Supercritical CO2-based power plant to open in Alberta in 2022

The first Supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power plant, which will capture waste heat from a gas-fired turbine operating at a pipeline compression station and convert it into emissions-free power, will be commissioned in late 2022 in Alberta, Canada. The proprietary sCO2 technology was developed by Echogen Power Systems, which develops sCO2-based power and energy storage systems.

Siemens Energy signed an agreement with Canada-based TC Energy Corporation (TC Energy) to build, own, and operate the facility, leaving open the option for ownership to be transferred back to TC Energy at a later date. The pilot system will be installed at a TC Energy Corporation natural gas compressor station.

Echogen's technology uses sCO2 as the working fluid in a closed-loop power cycle to collect waste heat from the source and convert it to electrical power. By deploying sCO2-based waste heat recovery solutions, industrial operators in the oil & gas, power generation, steel, and cement industries can extract greater value than steam and organic Rankine cycle alternatives.

Unlike classical steam-based systems, sCO2 cycles can start and operate autonomously, without water consumption and risks of freezing – especially important in remote cold-weather sites. And unlike organic Rankine cycle systems, sCO2 power systems operate without large quantities of flammable, environmentally damaging fluids.