Exploring the Future of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage: Insights from Biyat
Let's dive into the world of Carbon Capture, Utilisation & 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 (𝐂𝐂U𝐒) and Direct Air Capture (𝐃𝐀𝐂) technologies.
In summary, CCU (Carbon Capture and Utilisation) focuses on converting CO2 into valuable products, CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) aims to store CO2 permanently, and CDR (Carbon Removal) involves removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it - DAC (Direct Air Capture) falls under the latter category.
"The initial focus of combined CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage) is on retrofitting existing fossil fuel-based power and industrial plants as well as lower-cost CO2 capture opportunities such as in grey hydrogen production. Over time, the focus can shift to other developments such as bioenergy coupled with CCS (BECCS) and direct air capture (DAC) for carbon removal and as a source of climate-neutral CO2 for use in various applications, particularly synthetic fuels."
Credit: CarbonGap - CCS Directive
𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬
𝐂𝐂𝐒 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬: There are currently approx. 50 operational CCS facilities globally, with around 44 in construction. The number of projects in the pipeline has increased significantly, with approx. 534 in development. The operating capture capacity is expected to double to 100 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) when facilities under construction come online.
𝐃𝐀𝐂 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬: DAC is still emerging, with approx. 27 commercial DAC plants capturing almost 0.01Mt CO2/year. There are plans for at least 130 large-scale DAC facilities, which are in various phases of development.
𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
𝐂𝐂𝐒: CCS is more advanced and has seen commercial deployment in various industries like cement, steel and power generation - it is considered a 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲.
𝐃𝐀𝐂: DAC is still largely in the development phase, with plants currently operating on a small scale, but with plans to grow.
𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬
𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Both CCS and DAC technologies require energy inputs, which can lead to increased emissions if the energy is not from renewable sources.
𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐔𝐬𝐞: DAC plants generally have a smaller footprint compared to CCS plants and comparatively lower water consumption albeit innovations are being developed to lower their water use. I.e. Advanced sorbent technologies.
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞:
Both technologies are capital-intensive with infrastructure required for CO2 capture, transmission and storage.
Underground CO2 storage is currently the preferred method due to its proven use in the oil & gas industry, large storage capacity, stability, GHG offsetting potential and regulatory support. Deep geological formations such as depleted oil and gas fields lend themselves to CO2 storage in 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞, whilst storage in 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 are also feasible in certain aquifer and shallow formations respectively.
The main legislation governing the commercial-scale underground storage of CO2 in the EU is the #CCSDirective (2009/31/EC) together with its revised Guidance Documents (2024) which support its implementation.
This directive establishes a regulatory framework for the safe and responsible development and operation of geological storage - with a strong focus on 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞 and protect human health & the environment. The operation of such facilities is not possible without a storage permit, whilst prolonged leakage can contribute to asphyxiation, heightened GHG emissions, elevated CO2 levels in soil and water with subsequent acidification and vegetation stress, etc. One important aspect of site selection includes risks associated with fluid injection and the resultant potential for '𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲' (earthquakes caused by human activity).
The directive also includes provisions for the 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐎2 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 and for storage reservoirs that span multiple countries. (Also ref. TEN-E Regulation EU/2022/869).
Alternative storage pathways under development include 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 together with 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 (i.e. reforestation and soil carbon sequestration) 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 approaches.
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 '𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧' (𝐂𝐂𝐔)
𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 '𝐔𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧' (𝐂𝐂𝐔) applications also show promise via either direct means already being employed e.g. in urea (fertiliser) manufacturing and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) or indirectly (chemical altered) with the aim of converting CO2 into valuable commodities.
MIT have recently attempted to electrochemically convert CO2 to ethylene for use in plastic and fuel production. Whilst other pathways in development include its use in food processing, carbonated drinks, building materials (concrete & aggregates), emerging low-GWP refrigerants (𝐑744), inert fire suppression and greenhouses.
The EU's 𝐍𝐞𝐭-𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐜𝐭 (𝐍𝐙𝐈𝐀), enforced in June 2024, strongly supports the availability of storage sites and development of utilisation technologies that convert CO2 into valuable products. The 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐈𝐈, 𝐑𝐞𝐅𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐄𝐔 𝐀𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐅𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐄𝐔 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 regulations also promote the use of low-carbon '𝐂𝐂𝐔-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝' fuels, which are considered under the umbrella of synthetic fuels known as '𝐑𝐅𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐬' - produced from renewable electricity and CO2.
𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 - 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 & 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲
CO2 emissions abatement technology often has low or no market value unless coupled with reuse or 'utilisation (CCU)' applications as noted earlier, making it difficult to justify the investment without financial mechanism, carbon pricing, and regulation. This is especially true for DAC systems when compared to CCS which capture CO2 from concentrated sources in industrial processes.
The efficiency of CCU, CCS, and CDR techniques can vary, with the general aim to capture a significant portion of CO2 emissions.
The overall impact on carbon reduction can be lower for CCU because the captured CO2 is often used in products that may eventually release the gas back into the atmosphere. DAC systems can also be less efficient due to the lower concentrations found in the atmosphere compared to industrial emissions.
https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-efficient-carbon-capture-and-storage?form=MG0AV3
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭...
Recent innovations still in development include the use of '𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬' (𝐂𝐒𝐀𝐑) which utilise two reactors to capture CO2 from hot industrial emissions, with heat and vacuum pumps providing the necessary 'transfer' and 'release' functions respectively. https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2024/11/new-technology-makes-carbon-capture-easier/
For '𝐂𝐂𝐔-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝' fuels, the outlook is positive, with increasing facility developments being announced coupled with the ability to retrofit existing power and heavy-industrial plants, in addition to its use in synthetic fuel production (e.g. follow OXCCU TECH LTD and their aviation fuel development).
𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
CCU technologies when coupled with 'grey' hydrogen production techniques can remove up to 97% of the carbon dioxide, thus enabling reclassification to 'blue' hydrogen as part of a wider decarbonisation initiative.
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This article was written by Luay Zayed, Founder' of Biyat Energy & Environment Ltd. A global energy and environmental consultancy specializing in turnkey engineering solutions that protect the environment and improve energy efficiency in the manufacturing & industrial sectors.
Further Reading:
https://www.wri.org/technical-perspectives/regulating-DAC-CCS-safety?form=MG0AV3
https://www.treehugger.com/direct-air-capture-pros-and-cons-5119399
https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/unpacking-carbon-capture-storage-technology?form=MG0AV3
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032120307978
https://www.wri.org/insights/direct-air-capture-impacts?form=MG0AV3
https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/infrastructure/trans-european-networks-energy_en?form=MG0AV3
https://www.iea.org/reports/putting-co2-to-use?form=MG0AV3
https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/industrial-carbon-management/legislative-framework_en