Siemens Energy is planning to design, install, and operate a pilot plant for treating a slipstream (1 MW equivalent) at the Tampa Electric Big Bend Station to demonstrate POSTCAP technology for post-combustion CO2 gas capture. The primary goal of this project will be to reduce the large amounts of energy traditionally needed to operate carbon capture technologies. But more importantly, Siemens' POSTCAP technology will utilize an amino acid salt formulation as a solvent for CO2 absorption. The usage of this non-toxic, biodegradable solvent will result in a more environmentally friendly process.

The power plant is located in southeastern Hillsborough County, Florida, and has an installed capacity of 1,892 megawatt (MWe). This new carbon capture demonstration is expected to treat a slipstream of the flue gas from Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Station and to capture 90 percent of its CO2. This demonstration will be installed downstream of an existing Siemens Wet FGD System (processing 890 MW of Flue Gas in a single absorber). The piloting plant is scheduled to be in operation in 2013.