How CCUS Technology is Paving the Way for a Low-Carbon Future Vol.1

The importance of CCUS technology is self-evident. With the exacerbation of global climate change, there is an urgent need for effective measures to address carbon emissions and the challenges of global warming. As a crucial negative carbon technology, CCUS provides a feasible solution for achieving carbon neutrality goals. Through carbon capture, utilization, and storage, CCUS technology not only effectively reduces CO2 emissions but also offers transitional solutions for industries facing challenges in rapid decarbonization. Moreover, the development of CCUS promotes innovation in related technological fields, providing robust support for advancing the entire low-carbon technology sector. In the journey to combat climate change, the significance of CCUS technology cannot be overstated. With continuous maturation and optimization, CCUS is poised to contribute even more significantly to establishing a low-carbon future. --Lyn Lin, EFC Sustainability Senior Consultant

As global industrialization progresses, the emissions of carbon dioxide continue to rise, accelerating the warming of the global climate and leading to an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Climate change has impacted every region on Earth, breaking numerous records related to global warming and its associated effects. According to reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), no area on Earth is untouched by climate change, with an increasing intensity and frequency of extreme precipitation, droughts, heat waves, and the likelihood of heavy snowfall.

The primary cause of these climate issues—carbon emissions—fundamentally stems from human exploitation and utilization of fossil fuels and some mineral resources. This process releases elements sequestered underground for tens of millions of years back into the atmosphere, reintroducing them into the Earth's carbon cycle. Compared to the simple gases like oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are more effective at absorbing the energy from solar radiation, thereby contributing to the rise in global temperatures.

In the Paris Agreement, 195 countries have jointly committed to controlling the increase in global average temperature to within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Concurrently, China has also put forward a dual carbon vision, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

However, according to scenario simulations by the IPCC and the International Energy Agency (IEA), it will be challenging to meet the temperature increase targets of the Paris Agreement without the use of negative carbon technologies, even with the utmost efforts from governments and organizations towards transformation. In the various pathways modeled by the IPCC to achieve the 1.5 degrees Celsius target, the utilization of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technology is included to some extent. It can be said that CCUS technology is of significant importance for achieving carbon neutrality and meeting the temperature increase targets set by the Paris Agreement.

The following text will explain what CCUS technology is and its significance for carbon neutrality.

CCUS Introduction

As the global industrialization accelerates and the economy grows rapidly, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, leading to increasingly prominent climate change issues. To address this challenge, countries have set carbon emission reduction targets and are committed to finding viable ways to reduce emissions. Against this backdrop, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage technology has emerged and is widely regarded as an important means to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

CCUS technology encompasses three main aspects: carbon capture, carbon utilization, and carbon storage. Firstly, carbon dioxide is captured from industrial emission sources, power plants, and other major carbon-emitting sites through physical or chemical methods, and then processed for further treatment and storage. Secondly, the captured carbon dioxide is utilized through chemical, biological, mineralization, and geological methods, such as producing fertilizers, synthetic fuels, or raw materials, achieving the reuse of carbon. Finally, the remaining carbon dioxide is stored in underground repositories or other permanent geological structures to prevent it from entering the atmosphere and mitigate its impact on the climate.

The implementation of CCUS technology is a multifaceted approach that addresses the issue of carbon emissions at various stages. It not only helps to reduce the carbon footprint of industrial operations but also contributes to the development of a circular carbon economy by finding new ways to use carbon dioxide. Moreover, the long-term storage of CO2 in geological formations is a critical component for achieving the goals outlined in international climate agreements, such as the Paris Agreement.

The success of CCUS technology relies on the continuous advancement of capture methods, innovation in utilization pathways, and the establishment of safe and secure storage solutions. It also requires supportive policies, adequate financing, and public acceptance to transition from pilot projects to large-scale deployment. As the technology matures and becomes more cost-effective, it is expected to play a significant role in the global effort to combat climate change and transition towards a low-carbon future.

Carbon Capture

Carbon capture technology is one of the pivotal strategies to combat climate change and achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. A variety of capture methods can be employed based on the different concentrations of CO2 emission sources. The main carbon capture technologies currently in use in China include:

CO2 Capture from Coal Chemical Process Off-gases: This involves the removal of CO2 from recirculating gases through specific decarbonization processes during the coal chemical industry.

Low Partial Pressure CO2 Capture: This method is suitable for emission sources with lower CO2 partial pressures and employs special adsorbents or membrane separation technologies for CO2 capture.

Wet Flue Gas Desulfurization (Wet FGD): This technique uses chemical solvents to react with CO2, enabling its capture, and applies to a wide range of industrial emission sources.

Among these, the high-efficiency, low-energy-consuming CO2 capture solvent process technology has seen significant advancements, with solvent regeneration energy efficiency as low as 2.4 gigajoules per tonne (GJ/t), marking an important direction in the evolution of carbon capture technology.

In addition to existing technologies, new technologies are being developed to enhance the efficiency of carbon capture and reduce energy consumption. These include membrane separation methods, ionic liquid methods, and phase change absorption methods, among others.

The development and application of these emerging technologies hold the promise of significantly improving the performance of carbon capture technology, reducing costs, and providing robust technical support for the large-scale implementation of CCUS.

In Vol.2, we will share more on Carbon Utilization and Carbon Storage, stay tuned!

Reference:

1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2021). Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/

2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2018). Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

3. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). (2015). The Paris Agreement. Retrieved from https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement

4. International Energy Agency (IEA). (2020). Energy Technology Perspectives 2020. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/energy-technology-perspectives-2020

5. International Energy Agency (IEA). (2021). Tracking Clean Energy Progress. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-clean-energy-progress

6. Global CCS Institute. (2021). Global Status of CCS 2021. Retrieved from https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/resources/global-status-report/

7. Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China. (2020). China’s Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change. Retrieved from https://english.mee.gov.cn/Resources/Reports/reports/

8. American Chemical Society (ACS). Various articles on CO2 utilization. Retrieved from https://pubs.acs.org/