Assessment of Potential Air Quality Impacts of Point Source Carbon Capture Deployment

Capturing and permanently sequestering carbon dioxide (CO2) from significant point sources has been identified by the EPA as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Electrical Generating Unit (EGU) sector. Since the turn of the century, various technologies for Point Source Carbon Capture (PSCC) have been explored and tested at different scales at facilities around the world. There is a growing body of literature discussing how implementation of PSCC could impact emissions of non-CO2 pollutants from EGUs including ozone precursors. This work uses the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) to investigate the possible implications of deploying PSCC technology on regional air quality. Removal of NOx and SOx emissions is expected with implementation of PSCC, along with possible changes to some VOC emissions. Model simulations for summer and winter time periods during 2016 are performed to examine the potential impacts this PSCC technology could have on ozone and particulate matter formation across the US. With the EPA announcing their intent to investigate a new lower ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), we determine how PSCC may impact the ability of regions to meet the potential new NAAQS.