Carbon Capture and Storage: A guide

 

With international energy and environment Ministers convening in London for the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), this guide helps explain what is CCS, why it's important and what the role is for a Copenhagen agreement.

 

What is CCS?

 

CCS technology captures the CO2 emissions from fossil fuel fired power stations and other industrial plant and stores them in deep formations under the ground. There are different technologies for capturing CO2 like pre-combustion, post-combustion and oxyfuel.

 

Pre-combustion CCS technology

Post-combustion CCS technology

 

Oxyfuel CCS technology

 

Why is it important?

We mustn't close our eyes to the fact coal – one of the most abundant worldwide energy resource, and yet also the most polluting – will continue to be relied on by developing and developed countries alike for decades to come.

 

CCS is thus an important part of the solution to climate change – and one of the important technologies that the world must use to deal with this threat.

 

CCS is the only type of technology that can deal with fossil fuel emissions, and has the potential to cut emissions by about 90%. The International Energy Authority has estimated that CCS could contribute up to 20% of the global greenhouse gas mitigation effort by 2050.

 

CCS and Copenhagen

 

The negotiations in Copenhagen are about the world coming together and agreeing a global climate deal. There is no solution to climate change without CCS. Technologies like CCS are thus essential to Copenhagen.

 

What's happening already?

 

Domestically, the UK is among the first in line to commit to commercial scale projects, through our proposal to fund up to 4 demonstration plants and we are moving fast to legislate to put the funding arrangements in place.

 

• The One North Sea Project: The UK and Norway have commissioned a joint study, as part of the North Sea Basin Task Force, with the aim of establishing a clear vision for the potential role of the North Sea in the future deployment of CCS in Europe. A preliminary report will be available at the CSLF Ministerial Meeting.
• NZEC: The UK led the EU approach to the development of a commercial-scale CCS project in China, called the EU-China Near Zero Emissions Coal (NZEC). DECC has provided up to £3.5 million for the first phase technical study which will be completed by Autumn 2009 and will inform the demonstration and development of CCS in China. The NZEC Phase 1 launch event is planned for 28-29 October.

 

Internationally, CCS technologies are being pioneered in:

 

• Australia: Launched in April 2009 the Global CCS Institute (GCCSI) to foster international collaboration, particularly around near-term, large-scale demonstration projects; in addition, domestically, the government has announced AUD 2 billion for large-scale demonstration.

• Brazil: Oil company Petrobras is investing in two to four large-scale demonstration projects as part of its sustainability and climate change plan.
• Canada: Has allocated CAD 3.5 billion for large-scale CCS project demonstration.

• China: A consortium of companies in China is moving forward with the GreenGen project; which has received support and approval from the government.
• The European Union: The EU financial stimulus package includes EUR 1 billion for CCS demonstration; this complements the early 2009 EU decision to set aside EUR 300 million allowance revenues for CCS funding.
• France: is developing smaller-scale demonstration projects as part of a EUR 1 billion funding package for research and development; these projects will be expanded after their performance is assessed.
• Italy: Enel, the national electricity company, is developing one pilot plant.
• Norway: is continuing its leadership by developing the Mongstad and Karstø projects.
• South Africa: launched the CCS Centre in September 2009, and plans to rapidly build capacity with the aim of having at least one full-scale project operational by 2020.
• The United Arab Emirates: has three large-scale CCS projects under development, building on the region’s expertise in enhanced oil recovery.

 

An international CCS collaboration

A rapidly expanding club of CCS literate nations will convene in London, October 13 at the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum (CSLF), to advance CCS technology. With the view of Copenhagen focused ahead, and building on the ambition of the G8's ambition to launch 20 CCS demonstration projects globally by 2010, the Ministerial conference will accelerate international efforts to make CCS a reality.