How Much Does CCS Really Cost?

The analysis finds that while immediate CCS installation can increase the cost of electricity (COE) by 24% to 36%, a phased approach—delaying full installation by 10 years—can reduce this premium to 13% to 19%. The lowest cost scenario is achieved when captured CO2 is sold for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

• The cost of electricity (COE) for a new supercritical coal power plant without CCS is estimated at $100 per MWh, whereas a plant meeting the EPA's 'Day 1' standard using CCS costs $124 per MWh, representing a 24% premium when including revenue from CO2 sales for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
• Implementing a 'Phased' approach—where CCS installation is delayed by 10 years—reduces the COE to $113 per MWh, a 13% premium over the uncontrolled coal case, provided CO2 is sold for EOR.
• The absence of revenue from CO2 sales for EOR significantly increases the cost premium for both immediate and phased CCS implementation, raising the premium to 36% for 'Day 1' installation and 19% for the phased approach.
• The analysis assumes a net benefit of $25.04 per tonne of captured CO2 when switching from paying for geological sequestration to selling CO2 for EOR in Texas.
• A new natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plant without CCS is the lowest cost option among the cases studied, with a 2017 COE of $56/MWh.

APA

Fowler, M., Thompson, J., Phillips, B., & Cortez, D. (2012). How Much Does CCS Really Cost? Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093459/20121220-How_Much_Does_CCS_Really_Cost.pdf

Chicago

Fowler, Mike, John Thompson, Bruce Phillips, and Douglas Cortez. How Much Does CCS Really Cost? Clean Air Task Force, 2012. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093459/20121220-How_Much_Does_CCS_Really_Cost.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Fowler |first1=Mike |last2=Thompson |first2=John |last3=Phillips |first3=Bruce |last4=Cortez |first4=Douglas |title=How Much Does CCS Really Cost? |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=20 December 2012 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093459/20121220-How_Much_Does_CCS_Really_Cost.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{fowler2012how, author = {Fowler, Mike and Thompson, John and Phillips, Bruce and Cortez, Douglas}, title = {{How Much Does CCS Really Cost?}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2012}, month = dec, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/21093459/20121220-How_Much_Does_CCS_Really_Cost.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }