Is CCS making a difference? Across the world, carbon capture and storage is making significant gains in the race to net zero carbon emissions. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a set of technologies that aims to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from various sources such as power plants, factories and industrial processes.
The technology captures carbon emissions and stores them underground, preventing them from entering the atmosphere and contributing to climate change. Although CCS is not a silver bullet to address climate change, it significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and slows global warming. CCS has gained momentum worldwide in recent years, and several projects have made notable gains in this field.
Coal-fired power plants
CCS technology is becoming increasingly successful in the power sector, particularly with coal-fired power plants. CCS technology is in use in various projects worldwide, the largest being Canada’s Boundary Dam CCS Project, which started operating in 2014. This project has captured over one million tonnes of CO2 per year, equivalent to taking more than 250,000 cars off the road annually.
Another notable project is the Petra Nova CCS project in Texas, which captures about 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 annually from a coal-fired power plant.
The industrial sector has also made significant gains in implementing CCS technology. The Shell Quest CCS project in Canada captures more than 1 million tonnes of CO2 annually from a hydrogen plant and stores it underground.
In Norway, the Longship CCS project plans to capture CO2 emissions from cement production, waste-to-energy and other industrial processes. The project aims to capture and store about 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, making it one of the largest industrial CCS projects in the world.
Making headway in the transport sector
Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology, which captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere, has shown significant promise in reducing emissions from the transportation sector. In Switzerland, the Climeworks DAC plant captures CO2 from the air and supplies it to a nearby greenhouse to boost crop yields. In Iceland, the CarbFix2 project captures CO2 from the air and injects it into underground basaltic rocks, where it mineralises over time.
One of the primary challenges facing CCS technology is the high cost of implementation. However, several governments worldwide have provided financial support to CCS projects, making them economically feasible.
For instance, the UK Government announced a $1.3 billion funding program to support CCS projects that can capture at least 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The US Government has also provided funding for CCS projects, with the 45Q tax credit incentivising CCS projects to capture and store CO2.
It is time critical
CCS technology has made significant gains worldwide, with notable projects implemented in the power, industrial and transportation sectors. Governments worldwide have financially supported CCS projects, making them economically feasible.
Despite the progress made, we must do more to accelerate the deployment of CCS technology, especially in Australia, where much of the initial research and feasibility is already complete.
With the continued support of governments, the private sector and the public, CCS technology has the potential to play a vital role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
How can CCS Energy help
CCS Energy is committed to forging your path toward net zero emissions. Our expertise can help clients set realistic targets and tap into additional asset value through carbon offset mechanisms available through various global emission trading schemes.
Our team members are CSS experts and well engineers, passionate about identifying efficient and cost-effective transition technology to capture and store carbon and reduce your operation’s carbon footprint.
When you are ready to reduce your carbon emissions footprint and push forward to a sustainable and environmentally positive mining operation, give our team a call. We only offer the very best solutions and technical expertise.
