Almena et al. (2025): Unlocking BECCS viability through monetizing societal benefits by techno-socio-economic assessment
Alberto Almena, Vahid Ghorbani Pashakolaie, Mariano Martin, IN: Smart and Sustainable Production and Consumption, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2025.08.016
Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is considered a key technology for achieving the net-zero emissions target by simultaneously delivering net-negative emissions and usable energy. However, large-scale deployment remains limited due to its poor investment attractiveness. Traditional Techno-Economic Assessments (TEA), even when accounting for carbon credits revenue, show that BECCS systems are not financially competitive with conventional or renewable energy sources. This study introduces a Techno-Socio-Economic Assessment (TSEA) framework that integrates overlooked societal benefits, such as indirect emission displacement and job creation, by monetising them through the social cost of carbon (SC) and the opportunity cost of labour. A case study evaluates a wheat-straw-fuelled combined heat and power BECCS facility operating under three strategies: electricity and heat cogeneration, carbon credit maximization, and electricity maximization.