Carbon Capture: reducing emissions through technology

Sarah Howell ,?Vice President, Gastech

As the energy sector looks to reduce its carbon intensity, interest in existing technologies that either eliminate, reduce, or repurpose carbon emissions has increased. Perhaps the best known of these technologies, and the most widely implemented, is carbon capture.

Carbon capture technology is more than a hundred years old, the technology evolved further in the 1970s enabling captured carbon to be repurposed into oil recovery (a process known as Enhanced Oil Recovery ). Since then, a wide range of carbon capture projects have taken off, expanding significantly over the last decade.

Today carbon capture technologies are implemented throughout the energy sector, from projects that repurpose carbon for energy products, to the permanent storage of carbon deep underground.

In 2021, global CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation, and storage) facilities were able to capture more than 40 MtCO2 per annum, more than double the potential capacity of 2010. This reflects a building momentum behind the technology, also shown in the increase in the number of projects planned for the next decade.

The technology has many advocates, who identify its significant potential for tackling emissions in hard-to-abate sectors, such as cement and steel production, as well as for producing low-carbon hydrogen. Many proposed industrial hubs include built-in CCUS technology, while further innovations are set to come online in the next few years, from the Northern Lights project, the first cross-border CO2 transport and storage network, to DAC 1, which is set to be the world’s largest direct air capture facility.

Critics, however, such as the famed environmental scientist Vaclav Smil, question the ability of carbon capture – at the necessary scale – to play a major role in the global energy transition, arguing that instead more focus should be placed on alternative fuels, renewable infrastructure, and energy conservation. Opponents also emphasise that CCUS has notable commercial challenges, as the infrastructure for storage and transportation requires significant long-term investment. Without greater incentives in the form of carbon taxes, CCUS provides little commercial value for businesses as it does not inherently make their product more profitable. This is particularly the case for industries which would require investment to retrofit the technology to drive down emissions.

Despite all its promise, the extent to which CCUS will ultimately play a leading role in the global energy transition remains unclear. But the appetite for the technology is there, and we will see more projects come to fruition in the coming years.

The role of CCUS within the gas industry will be a major discussion point at this year’s Gastech. With a dedicated Low-Carbon Solutions Zone and Theatre, Gastech will host some of the leading players in the carbon capture business as they make the case for the technology’s role in the energy roadmap.

As the sector works to ensure a just transition, don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about the latest innovations in the industry.

Attend Gastech 2022, this September 5th-8th in Milan in Italy.?

To find out more about the conference, visit our website at:?

https://www.gastechevent.com/conferences/strategic-conference ??

#Gastech, Fiera Milano, Italy 5-8 September 2022?