Advanced carbon mitigation strategies for Bangladesh’s Matarbari USC coal plant: Evaluating CLC-CCS with deep saline aquifer sequestration

The Matarbari Ultra-Super Critical (USC) coal-fired power plant in Bangladesh is crucial to achieving the country's target of 32 % coal-dependent electricity by 2041. Nevertheless, coal burning is very harmful to the environment and requires a sophisticated carbon control measure. This analysis considers how the concept of Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) allows the integration with deep saline aquifer injection at the plant Matarbari to optimise the emissions and increase the sustainability. The proposed system would capture 90 % of CO 2 , reducing the 852 kg/MWh of CO2 emissions to 128 kg/MWh (85 % CCS), 85 kg/MWh (90 % CCS), and 43 kg/MWh (95 % CCS). SO X emissions were reduced by 400 tonnes /year to 280 tonnes/year (30 % CCS). NO X emissions were reduced by 1800 tonnes/ The net efficiency would decrease to 33.8 % with the application of CCS as opposed to 47.6 % without CCS, and capture and compression would require 362.3 kWh/t CO 2 . Long-term CO 2 sequestration is achieved through deep saline aquifer storage (800–1200 m depth, Bay of Bengal basin) with a total capacity of 2.5–4.2 billion tonnes CO 2 . Whereas, despite CCS implementation, CapEx goes up with CO 2 capture plants of between 40 and 120 tonnes, pipeline of between 2 and 14/tonne/km, injection well of between 10 and 50 million dollars per well and OpEx of 17 and 25/tonne captured, long-term operational savings would materialise, and it will meet the global climate goals. The results also show that clean coal technologies can empower developing countries, including Bangladesh, to practice sustainable industrialisation without affecting energy security. It offers a model to reduce emissions on a large scale; hence, this study highlights the potential of CLC-CCS integration in coal-reliant economies to achieve low-carbon energy transitions. • Integrated CLC–CCS system achieves up to 90 % CO₂ capture at Matarbari USC plant. • CO₂ emissions reduced from 852 to 85 kg CO₂/MWh with deep saline aquifer storage. • SO₂ and NOₓ emissions cut by 30 %, enhancing environmental and health outcomes. • Economic feasibility achieved at a carbon price of $48 per ton CO₂. • Demonstrates a scalable low-carbon model for coal-reliant developing nations.