Breakthrough Carbon Capture System at Petra Nova

Fast-track engineering and precision design for a groundbreaking carbon capture system, turning emissions into energy with unmatched efficiency.

Location

Texas, USA

Client

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America

Project Status

Completed

Pioneering carbon capture

NRG aimed to demonstrate the incredible impact carbon capture technology can have on an existing coal-fired power plant complex. Working together with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, our team helped NRG implement a proprietary post-combustion carbon capture system that either uses or sequesters 1.4 million metric tons of CO₂ annually.

NRG achieved a major milestone in emissions reduction by installing the groundbreaking carbon capture system — the first-of-its-kind in the U.S.

The Petra Nova Carbon Capture facility uses the Kansai Mitsubishi Carbon Dioxide Recovery Process™, which was developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America. The process can capture more than 90% of CO₂ from a 240-MW exhaust slipstream at one of four coal-fired generating units at W.A. Parish generating station.

Driving engineering excellence forward

Serving as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America’s engineer, we supported the fast-track Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study for the 4,776 tons-per-day carbon capture facility. Our team also delivered detailed engineering design for the electrical and instrumentation and control disciplines, including distributed control system (DCS) configuration and commissioning for both the carbon capture plant and its associated combined heat and power (CHP) system. Additionally, we helped develop the overall cost estimate for the carbon capture portion of the project and produced bid-level documentation for the EPC contractor.

Million metric tons of CO2 captured

1.4

Percent CO2 capture efficiency

90

Tons per day carbon capture capacity

4,776

Enhanced oil recovery and economic viability

NRG aimed to capture 1.4 million metric tons of CO₂ annually to demonstrate scalable carbon capture and boost oil recovery. Our FEED study was tailored to meet project-specific requirements that ensured a smooth execution phase. A dedicated CHP plant was built to supply power and steam to the carbon capture process, with our team providing DCS configuration and commissioning services.

Trailblazing milestones

At the time of construction, Petra Nova was the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture facility on an existing coal plant and the first commercial-scale project of its kind to operate successfully in the U.S. The facility’s daily capture is equivalent to removing 350,000 vehicles from the road.

Our fast-track FEED study and detailed engineering design laid the foundation for the groundbreaking Petra Nova carbon capture system, enabling NRG to achieve its ambitious emissions reduction goals.