What’s carbon capture technology?

Carbon Capture is the process of capturing waste carbon dioxide (Co₂) at its emission source, transporting it to a usually underground storage location, and isolating it, to prevent climate change.

Climate change mitigation technology where CO₂ is captured from power plants and other industrial processes instead of being emitted to the atmosphere is known as Carbon Capture and Store (CCS).

The technology used for capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) before it had released into reprocessing sites is referred to as Carbon Capture Technology (CCT).

 

Climate change

A change in global or regional climate patterns, in particular a change apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and attributed largely to the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels and other commercial industries.

There are four major causes of global climate change; variations in earth orbit, changes in the sun, volcanic emissions, and level of carbon dioxide. However, the first three respective causes are inhuman Management Control, but emission of co2 is the main human-emitted waste.

Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea-level rise, and longer, more intense heat waves. That's a result of emitted gases from industries.

 

Carbon dioxide emissions history

• Quadrennial recorded numbers of co2 emission in four different years

·                                     B-MT stands for billion metric ton which is same to ppm (Parts per million).

                              

• Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have significantly increased since 1900. Here are some details about CO2 emission history records from last three decades. Till 2018.

 

How does CCS work?

It’s a four-step process, involves the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industrial processes, such as steel and cement production, or from the burning of fossil fuels in power generation. This carbon is then transported from where it was produced, via ship or in a pipeline, and stored deep underground in geological formations.

Four steps of CCS process:

Capture: the CO₂ is separated from other gases produced in industrial processes, such as those at coal and natural-gas-fired power generation plants or steel or cement factories.

Transport: the CO₂ is then compressed and transported via pipelines, road transport or ships to a site for storage.

Storage: finally, the CO₂ is injected into rock formations deep underground for permanent storage.

Sequester: isolate CO₂, Recycle it, or hide away

Types of Carbon capture and sequestration/storage

Many technologies and methods are used for capturing carbon dioxide, fall into three categories:

1.       Post-combustion carbon capture:

o   It refers to capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from a flue gas generated after combusting a carbon-based fuel, such as coal or natural gas.

o   the primary method used in existing power plants

 

2.       Pre-combustion carbon capture:

o   It refers to removing CO2 from fossil fuels before combustion is completed

o   Largely used in industrial processes  

3.       Oxy-fuel combustion carbon capture:

o   Oxygen-Enriched Combustion. When a fuel is burned, oxygen in the combustion air chemically combines with the hydrogen and carbon in the fuel to form water and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process.

o   Carbon capture, CO₂ is separated from the exhaust of a combustion process.

 

Examples of carbon capture technology

a.       CCUS

It involve the capturing of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from fuel combustion or industrial processes, the transport of this CO₂ via ship or pipeline, and either its use as a resource to create valuable products or services or its permanent storage deep underground in geological formations. 

Courtesy world-Coal

b.      Nuclear-powered carbon sequestration

Its effective technology launched in late the 20th. It produces zero emissions in the process of drawing down carbon dioxide. It stands alongside and buys time for other efforts and technologies that cut carbon emissions, at the source, along the supply chain, and at distribution outlets.

Image courtesy Se

New carbon capture technology

•  Artificial Photosynthesis Technology ( APT).

It’s a new proposed idea to bring feasibility to fight against climate change. APT is a study case project- A yet theoretical demonstration of a start-up project that captures CO₂ and recycles it into carbonated products and fresh air (O2) to provide sustainable economic in-return.

Courtesy Sologic

Top 10 Carbon capture technology companies:

Big companies

1.       Shell

2.       Chevron

3.       NRG Energy

Start-ups

4.       Global Thermostat

5.       CO2 Solutions

6.       Carbon Engineering

7.       Climeworks

Others

8.       Carbon Recycling International

9.       AGG Biofuel

10.   CarbonCure

The Future of Carbon Capture Technology

Forbes contributor Felicia Jackson shared notes on carbon capture technology, said: - While renewable energy is now widely accepted as the cheapest form of electricity generation, energy demand growth, government growth requirements, and the need for a just transition mean fossil fuels will still have a role. But for that to work with climate goals, carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology must be mainstreamed.

There is widespread agreement that to hit 2050 targets of net zero emissions, we have ten years to get on the right path to achieve that goal. With battery storage improving in efficiency and falling in cost, with green hydrogen becoming an increasingly viable option for a net-zero approach, DAC (Direct Air Capture) and CCS have got to prove themselves, and fast.

 The new carbon capture technology hopefully will bring to the fight efficient tools to control carbon dioxide emission and reduce the risk trims of climate change.