Nico Schmaeling, John Crane’s Senior Director’s Auxiliary Product Portfolio and New Energy, explores the possibilities that carbon capture, utilization and storage have on his journey to net zero.
In December, the UK took a major step towards net zero by signing two major carbon capture deals. The Northern Endurance Partnership will build a pipeline to safely transport carbon offshores for storage, while Netzero Teesside Power will build cutting-edge power plants with carbon capture technology. These projects unlock the £4 billion of contracts and advance the UK’s green transition.
The importance of CCU
But what exactly is carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and why is it so important? CCUS is an important decarbonization technology because it is at its core. It works by capturing emissions from major sources such as fossil fuel launch plants and refineries, storing them underground or reusing them for industrial applications. The “U” in CCUS stands for use that includes the use of carbon captured in industries such as chemicals, food and beverages. This will turn them into economic opportunities and unlock new areas for growth.
CCUS technology has been around for over 30 years, but the sector is now gaining commercial traction and ensuring political support. So why is this happening now? The answer lies in the energy transition. This is just as transformative global change as the Industrial Revolution. As the world moves from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy systems, we must balance the increasing global demand for energy with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions and combat global warming. Not there. The CCU has an important role.
CCUS plays a particularly important role in decarbonizing difficult sectors such as steel and cement production, chemical manufacturing, oil and gas processing, and even heavy transport. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), CCUS could reduce energy-related emissions by 13%. And it can create new revenue streams across the industry, demonstrating that sustainability and economic growth are closely linked.
How does the CCU function and where does it stand?
Today, there are around 50 commercial CCUS facilities worldwide, some dating back to the 1970s and 1980s. The development has long pursued expectations, but that has changed. There are around 700 projects in various stages of planning and development. Capture capacity for International Energy Agency (IEA) projects will increase by 35% by 2030 and storage capacity will increase by 70%. If these targets are met, CCUS will be able to acquire 435 million tonnes of CO2 each year by the end of the decade.
CCUS works in two ways: pre-war capture and post-rewinding capture. The most common first ever removes CO2 before combustion during hydrocarbon treatment, usually by gas separation and chemical absorption. The second is to remove CO2 from the exhaust gas after the fossil fuels are burned, mainly through chemical absorption. Here’s a brief breakdown: Industrial flue gas passes through an amine solution that binds to Co₂. When heat is applied, Co2 is released as gas, ready for capture, transport and storage. Think of it as a molecular sieve – it’s simple in theory, but challenging and expensive.
Once captured, CO2 will need to be transported to the storage site. Pipelines are the most common method, with about 50 Co₂Pipelines transporting approximately 68 million tonnes of tonnes per year in the US alone, over 6,500km. When compressed to a supercritical state, CO₂ has a liquid density, but has a gas viscosity, making it ideal for pipeline transport. The final step is storage, where Co₂ is injected into underground rock formations, leaving them safely trapped for millions of years. To prevent leaks, the CCUS team monitors pressure, water pollution and seismic activity.
While the Norwegian Sleipner facility has safely stored 0.9 million tonnes of CO operation each year since 1996, Brazil’s Petrobras Santos Basin has been resolving the strengthening of oil recovery (EOR) which is a testament to the long-term feasibility of CCUS. ) is a yearly storage of 10.6 million tons. Despite progress, we are still far from where we need it. More than 90% of the industry’s emissions could be acquired, but more projects remain stagnant due to cost and infrastructure challenges.
Another challenge is the public’s perception. CCU is effective, but some critics say they are not spurring the full transition to renewable energy, especially when used to justify the development of new, large-scale greenfield or brownfields. and claims to extend the use of fossil fuels. Others worry about safety despite decades of successful storage projects. Addressing these concerns is key to widespread recruitment.
Expand CCS to CCU
Traditional carbon capture and storage (CCS) focuses solely on underground closures. This is the main goal of these initiatives. However, the CCU adds a “used” element. It’s about finding ways to monetize the captured carbon and make the process financially viable. Construction, for example, uses CO2 to produce concrete and trap carbon. In chemical production, it functions as a raw material for synthetic fuels. And in foods and drinks, it is used for carbonation and storage.
New startups are being created to exploit this captured carbon. Calgary-based Clean O2 uses carbon captured from industrial flues in biodegradable liquid hand soap. UK Econic has transformed into a polyurethane-based (plastic) product used in everything from footwear to car parts. Research has investigated the use of Co₂, including crop enhancement, isolation coffee and tea, and even as a solution to fire control systems.
But it’s a debilitating industry that carbonated capture actually finds the feet. As sectors like steel and cement cannot be easily and completely electrified, carbon occupancy becomes one of the main building blocks for decarbonization. Companies such as ArcelorMittal, a Luxembourg-based steel producer, are leading claims. In 2022, we launched a multi-year feasibility project to integrate carbon capture into a steel plant that includes a 5 million tonne facility in Ghent, Belgium and another facility in North America. The purpose of this project is to investigate the possibility of capturing a significant amount of Co2 from a blast furnace starting from the early stages of capturing 300kg of Co2 daily. This early stage is a critical step in demonstrating the practicality and scalability of carbon capture technologies, paving the way for more significant future reductions as the project is willing to expand.
However, adoption faces barriers. High costs, market demand, and technology preparation are just a few of the concerns. Because CCUs are energy-intensive, they are often undesirable as alternative decarbonization methods such as renewable energy and hydrogen that completely eliminate direct carbon emissions. Also, some projects are skeptical because Al Reyadah, the world’s only commercially-scale CCUS project in 2023, is inadequate, which has earned just 26.6% of its emissions.
The role of regulation and investment
So, what holds down the CCU? Investment and policy support. CCUS is not because the technology doesn’t work, but because the sector is still in its early stages. Despite promising use cases, clear revenue streams remain elusive, infrastructure is undeveloped, and commercial projects require significant upfront capital. Many countries still do not have regulations that guarantee the safe storage of CO2. Scaling requires an appropriate financial and regulatory framework.
Markets such as the UK are stepping up. In 2019, the UK’s Independent Climate Change Commission said that CCUS “not a need, not an option” for Net Zero’s UK goal, and in 2024, the UK government committed to CCU’s ambitious funding package, They concluded that they have committed to a total of £21.7 billion. Over 25 years. The EU’s 2024 Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) now requires oil and gas companies to store at least 50 million tonnes of CO per year by 2030.
McKinsey says CCUS needs development in these four areas to truly take off. Tax credits, direct subsidies, price support mechanisms. The growing demand for low-carbon products. Possibility of using Co₂ as a valuable ingredient. The rise of voluntary carbon markets.
When it comes to collaboration between public entities and private companies, the Acorn project in northeastern Scotland proves that it can. With this reuse of gas pipelines for CCUS transport, the Scottish government has invested £2 million in pipeline exploration and pledged £80 million for the success of Stage 1. Acorn is also shortlisted for the UK’s £1 billion Truck 2 CCS fund share, with more support expected from the UK’s £2 billion CCS package announced in March 2023 Masu. 2 Progress’, commitments from both Scottish and the UK governments highlight the potential for major advancements in CCUS infrastructure.
Mainly, what needs to be resolved is infrastructure challenges – transportation and storage. But it’s not just pipes and tanks, but there are many technological advancements that offer opportunities. For example, pumps and systems play a key role in the entire CCUS application, from amine solvent pumps for CO₂ captures to liquid CO₂ transport. CO₂ operates differently at different temperatures, so it is also important to minimize multiphase flow during transport. Advanced technologies such as multiphase centrifugal pumps can stabilize flow and ensure reliable transport.
Currently, the industrial sector is one of the largest carbon emissions, and CCU is the only scalable solution available today to reduce these emissions. For decades, massive recruitment seemed to have turned the corner. But the next few years will be important. UK Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) estimates that the global CCUS market could reach £205 billion. Whether CCUS will eventually become viable.
This article will also be featured in the 21st edition of Quarterly Publication.
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