POWERGRAMS

ENVIRONMENT Big changes are ahead as Alabama Power will "move the needle" forward in keeping air clean by using new carbon capture technologies at company electric- generating plants. The Department of Energy (DOE) announced an $18 million grant for a project at Plant Barry to devise best practices for reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and lowering costs for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Research and Technology Management Engineer Jerrad Thomas, who is principal investigator for the DOE project, said the grant will go a long way in helping the company preserve air quality while supplying customers with reliable, safe and affordable electricity. Plant Barry's CCS project has been ongoing since 2011. The CO 2 is extracted from flue gas generated during power production, then stored underground in the Citronelle Dome, an oil field about 12 miles from the plant. "We knew the best path forward was getting funding through the DOE," said Thomas, who earned degrees in chemical engineering and physics from the University of Alabama. "One of our primary goals through this project is to develop technologies on the front end of CCS, removing CO 2 from the flue gas before it is sequestered," he said. "We're developing new CO 2 capture technologies that can be applied across the electric industry. Part of this development focuses on reduced costs and improved efficiency of carbon capture, which will significantly benefit Southern Company in the future." As part of the DOE's large-scale project, Alabama Power and Southern Company Services will test improvements to Plant Barry's existing 25-megawatt, amine- based CO 2 capture process. The project will address key technical challenges of CCS such as high-steam consumption, solvent degradation caused by flue gas contaminants and large process footprints. Southern Company's team, consisting of AECOM Technical Services Inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America Inc. (MHIA), aims to improve on current state-of-the-art solvent-based processes. With assistance from MHIA and AECOM employees, Thomas worked throughout March to prepare the team's 150-page funding proposal to the DOE. The project consists of two phases. The first phase has three goals: • Provide a technoeconomic analysis that evaluates the improvements to the overall costs of carbon capture. • Perform an environmental health and safety analysis along with preliminary engineering. Preliminary engineering will include basic design, process flows and engineering blueprints. • Submit a final proposal to DOE in June 2016 for approval to enter the second phase of engineering, construction and testing. "We're setting goals and firming up the projects to be undertaken in phase one," said Thomas. "The DOE will evaluate our final proposal next June and decide whether we proceed to phase two." Thomas highlighted why Plant Barry was chosen as the host site. "Plant Barry's staff and control operators have been instrumental in the technology development, and we couldn't do this project without their support," he said. "This relationship will be a significant advantage for us when we apply for phase two next year." Thomas said Southern Company is likely to receive notification from DOE in August or September 2016 about whether to proceed to the second phase. "We expect a significant cost reduction through Barry's carbon capture process, and we are extremely positive we'll see the expected results during this timeline," Thomas said. Plant Barry Manager Jay Burdette anticipates a positive outcome to the work. "I'm certain that our team will obtain phase two funding, and I'm very confident because of the fine team we have," Burdette said. "The success in the experience we've had so far at Plant Barry is something that we'll continue to build on, and we hope to expand this technology within the Southern Company electric system and across the industry." By Donna Cope $18 million project goal to reduce emissions, lower costs 2 Many Alabama Power employees are military veterans are currently serving in the Reserves. The nation honors them on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. ON THE COVER: MHIA General Manager-Global Research and Development Shintaro Honjo, left, Burdette and Thomas discuss modifications to Barry's carbon capture facility. Photo by Dan Anderson

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