Energy Systems CO2 Emissions Reduction Planning in Sarawak and Qatar Using Minimum Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (Mini-MAC)

Abstract

Electricity generation using fossil fuels generates a large carbon emissions footprint. Qatar and Malaysia both have a fossil-based electricity sector. While the world is adopting stricter carbon emission targets, both countries are challenged to reduce their emissions. Options to reduce emissions include but are not limited to Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCUS) and energy transition to renewable energy sources. These options vary in cost, applicability, and scale. Qatar and Malaysia are completely different in terms of economy, population, topography, natural resources, local energy demand, and emission profiles. This will require a unique strategy to reduce emissions that considers the costs, challenges, and opportunities for mitigation for each country. The current methods for strategic planning cannot account for many possible emission reduction options, cost objectives, or the individual characteristics of each emission profile and do not account for the complexity of the solutions, such as secondary emissions. To address these limitations, this work deploys an algebraic targeting technique that yields minimum marginal abatement cost (Mini-MAC) curves to represent the low-cost carbon reduction technologies available for both countries. This study focuses on the electricity sector of the state of Sarawak in Malaysia and Qatar. Due to the high cost of coal power existing in Sarawak and the availability of cheaper renewable energy, 99.84 % CO2 could be achieved at a net profit of 13.46 USD/tCO2. Achieving 93.5 % of CO2 reduction from the natural gas-based grid in Qatar requires the implementation of a mix between CCUS and renewable energy at a net cost of 40 USD/tCO2.