and storage. The transportation can be either through a pipeline or through an intermediate storage facility waiting for shipment; either by tanker car, train or ship.

The system includes interfaces between the CO2 capture plant and the CO2 intensive plant as well as the CO2 transportation and storage system.

1.3        This document is intended to describe the following KPIs:

a)          CO2 capture rate;

b)          specific electrical energy consumption (SEC);

c)          specific thermal energy consumption (STEC);

d)          specific material consumption (e.g. absorbent or adsorbent) (SMC).

The calculations are based on measurements at the boundary of the CO2 capture plant, particularly of energy and other utilities consumption.

1.4        This document includes:

a)          the CO2 capture plant boundary (see Clause 4), which defines the boundaries of the CO2 capture plant and identifies which streams of energy and mass are crossing these boundaries to identify the key streams that are applicable for their particular case;

b)          the basic performance of CO2 capture plant (see Clause 5), which defines the parameters that describe the basic performance of the CO2 capture plant;

c)          the utilities and consumption calculation (see Clause 6), which lists the utility measurements required and provides guidance on how to convert utility measurements into the values required for the KPIs;

d)          the guiding principles (see Clause 7), the basis for CO2 capture plant performance assessment, which describes all guidelines to prepare, set-up and conduct the tests;

e)          the instruments and measurement methods (see Clause 8), which lists the standards available for the relevant measurements issues and considerations to take into account when applying measurement methods to CO2 capture plants;

f)           the evaluation of key performance indicators (see Clause 9), which specifies the set of KPIs to be determined and their calculation methods.

1.5        This document does not provide guidance for benchmarking, comparing or assessing KPIs of different technologies or different CO2 capture projects. Health, safety and environment (HSE) is not included.