EPA emissions rule to have little effect on carbon capture, hydrogen use

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A proposed US Environmental Protection Agency rule is expected to spur a relatively small amount of carbon capture and hydrogen deployment despite effectively mandating those technologies starting next decade, according to the agency's own projections.

New standards unveiled May 11 would place strict limits on the carbon dioxide emissions of coal- and natural gas-fired power plants. Though the rule would not require plants to install carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, baseload coal-fired units operating beyond 2040 would have to capture 90% of their emissions starting in 2030 to comply. New and existing gas units that are 300 MW or larger with annual capacity factors of 50% or more would need to capture that percentage of CO₂ by 2035.

Combustion plants could also reduce their emissions by blending low-carbon hydrogen into natural gas feedstocks.

The Carbon Capture Coalition and the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association, two trade groups that support hydrogen and CCS, hailed the proposal in statements May 11 as a positive step for the energy sector.

[Siri Hedreen]

More: US EPA projects modest hydrogen, carbon capture deployment under proposed rule