SEP: A Novel Method Using CO2 and Geothermal Resources for Sustainable Energy Production and Storage

NSF可持续能源路径(SEP)计划在NSF可持续发展科学、工程和教育(SEES)倡议的框架下，将支持马丁·O·萨尔教授和明尼苏达大学双子城分校的同事的研究计划。该项目的动机是需要同时减少向大气排放二氧化碳(CO2)，同时扩大电力生产，最好是使用可再生资源。该项目将开发二氧化碳羽流地热(CPG)技术，作为实现这两个目标的一种方法。CPG将从二氧化碳排放器(例如燃煤发电厂)捕获的二氧化碳注入地下，其中大部分永久储存在那里。CPG还可以作为一种能源储存技术，将二氧化碳压缩到地下储气库中。在这种情况下，轻微加热的二氧化碳被循环到地表，用于电力生产，以抵消需求或套利价格。这是一种能源储存方法，它使用二氧化碳来调节风能和太阳能等可变能源产生电力的时间与社会需要电力的时间之间的时间差。目的是调查CPG技术备选方案的可行性、其部署的影响、更广泛溢出的可能性、关于地热能的生产教育材料、CPG及其在更广泛的能源系统中的潜在作用。该项目将通过培训跨学科小组的研究人员和提高对地热能和CPG作为低碳可再生能源组合一部分的认识，促进向可持续能源系统的过渡。CPG的总体目的是开发一种环境友好的能源，比传统方法使用更少的资源(例如水)，并具有更少的负面外部性(例如二氧化碳排放)。这项研究将彻底调查通过储存和使用二氧化碳发电可以获得的环境回报。此外，对CPG部署的调查在电力市场动态、决策科学、低碳能源经济学和能源政策等领域产生了基本的理解。结合汉弗莱公共事务学院的休伯特项目(www.hubertproject t.org)，将编写一个CPG案例研究，详细说明将地热能源发展为一种重要的可持续能源的挑战和益处。将制作互动在线视频，向公众解释中央人民政府，并在本科课程中使用。与明尼苏达大学的多样性和外联计划合作将增加该项目参与者的多样性。该项目的变革性涉及(A)CPG经济地储存二氧化碳以及利用储存的二氧化碳利用地热能发电和/或分配热量，(B)CPG技术开发和商业部署的经济、财务和运营问题，以及(C)CPG技术如何能够实现其他可再生和低碳能源技术的部署。如果成功，该项目将产生必要的理解，以开发一种新的无害环境的能源生产或储存方法。将提高对提高可再生能源系统可持续性的挑战和机遇的理解和认识。此外，CPG技术有可能使碳封存在经济上成为可能，从而缓解全球变暖。

The NSF Sustainable Energy pathways (SEP) Program, under the umbrella of the NSF Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability (SEES) initiative, will support the research program of Prof. Martin O. Saar and co-workers at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. This project is motivated by the need to simultaneously reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to the atmosphere while expanding the production of electricity, preferably using renewable resources. The project will develop CO2 Plume Geothermal (CPG) technology as a method to achieve both goals. CPG injects CO2 that is captured from a CO2 emitter (e.g., a coal-fired power plant) underground where the majority is permanently stored. CPG can also be used as an energy storage technique by compressing the CO2 into the subsurface reservoirs. In this case, slightly heated CO2 is circulated to the surface for electricity production to offset demand or to arbitrage prices. This is an approach to energy storage that uses CO2 to moderate differences in timing between the time electricity is produced by variable sources, such as wind and solar, and the time electricity is demanded by society. The objectives are to investigate the feasibility of CPG technology options, the implications of their deployment, the potential for broader spillovers, and the production educational material about geothermal energy, CPG, and their potential roles within the broader energy system.This project will enhance the transition to sustainable energy systems in part by training researchers in interdisciplinary teams and by raising the awareness of geothermal energy and CPG as parts of the low-carbon, renewable energy portfolio. The overall purpose of CPG is develop an environmentally benign energy source that uses fewer resources (e.g. water) and with less negative externalities (e.g., CO2 emissions) than conventional approaches. This research will thoroughly investigate environmental returns that can be gained by storing and using CO2 to produce electricity. In addition, investigations of CPG deployment produce fundamental understanding in areas of electricity market dynamics, decision science, the economics of low-carbon energy sources, and energy policy. In association with the Hubert Project at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs (www.hubertproject.org), a CPG case study detailing the challenges and benefits of developing geothermal energy into a significant sustainable energy resource will be developed. Interactive online visuals will be produced to explain CPG to the public and for use in undergraduate courses. Collabration with the University of Minnesota's Diversity and Outreach program will increase the diversity of the participants in this project.The transformative nature of the project involves its investigation of (a) CPG for economically storing CO2 and for using the stored CO2 to utilize geothermal energy to produce electricity and/or distribute heat, (b) the economic, financial, and operational issues of CPG technology development and commercial deployment, and (c) how the CPG technology may enable the deployment of other renewable and low-carbon energy technologies. If successful, this project will produce the understanding necessary for the development of a new environmentally benign approach to energy production or storage. The understanding and awareness of the challenges and opportunities for increasing the sustainability of renewable energy systems will be increased. In addition, the CPG technology has the potential to make carbon sequestration economically possible, thereby mitigating global warming.