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

美国国家科学基金会可持续能源途径（SEP）项目隶属于美国国家科学基金会可持续发展科学、工程和教育（SEES）倡议，将支持明尼苏达大学双城分校Martin O. Saar教授及其同事的研究项目。这个项目的动机是需要同时减少二氧化碳（CO2）排放到大气中，同时扩大电力生产，最好使用可再生资源。该项目将开发二氧化碳羽地热（CPG）技术，作为实现这两个目标的方法。CPG将从二氧化碳排放源（如燃煤电厂）捕获的二氧化碳注入地下，其中大部分被永久储存。CPG也可以作为一种能量储存技术，通过将二氧化碳压缩到地下储层中。在这种情况下，稍微加热的二氧化碳被循环到地面用于发电，以抵消需求或套利价格。这是一种能源储存方法，利用二氧化碳来调节风能和太阳能等可变能源发电时间与社会用电需求时间之间的时间差。目的是调查地热能、地热能和地热能技术备选方案的可行性、其部署的影响、更广泛的溢出效应的可能性，以及制作关于地热能、地热能和地热能的教育材料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团队的研究人员以及提高对地热能和CPG作为低碳可再生能源组合组成部分的认识，促进向可持续能源系统的过渡。CPG的总体目标是开发一种比传统方法使用更少资源（如水）和更少负面外部性（如二氧化碳排放）的环保能源。这项研究将彻底调查通过储存和使用二氧化碳发电所能获得的环境回报。此外，对CPG部署的调查产生了对电力市场动态、决策科学、低碳能源经济学和能源政策等领域的基本理解。与汉弗莱公共事务学院的休伯特项目（www.hubertproject.org）合作，CPG将开展一项案例研究，详细说明将地热能开发为重要的可持续能源的挑战和好处。将制作互动式在线视觉资料，向公众解释CPG，并用于本科课程。与明尼苏达大学的多样性和外展计划合作将增加该项目参与者的多样性。该项目的变革性质包括对以下方面的调查：(a) CPG经济地储存二氧化碳，并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、金融和运营问题，以及(c) CPG技术如何使其他可再生和低碳能源技术的部署成为可能。如果成功，该项目将产生必要的理解，以发展一种新的无害环境的能源生产或储存方法。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将会增加。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.