Carbon Capture: Possible Solutions, Pt. II

Carbon capture and sequestration have been about research and very little about actually putting the technology to real use. In this four-part series, we'll examine some of the issues and possible solutions.

But the question remains: How soon could we have the CCS methods implemented on a larger scale?

"It depends on the pace of investments. What's needed right now is to do some very large-scale integrated demonstration where you capture CO2, you generate electricity, you compress it and you transport it. You can show people that this is the way this technology looks when it's integrated together. You can get cost data. You can get reliability data. That's what is important," said the GCEP's Benson.

"We should be constructing these plants now and we shouldn't be talking about design. We can't wait. We've got to do this. This is the time," she said.

According to the IPCC, the cost ranges are spread out as such:

Cost Ranges for the Components of a CCS System

Source: IPCC

And here are the McKinsey calculations of a CCS reference case:

BP is injecting one million tons of CO2 into a reservoir located in In Salah, Algeria. The gas project will eventually store 17 million tons of CO2, which, says BP, is an emission reduction equivalent to removing four million cars from the road.

BP has also formed a $73 million joint venture with the Chinese Academy of Sciences that will aim to bring technology from Chinese labs to the market. Projects will likely include carbon capture and sequestration.

Other CCS Projects So Far

  • Weyburn-Midal Project, Canada: Captures CO2 from coal gasification plant in North Dakota. It is used for enhanced oil recovery.
  • The Snohvit: A Norwegian project that was one of the first in the world back in the 1990s.
  • Alberta, Canada: Government officials have invested in CCS technology (Alberta Saline Aquifer Project (ASAP).
  • Nirranda Underground Wells: Demonstration plant in Nirranda South in South Western Victoria, jointly funded by Australian government and companies.

Continue to Part III: New Ideas in Carbon Capture.

  1. ‹ Previous
  1. Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3

Comments [5]

  • Jeff Berlin 06/23/09 1:51 PM

    question remains though what about the surplus of carbon already emitted?

    Reply
  • russ 06/24/09 6:20 AM

    Jeff - do you mean nothing should be done until the whole package can be started together?

    Reply
  • Kelvin Koo 06/25/09 12:47 AM

    Anybody has figure out how much CO2 is emitted from the energy used to compress and liquify the CO2?

    Reply
  • James Everett 06/28/09 12:57 AM

    Jeff is right - capturing carbon to reduce emissions is important, but we already have too much CO2 in the atmosphere.  Tools are needed to pull carbon out of the atmosphere.  Two of the biggies:  higher productivity tree stock for forest plantations, and ways of fixing carbon in useful solid forms - eg converting CO2 to plastics or specialty chemicals.  Many greens hate forest plantations, and therefore shun the former.  I believe that’s silly.  Forest plantations exist.  Why not have them be as productive as possible?  CellFor is doing important work on this.  Besides, durable wood products = long-term carbon sequestration.  As to the latter, it seems to be all about more energy-efficient catalysts.  Novomer is working on that. Check em out.  Skyonic also interesting, but finding a workable business model is tough.  Would love to know of other good companies, if people have suggestions.

    Reply
  • douglas puckett 08/11/09 3:51 PM

    the other design i built is a center fuge in or on top the stacks in the centerfuge ther is a 3 part seperation useing water as a mix then 3 valves to do there objecttive   one valve takes the coatint of tree sap in the center fuge to extract dioxide and water for sulfur the exhaust from stacks spins the centerfuge the 3 valves will have enought force to make the extractions this way the plant stays open while the center fuge is installed the inside of the center fuge looks like a jet fan motor for capture and thurst for rotation a generator devise for extra electric.

    Reply
.