Toshiba's Leap Towards a Greener Indonesia with CO₂ Tech

In a significant step forward for environmental innovation, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation has inked a pivotal accord with PLN Nusantara Power — a subsidiary under Indonesia's national electricity company banner.

This partnership aims to revolutionise the country's thermal power stations with the introduction of CO₂ capture technology, targeting a substantial cut in carbon emissions.

In pursuit of greener horizons, both entities are set to delve into the viability of deploying both small and large-scale carbon capture mechanisms in the foreseeable future.

Last year, thermal power plants were the backbone of Indonesia's electricity supply, accounting for more than 80% of its production. Given the correlation between these plants and global warming, identifying methods to lessen their ecological footprint is paramount.

With an ambitious vision to attain carbon neutrality by 2060, the Indonesian government is eyeing low-carbon technologies, including carbon capture and storage (CCS), as a crucial part of its strategy.

Indonesia is working toward carbon neutrality

Takehiko Matsushita, Vice President of the Power Systems Division at Toshiba, said: “I’m delighted to have signed this MOU with PLN Nusantara Power. It allows us to make full use of Toshiba's knowledge of CCS technology and the network we have built up in Indonesia, and of the operational expertise that PLN-NP has cultivated in operating its fleet of thermal power plants.

“I am confident that our application of CCS technology to the plants will contribute to Indonesia's realisation of its carbon neutrality goals.”

Despite the intrinsic energy demands of CCS technology, Toshiba is set to leverage its vast experience in power generation and carbon capture to mitigate such impact. Collaborating closely with PLN-NP's engineers and utilising operational data from existing facilities, the two companies will conduct thorough assessments on the feasibility of CCS implementation.

As well as this, Toshiba is committed to providing PLN-NP staff with the necessary training to adeptly manage this nascent equipment.

Since 1981, Toshiba has been a key player in Indonesia’s energy sector, supplying steam turbines for thermal and geothermal power facilities alongside hydro turbines for hydropower plants.

Post combustion CO₂ capture technology

At its core, CCS represents a technique designed to capture and sequester CO₂ emissions from sources like thermal power plants, effectively preventing their release into our atmosphere.

Utilising post-combustion capture technology, Toshiba ESS excels in chemically absorbing CO₂ from the flue gas emitted by power plants.

The process takes shape in two distinct phases: capturing CO₂ at a specified temperature within the absorber tower, followed by CO₂ release at a different temperature in the stripper tower. This dual-phase operation facilitates the continuous separation of CO₂ from the gas.

Beneficial across a variety of power generation modalities — be it coal, oil, gas, combined cycle or biomass — this flexible technology can seamlessly integrate with both new and existing plants. Moreover, the scalability of CO₂ capture volumes makes it adaptable to diverse industrial and market requirements.

Tokyo Gas' carbon capture system

Toshiba's pioneering carbon capture system at Tokyo Gas’ Senju Techno Station symbolises a stride towards sustainable innovation. This system targets the cogeneration system’s gas emissions for CO₂ capture.

Employing an amine-based solvent, the technology facilitates CO₂ absorption at low temperatures and its subsequent release at higher ones. With its compact, portable design, the system boasts a daily capture capacity of up to 10 kilograms of CO₂.

Responding to the surge in demand for small-scale carbon capture solutions, Toshiba has refined the equipment's design for enhanced efficiency and expedited delivery. The Tokyo Gas system stands as Toshiba’s inaugural venture into standardised carbon capture models.

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