IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v315y2025ics0360544225001057.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Scenario based techno-economic study of surplus hydropower-based urea production from cement plant flue-gas captured using piperazine-absorption

Author

Listed:
  • Shrestha, Suniti
  • Parajuli, Samvid
  • Gorjian, Shiva
  • Rodriguez-Couto, Susana
  • Angove, Michael J.
  • Mainali, Bandita
  • Paudel, Shukra Raj

Abstract

This study seeks to assess the viability of a surplus hydropower-driven urea production plant incorporating a novel piperazine-absorption-based carbon capture system from cement plant flue gas in Nepal. It includes a formally unexplored comprehensive technological review, economic analysis, and sensitivity analysis, proposing an optimized pathway to alleviate the government's annual liability of 65.68 million USD from urea subsidies. The capital cost for the 500-ton capacity plant is 155.77 million USD, with hydrogen and urea units contributing 34.00 % and 32.22 %, respectively, and an annual operating cost of 78.90 million USD. The calculated levelized cost of urea is 513.74 USD per ton, demonstrating sensitivity to electricity costs, breaking even below 0.04 USD per kilowatt-hour energy. This allows for annual urea production up to 12,725.93 kilotons while achieving a significant 81.14 % reduction in global warming potential compared to conventional synthesis (0.46 kg CO2 equivalent per kg of urea produced). This approach, presenting a competitive and streamlined alternative, addresses gaps in previous literature. Additionally, the study, for the first time, explores urea production potential in four energy-demand scenarios, offering insights to shape government frameworks for optimizing the food-energy nexus, supporting global energy transition goals, promoting circular economy in Nepal, and guiding similar resource settings in developing economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Shrestha, Suniti & Parajuli, Samvid & Gorjian, Shiva & Rodriguez-Couto, Susana & Angove, Michael J. & Mainali, Bandita & Paudel, Shukra Raj, 2025. "Scenario based techno-economic study of surplus hydropower-based urea production from cement plant flue-gas captured using piperazine-absorption," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:315:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225001057
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134463
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225001057
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134463?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Hanfei & Wang, Ligang & Van herle, Jan & Maréchal, François & Desideri, Umberto, 2021. "Techno-economic comparison of 100% renewable urea production processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    2. Mahdi Kheirinik & Shaab Ahmed & Nejat Rahmanian, 2021. "Comparative Techno-Economic Analysis of Carbon Capture Processes: Pre-Combustion, Post-Combustion, and Oxy-Fuel Combustion Operations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Schulz, Christopher & Saklani, Udisha, 2021. "The future of hydropower development in Nepal: Views from the private sector," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1578-1588.
    4. Ansari, Dawud & Grinschgl, Julian & Pepe, Jacopo Maria, 2022. "Electrolysers for the hydrogen revolution: Challenges, dependencies, and solutions," SWP Comments 57/2022, Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs.
    5. Yufei Cao & Zhu Chen & Peihao Li & Adnan Ozden & Pengfei Ou & Weiyan Ni & Jehad Abed & Erfan Shirzadi & Jinqiang Zhang & David Sinton & Jun Ge & Edward H. Sargent, 2023. "Surface hydroxide promotes CO2 electrolysis to ethylene in acidic conditions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    6. Chao, Cong & Deng, Yimin & Dewil, Raf & Baeyens, Jan & Fan, Xianfeng, 2021. "Post-combustion carbon capture," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    7. Jie Ding & Runping Ye & Yanghe Fu & Yiming He & Ye Wu & Yulong Zhang & Qin Zhong & Harold H. Kung & Maohong Fan, 2023. "Direct synthesis of urea from carbon dioxide and ammonia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-4, December.
    8. Ilinova, Alina & Dmitrieva, Diana & Kraslawski, Andrzej, 2021. "Influence of COVID-19 pandemic on fertilizer companies: The role of competitive advantages," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    9. David Tilman & Kenneth G. Cassman & Pamela A. Matson & Rosamond Naylor & Stephen Polasky, 2002. "Agricultural sustainability and intensive production practices," Nature, Nature, vol. 418(6898), pages 671-677, August.
    10. Xiao-Peng Song & Matthew C. Hansen & Peter Potapov & Bernard Adusei & Jeffrey Pickering & Marcos Adami & Andre Lima & Viviana Zalles & Stephen V. Stehman & Carlos M. Bella & Maria C. Conde & Esteban J, 2021. "Massive soybean expansion in South America since 2000 and implications for conservation," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 784-792, September.
    11. N.Borhani, Tohid & Wang, Meihong, 2019. "Role of solvents in CO2 capture processes: The review of selection and design methods," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Otitoju, Olajide & Oko, Eni & Wang, Meihong, 2021. "Technical and economic performance assessment of post-combustion carbon capture using piperazine for large scale natural gas combined cycle power plants through process simulation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    13. Sharma, Raj Hari & Awal, Ripendra, 2013. "Hydropower development in Nepal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 684-693.
    14. Zhai, Yijie & Zhang, Tianzuo & Ma, Xiaotian & Shen, Xiaoxu & Ji, Changxing & Bai, Yueyang & Hong, Jinglan, 2021. "Life cycle water footprint analysis of crop production in China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    15. Boyano, A. & Blanco-Marigorta, A.M. & Morosuk, T. & Tsatsaronis, G., 2011. "Exergoenvironmental analysis of a steam methane reforming process for hydrogen production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(4), pages 2202-2214.
    16. Yuwen Chu & Yunlong Pan & Hongyi Zhan & Wei Cheng & Lei Huang & Zi Wu & Ling Shao, 2022. "Systems Accounting for Carbon Emissions by Hydropower Plant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    17. Chuanhao Wang & Junjie Du & Lin Zeng & Zhongling Li & Yizhou Dai & Xu Li & Zijun Peng & Wenlong Wu & Hongliang Li & Jie Zeng, 2023. "Direct synthesis of extra-heavy olefins from carbon monoxide and water," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    18. Longyu Shi & Lingyu Liu & Bin Yang & Gonghan Sheng & Tong Xu, 2020. "Evaluation of Industrial Urea Energy Consumption (EC) Based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, May.
    19. Bhandari, Ramchandra & Subedi, Subodh, 2023. "Evaluation of surplus hydroelectricity potential in Nepal until 2040 and its use for hydrogen production via electrolysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 403-414.
    20. Sumeet R. Patil & H. Christopher Frey, 2004. "Comparison of Sensitivity Analysis Methods Based on Applications to a Food Safety Risk Assessment Model," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 24(3), pages 573-585, June.
    21. Susmita Datta Peu & Arnob Das & Md. Sanowar Hossain & Md. Abdul Mannan Akanda & Md. Muzaffer Hosen Akanda & Mahbubur Rahman & Md. Naim Miah & Barun K. Das & Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul Islam & Mostafa M. Sa, 2023. "A Comprehensive Review on Recent Advancements in Absorption-Based Post Combustion Carbon Capture Technologies to Obtain a Sustainable Energy Sector with Clean Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-33, March.
    22. Fabian Scheepers & Markus Stähler & Andrea Stähler & Edward Rauls & Martin Müller & Marcelo Carmo & Werner Lehnert, 2020. "Improving the Efficiency of PEM Electrolyzers through Membrane-Specific Pressure Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Georgios Varvoutis & Athanasios Lampropoulos & Evridiki Mandela & Michalis Konsolakis & George E. Marnellos, 2022. "Recent Advances on CO 2 Mitigation Technologies: On the Role of Hydrogenation Route via Green H 2," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-38, June.
    2. Utsav Bhattarai & Tek Maraseni & Laxmi P. Devkota & Armando Apan, 2024. "Evaluating four decades of energy policy evolution for sustainable development of a South Asian country—Nepal: A comprehensive review," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 6703-6731, December.
    3. Tengku Nur Adibah Tengku Hassan & Azmi Mohd Shariff & Nor Faiqa Abd Aziz & Nur Farhana Ajua Mustafa & Lian See Tan & Hairul Nazirah Abdul Halim & Mustakimah Mohamed & Heri Hermansyah, 2023. "Aqueous Potassium Salt of L-Cysteine as Potential CO 2 Removal Solvent: An Investigation on Physicochemical Properties and CO 2 Loading Capacity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, July.
    4. William Ampomah & Anthony Morgan & Desmond Ofori Koranteng & Warden Ivan Nyamekye, 2024. "CCUS Perspectives: Assessing Historical Contexts, Current Realities, and Future Prospects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-57, August.
    5. José Francisco Orozco-Meléndez & Jaime Paneque-Gálvez, 2024. "Co-producing uncomfortable, transdisciplinary, actionable knowledges against the corporate food regime through critical science approaches," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(12), pages 29863-29890, December.
    6. Devkota, Sijan & Karmacharya, Pratistha & Maharjan, Sherila & Khatiwada, Dilip & Uprety, Bibek, 2024. "Decarbonizing urea: Techno-economic and environmental analysis of a model hydroelectricity and carbon capture based green urea production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    7. Elisa Morri & Riccardo Santolini, 2021. "Ecosystem Services Valuation for the Sustainable Land Use Management by Nature-Based Solution (NbS) in the Common Agricultural Policy Actions: A Case Study on the Foglia River Basin (Marche Region, It," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-23, December.
    8. S. Cucurachi & E. Borgonovo & R. Heijungs, 2016. "A Protocol for the Global Sensitivity Analysis of Impact Assessment Models in Life Cycle Assessment," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 36(2), pages 357-377, February.
    9. Katarina Arvidsson Segerkvist & Helena Hansson & Ulf Sonesson & Stefan Gunnarsson, 2021. "A Systematic Mapping of Current Literature on Sustainability at Farm-Level in Beef and Lamb Meat Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, February.
    10. Chen, Yuhong & Lyu, Yanfeng & Yang, Xiangdong & Zhang, Xiaohong & Pan, Hengyu & Wu, Jun & Lei, Yongjia & Zhang, Yanzong & Wang, Guiyin & Xu, Min & Luo, Hongbin, 2022. "Performance comparison of urea production using one set of integrated indicators considering energy use, economic cost and emissions’ impacts: A case from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    11. Hualin Xie & Yingqian Huang & Qianru Chen & Yanwei Zhang & Qing Wu, 2019. "Prospects for Agricultural Sustainable Intensification: A Review of Research," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-27, October.
    12. Smith, Helen F. & Sullivan, Caroline A., 2014. "Ecosystem services within agricultural landscapes—Farmers' perceptions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 72-80.
    13. Aude Ridier & Caroline Roussy & Karim Chaib, 2021. "Adoption of crop diversification by specialized grain farmers in south-western France: evidence from a choice-modelling experiment," Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies, Springer, vol. 102(3), pages 265-283, September.
    14. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & D'Herbemont, Vincent & Guyot, Mathis & Malbec, Louis-Marie, 2023. "Hydrogen development in Europe: Estimating material consumption in net zero emissions scenarios," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    15. Paul L. G. Vlek & Asia Khamzina & Hossein Azadi & Anik Bhaduri & Luna Bharati & Ademola Braimoh & Christopher Martius & Terry Sunderland & Fatemeh Taheri, 2017. "Trade-Offs in Multi-Purpose Land Use under Land Degradation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Diriba Shiferaw G., 2017. "Water-Nutrients Interaction: Exploring the Effects of Water as a Central Role for Availability & Use Efficiency of Nutrients by Shallow Rooted Vegetable Crops - A Review," Journal of Agriculture and Crops, Academic Research Publishing Group, vol. 3(10), pages 78-93, 10-2017.
    17. Sheng Gong & Jason.S. Bergtold & Elizabeth Yeager, 2021. "Assessing the joint adoption and complementarity between in-field conservation practices of Kansas farmers," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-24, December.
    18. Seufert, Verena & Ramankutty, Navin & Mayerhofer, Tabea, 2017. "What is this thing called organic? – How organic farming is codified in regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 10-20.
    19. Isogai, Hirotaka & Nakagaki, Takao, 2024. "Power-to-heat amine-based post-combustion CO2 capture system with solvent storage utilizing fluctuating electricity prices," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 368(C).
    20. Kataki, Sampriti & West, Helen & Clarke, Michèle & Baruah, D.C., 2016. "Phosphorus recovery as struvite: Recent concerns for use of seed, alternative Mg source, nitrogen conservation and fertilizer potential," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 142-156.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:315:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225001057. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.