University of Queensland
Date: 2020-03-25
In the Land Down Under, a study from the University of Queensland has found that deep emission cuts might be achieved by establishing a large-scale CCS 'Hub' scheme built around retrofitting existing modern, supercritical coal power plants in Queensland areas notionally identified for their storage potential in the deepest part of the Surat Basin.

Study leader Professor Andrew Garnett, a former Shell and Schlumberger executive, said the sooner that CCS was realized in the roughly 35-year lifespan of these power stations the greater the impact of the initiative. Garnett estimates three to four years might be required commercial feasibility and engineering activities followed by a sequential build-out over several years during which emissions could be cut by roughly 13 million tpy -- equivalent to taking 2.8 million cars off the road each year.

The 3-year $5.5 million project is funded by the Australian Government through the Carbon Capture and Storage Research Development and Demonstration (CCS RD&D) programme, by Coal 21 and The University of Queensland (Source: The University of Queensland Surat Deep Aquifer Appraisal Project, UQ News, 24 Mar., 2020) Contact: UQ CCS Program, Professor Andrew Garnett , Director, + 61 (7) 3346 4101, naturalgas@uq.edu.au, www.natural-gas.centre.uq.edu.au, www.uq.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News University of Queensland,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  CCS,  Carbon Capture & Stroage,  

UC Davis
Date: 2020-03-25
According to a study from the University of California-Davis, concrete production contributes 8 pct of global greenhouse gases and caused $335 billion per year in damages while strategies to reduce the concrete sector's global GHG emissions could, under some scenarios, increase local air pollution and related health damages.

While CCS technologies could reduce GHG emissions from concrete production by as much as 28 pct , the study found it could actually increase human health impacts from air pollutants unless the technology itself is powered by clean energy.

Cement production is responsible for about 32 pct of the total climate damages and 18 pct of health damages of making concrete. That is followed by aggregate production, which is responsible for 34 pct of health damages and 4 pct in climate damages.

To reduce these impacts, the study suggests the following readily implementable methods to reduce climate damages: cleaner combusting kiln fuel; increase use of limestone filler or other low-impact mineral additions to partially replace cement; clean renewable energy; amine scrubbing and calcium looping which could reduce climate damage costs over 50 pct and 65 pct respectively. They are not yet readily implementable but may become so in the future.

While the effectiveness of strategies varies by region, the study says that overall, a mixture of the strategies could reduce climate and health damages by 85 pct and 19 pct respectively. (Source: UC Davis, Nature Climate Change, Daily Democrat, UC Davis, Mar., 2020) Contact: UC Davis, Assist. Prof.,Frances Moore, UCD Department of Environmental Science and Policy, fmoore@ucdavis.edu, www.ucdavis.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Concrete,  Cement,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  UC Davis,  

Red Trail Energy
Date: 2020-03-13
Following up on our 13th Dec., 2019 report, Richardton, North Dakota-based corn ethanol producer Red Trail Energy LLC reports that with the completion of a drill pad at its Richardton ethanol facility it expects to begin drilling a one-mile or deeper stratigraphic well for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in April. (Source: Red Trail Energy, KFGO, 11 Mar., 2020) Contact: Red Trail Energy, Gerald Bachmeier, CEO, (701) 974-3308, www.redtrailenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Red Trail Energy,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

TGS
Date: 2020-03-13
Global geoscience data for exploration & production specialist TGS reports completion of a Geological Carbon Storage Atlas for British Columbia (Canada) for a major oil and gas company. The study provides the most up-to-date understanding of geological carbon storage locations, onshore and offshore, throughout the province of British Columbia.

Through collaboration with its partner Canadian Discovery Limited, TGS leveraged its world-class basin evaluation expertise, subsurface data library, and geological knowledge and experience through working in British Columbia, to create a framework for carbon storage assessment and atlas for potential storage locations, according to the TGS release. (Source: TGS. Strategic Research Institute, SteelGuru,, Gasoil News , 12 Mar., 2020) Contact: TGS, Katja Akentieva, Global.Marketing@tgs.com, www.tgs.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Storage ,  

Neste
Date: 2020-03-13
Espoo, Finland-headquartered biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) producer Neste Oyi reports it is committed to reaching carbon neutral production by 2035. The commitment complements Neste's other strategic climate commitment of reducing customers' greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tpy by 2030. To that end, the company:

Continues to focus on energy efficiency to optimize the use of fuel gas, electricity, hydrogen and steam in its production. The improvements in the turnaround at Porvoo refinery in 2020 will decrease production emissions by more than 100 kt CO2eq annually;

Increases the use of renewable electricity at its production sites. As an example of this, Neste has already agreed to start using wind power in Finland;

Increases the weight of greenhouse gas emissions in the investment calculations and business case evaluation;

Explores new, less emitting production methods, for example utilizing biogas or electrolysis for hydrogen production;

Has started a project for GHG emission reductions at the Porvoo production site, focusing on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and identifies reliable compensation models for the remaining part which cannot be achieved by emission reductions.

Neste is working on rolling out the detailed plan and timeline for implementing the initiatives aimed at carbon neutral production by 2035. (Source: Neste Oyi, PR, Mar., 2020) Contact: Neste Oyi, Salla Ahonen, VP Sustainability, +358 50 458 5076, media@neste.com, www.neste.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  

BP,Santos
Date: 2020-03-11
Independent Asia-Pacific region oil and gas producer Santos and UK-based oil industry giant BP are reporting a non-binding agreement which could see BP invest $20 million to support Santo's Moomba carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Australia's Cooper Basin.

The CCS project aims to capture 1.7 million tpy of CO2 currently separated from naturalthe CO2 back into the same geological formations for permanent storage. The Cooper Basin reinjection capacity is assessed at up to 20 million tpy of CO2 for 50 years. The non-binding agreement, which is subject to finalization of terms and a final investment decision, is targeted for the end of 2020. (Source: BP, GasWorld, 9 Mar., 2020) Contact: BP Press Office, +44 (0) 20 7496 4076, bppress@bp.com, www.bp.com; Santos, Kevin Gallagher, CEO, + 61 2 8016 2832, www.santos.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BP,  Santos,  CCS,  

Eni S.p.A.
Date: 2020-03-04
is reporting plans to planning to have 55GW of installed renewable energy capacity by 2050. Under its Long-Term Strategic Plan to 2050, Italian oil and gas firm Eni S.p.A. is aiming to slash net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of its energy products by 80 pct by 2050 by using renewable energies, biomethane, hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS), methanol and products from the recycling of waste materials.

According to a release, the Rome-headquartered company has "quantified our carbon footprint reduction targets giving ourselves a comprehensive method of calculating emissions, which includes both direct and indirect emissions deriving from the end-use of our products, whether from our own production or purchased from third parties." (Source: Eni S.p.A., Bioenergy Insight, Mar., 2020) Contact: Eni S.p.A., Claudio Descalzi, CEO, +39 06 598 21, +39 06 598 22141 - fax, www.eni.com/en-IT/home.html

More Low-Carbon Energy News Eni,  Biodiesel,  Green Diesel,  Biomethane,  

Carbon Capture
Date: 2020-02-26
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued two draft guidance documents relative to Carbon Capture.

The 45Q tax credits were initially established under President Barack Obama's administration in 2008 and later enhanced in 2018 to promote the development of carbon capture projects throughout the United States.

Download IRS and Treasury documents HERE and HERE. (Source: US IRS, US Treasury Dept., Feb., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

Carbon Clean Solutions Limited
Date: 2020-02-19
London-headquartered cleantech startup Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) is reporting completion of an equity investment of $16 million from three global investors --- WAVE Equity Partners, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Marubeni Corporation.

IIT Kharagpur-incubated Carbon Clean is developing affordable carbon capture technology for utilisation and storage, as used by steel, cement, refining and petrochemicals and waste incineration plants.

The new investment will be used to deliver an existing pipeline of global projects to lower carbon emissions from industry. CCSL will also invest in the development of "containerised" solutions to achieve $30/tonne cost of CO2 capture by 2021. (Source: CCSL, Your Story, 18 Feb., 2020) Contact: Carbon Clean Solutions Ltd., Aniruddha Sharma, CEO, +44 (0) 20 3755 1600, ccs@kekstcnc.com, www.carboncleansolutions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Clean Solutions,  CCS,  Carbon Capture Limited ,  

ENERGY STAR
Date: 2020-02-17
In the Hawkeye State, the Sioux City Community School District (SCCSD) is reporting 21 of its buildings have earned US DOE 2019 ENERGY STAR certification for superior energy performance and efficiency.

The ENERGY STAR is awarded based on actual, verified energy performance. (Source: Sioux City Community School District, SiouxLand, KCAU, 15 Feb., 2020) Contact: Sioux City Community School District, www.siouxcityschools.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News ENERGY STAR,  Energy Efficiency,  

Chevron
Date: 2020-02-14
In the Land Down Under, Chevron is reporting it has passed a milestone of one million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions captured and sequestered underground at its $2.5 billion Gorgon Island LNG plant in Western Australia.

When fully operational, the CO2 capture system is expected to reduce Gorgon's greenhouse gas emissions by about 40 pct -- more than 100 million tonnes over its life. (Source: Chevron, Financial review, 15 Feb., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Chevron news,  CCS news,  LNG news,  

Chevron Technology Ventures,SVante
Date: 2020-02-12
Oil giant Chevron reports its Houston-based investment and innovation arm Chevron Technology Ventures has has commissioned a carbon capture study with Vancouver-based Svante Inc., an at-scale carbon capture technology company.

The study, which will explore the success of a 10,000 tpy carbon capture unit in a California Chevron facility, is expected to be completed in the first half of this year.

Chevron first invested in Svante in 2014, and established its $90 million Future Energy Fund in 2018 to focus on technologies that enable the low-carbon energy transition, according to the release.

Burnaby, British Columbia-based Svante -- f.k.a. Inventys Inc. -- has developed a commercially viable option to capture large-scale CO2 emissions from existing infrastructure. (Source: Chevron Technology Ventures, PR, Feb., 2020) Contact: Chevron Technology Ventures, Barbara Burger, Pres., techventures@chevron.com, www.chevron.com/technology/technology-ventures; Svante Inc., Claude Letourneau, , Pres., CEO, Julia McKenna , Inv. Relations, 604.456.0504, jmckenna@svanteinc.com, www.svanteinc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Chevron Technology Ventures,  Svante,  

Heriot-Watt University
Date: 2020-02-07
In the UK, Heriot-Watt University reports its researchers led by Professor John Underhill are to map out the UK's best sites for carbon capture by studying the geology of depleted gas fields in the North Sea. The team will use data from the Oil and Gas Authority's (OGA) National Data Repository (NDR), which was opened up to access for the first time in 2019.

Prof. Underhill believes the southern North Sea is one of the UK's most promising options for large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The £1.4 million study, which is funded by the Oil and Gas Technology Centre's (OGTC) Subsurface Solution Centre and matched funding from industry and Heriot-Watt University, is intended to help policymakers determine the most suitable CCS sites. (Source: Heriot-Watt University Website, insider.co.uk, 5 Feb., 2020) Contact: Heriot-Watt University, Prof. John Underhill, Dr Susana Garcia, Assoc. Dir., Heriot-Watt Research Centre for Carbon Solutions, www.hw.ac.uk; Oil and Gas Technology Centre, +44 1224 063200, www.theogtc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Heriot-Watt University,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  Carbon Sequestration,  

Finland Climate Change
Date: 2020-02-05
In Helsinki, the government of Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) has announced it will establish a muliti-million euro climate fund under the Finnish state-owned development and investment company VAKE. The initiative is part of the Marin government's long-awaited roadmap toward a carbon-neutral Finland by 2035. The fund will be targeted to combat the climate emergency, promote digitalization and expedite the transition to low-carbon industrial processes.

The government also announced it will encourage "clean investments" by gradually lowering the electricity tax for manufacturing industries as of next year to the minimum level allowed in the European Union.

The government also intends to increase carbon sequestration by three megatonnes by adopting a new climate programme for the land use, land-use change and forestry sector. The increase would account for less than 10 pct of the 35-megatonne change needed in the carbon balance to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035, according to the Finnish Climate Change Panel at the University of Helsinki.

To meet its goal, Finland must cut its CO2e emissions from roughly 56.5 to 21.5 megatonnes by 2035. (Source: Finnish Climate Change Panel, Helsinki Times, 4 Feb., 2020) Contact: Finland Minister of the Interior, Maria Ohisalo, +358 295 480 171, +358 9 160 44635 - fax, www.intermin.fi/en/frontpage; Finnish Climate Change Panel, +358 50 4151201, www.ilmastopaneeli.fi

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  Climate Change,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

Chatham House
Date: 2020-02-03
Further to our 23rd Feb., 2017 Chatham House, biomass and climate change report coverage, according to Net-Zero and Beyond -- What Role for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage?, new report from the London-headquartered NGO Chatham House, the UK Government is over-prioritizing carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) and biomass in its net-zero plans and failing to account for the impact these technologies could have on land use.

The potential unintended consequences of scaling up biomass energy carbon capture and storage (BECCS} in the UK and assesses the extent to which the technologies could deliver true and sustainable decarbonisation to the energy sector.

BECCS has received a swathe of Government support and media coverage in recent times, both in the build-up to the ratification of the UK's 2050 net-zero goal, and after its implementation. Supporters of the technologies point out that biomass, unlike gas or other fossil fuels, is renewable, and that it is produces less emissions when burned. If these emissions can be captured for storage and reuse, the process can become carbon neutral or even carbon negative, firms including Drax have claimed.

The report, however, warns that BECCS is "no silver bullet" for a net-zero energy sector. It claims that there has not been enough research into the likely energy output of BECCS or the environmental impacts of scaling up biomass supply chains, making it difficult to determine whether BECCS systems can be carbon-neutral across the life cycle.

According to the report, deployment of BECCS at the scales assumed by the UK's modelling, on a global scale, would consume land equivalent to that currently accounted for by cropland. This could pose problems for food security, result in biodiversity loss and hamper plans to re-assess land-use in line with net-zero, Chatham House concludes. Chatham House claims that failures to account for biomass supply chain emissions undermine the assumption that BECCS systems are inherently carbon-neutral and is accordingly calling for stricter sustainability requirements for biomass feedstock and urging the Government to prioritise decarbonisation across carbon-intensive sectors, reshape its land-use strategies to ensure BECCS decisions are made after full considerations of all alternatives, both technology-based and nature-based.

Download the report HERE. (Source: Chatham House, edie news, February 2020) Contact: Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, +44 (0) 20 7957 5710, contact@chathamhouse.org, www.chathamhouse.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News BECCS,  Chatham House,  Carbon Emissions,  Biomass,  Bioenergy,  

ExxonMobil
Date: 2020-01-31
In the Lone Star State, Houston-headquartered ExxonMobil has filed an application with the Wyoming Industrial Siting Council to construct and operate the LaBarge Carbon Capture Project about 33 miles northeast of Kemmerer, according to a Kallanish Energy report.

If approved, the project would include the installation of additional equipment at the Shute Creek gas Plant in Lincoln County and at the CO2 Sales Facility in Sweetwater County, and construction of a CO2 disposal well in Lincoln County.

The project is expected to come in at roughly $263 million when completed in late 2022. (Source: ExxonMobil, Kallanish Energy , 30 Jan., 2020) Contact: ExxonMobil, Robert Armstrong, www.exxonmobil.com, www.twitter.com/exxonmobil

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  ExxonMobil CCS,  ExxonMobil,  Carbon Capture,  

Lundin Petroleum
Date: 2020-01-29
In Stockholm, Swedish oil firm Lundin Petroleum AB reports it is aiming make its operations carbon neutral by 2030. To that end the company is cutting emissions from operations, boosting energy efficiency and developing carbon capture (CCS) mechanisms. The company, which is changing its name to Lundin Energy AB, is also seeking to invest in renewable energy projects. (Source: Lundin Petroleum, Hellenic Shipping News, Reuters, 28 Jan., 2020) Contact: Lundin Petroleum, Tel +46 8 440 54 50, Fax +46 8 440 54 59, www.lundin-petroleum.com

Stockholm Exergi,Fortum
Date: 2020-01-29
In Sweden, Stockholm Exergi, a joint venture between Helsinki, Finnish utility Fortum Oyi and the city of Stockholm, reports it is looking to make Swedish capital's district heating the world's first to become carbon negative.

To that end, the company this spring will close its last coal-fired boiler and has replaced most of its coal-based production with biofuels. The company is also investigating the implementation of carbon capture systems to achieve a positive carbon footprint by 2040.

Fortum Oyi is also testing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology in Oslo at its joint venture Fortum Oslo Varme. Both the Stockholm and Oslo projects are partnering with the Northern Lights initiative, which is studying carbon storage in the bedrock of the North Sea. (Source: Stockholm Exergi, Recharge, 28 Jan., 2020) Contact: Stockholm Exergi, www.stockholmexergi.se; Fortum Oyi, www3.fortum.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Fortum,  Carbon Negative,  Carbon Emissions,  Stockholm,  

Gas Technology Institute
Date: 2020-01-27
In Des Plaines, Illinois, the not-for-profit Gas Technology Institute (GTI), a research, development and training organization focused on natural gas and energy markets, is reporting the launch of a hydrogen fuel technology center.

GTI focuses its R&D efforts on the generation of clean hydrogen using hydrocarbon fuels that incorporate carbon capture and/or carbon sequestration CCS) in a cost-effective manner. These technology efforts are directed at both large-scale hydrogen production using natural gas feedstock, and smaller distributed hydrogen production for transportation or remote power generation using either gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon fuels, according to the release.

Additionally, GTI is partnered with private industry to develop, evaluate, and demonstrate technologies that further the use of hydrogen (H2) as a transportation fuel by delivering infrastructure, vehicle, engine, fuel dispensing, and system solutions for clean transportation fuel cell vehicles. (Source: GTI, Green Car Congress, 26 Jan., 2020) Contact: GTI, 847-768-0500 847-768-0501 - fax, info@gti.energy, www.gti.energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News Gas Technology Institute ,  Alternative Fuel,  Hydrogen Fuel,  Alternative Fuel,  GTI,  ,  

Minneapolis
Date: 2020-01-15
The city of Minneapolis is reporting a city ordinance requiring one- and two-family homeowners to collect energy consumption and efficiency data before listing their homes for sale came into force Jan. 15, 2020.

Homeowners can comply with the ordinance by having a Truth In Sale of Housing (TISH) inspector collect the data during the mandatory pre-listing evaluation or by getting an energy audit from Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy's Home Energy Squad program.

In either case, an inspection evaluates a home's windows, heating system and attic and wall insulation and compiles the data into an "energy score" of the home's energy efficiency. The inspector will also prepare a report detailing the improvements a homeowner or homebuyer could -- but is not required to -- make, how much those improvements typically cost and how much could be saved annually by making them.

The Minneapolis Climate Action Plan calls for 75 pct of houses to undergo energy retrofits by 2025, and notes the city offers no financing for energy efficiency improvements. (Source: City of Minneapolis, Southwest Journal, Jan., 2020) Contact: www.minneapolismn.gov/ccs/ccs_tish; Home Energy Squad, www.homeenergysquad.net

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Building Energy Benchmarking,  

Clean Air Task Force
Date: 2020-01-13
"If you were to start a large power plant or steel plant (with carbon capture facilities) today after the rules came out, it would be almost impossible to reach commenced construction in that time frame. It's not that there aren't projects we think are going to go forward, but it's the larger projects. It takes about six years from the original concept to the design and the detailed engineering and permitting and then getting to final investment decision and starting construction." -- Kurt Waltzer, Managing Dir., Clean Air Task Force,discussing delays in construction of Carbon Capture facilities, Houston Chronicle, 13 Jan., 2020.

Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is a research and policy centre that combines technology innovation, policy advocacy, and thought leadership expertise to leverage workable solutions to the global climate crisis. Above all, CATF are practical climate problem solvers, according to its website. Contact: Clean Air Task Force, Kurt Waltzer, 617.624.0234, 617.624.0230 - fax, info@catf.usinfo@catf.us, www.catf.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Clean Air Task Force,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

SakPower
Date: 2020-01-10
On the Canadian Prairies, SaskPower reports its carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at its Boundary Dam Power Station captured 57,590 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the month of December, for a total of 616,119 tonnes captured in 2019. The facility's average daily capture rate in December was 2,504 tonnes with a peak one-day capture rate of 2,863 tonnes. The facility was online 72 pct of the time, compared with an average of 70 pct for the previous 12 months.

Since first coming online in October 2014, the Boundary Dam CCS unit has captured 3,081,452 tonnes of CO2. (Source: Saskpower, Estevan Mercury, 9 Jan., 2020) Contact: SaskPower, Mike Marsh, (306) 566-2121, www.saskpower.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News SaskPower,  CCS,  Boundary Dam,  

Svante Inc., LafargeHolcim, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures,
Date: 2020-01-08
Burnaby, British Columbia-based Svante Inc., LafargeHolcim, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, LLC, and Paris-based Total SA are reporting a joint study to assess the viability and design of a commercial-scale carbon-capture facility at the Holcim Portland Cement Plant in Florence, Colorado.

The study will evaluate the cost of the facility designed to use Svante's technology to capture up to 725,000 tpy of CO2 from the cement plant, which would be permanently sequestered underground by CO2 management and storage specialist Occidental.

This joint initiative follows the recently-launched Project CO2MENT between Svante, LafargeHolcim and Total in Canada at the Lafarge Richmond cement plant, where progress has been made towards re-injecting captured CO2 into concrete. (Source: Savante Website, BusinessWire, 6 Jan., 2019) Contact: Svante Inc., Claude Letourneau, , Pres., CEO, Julia McKenna , Inv. Relations, 604.456.0504, jmckenna@svanteinc.com, www.svanteinc.com; LafargeHolcim, www.lafargeholcim.com; Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, Jeff Alvarez, IR, (713) 215-7864, jeff_alvarez@oxy.com, www.oxy.com; Total SA, +33 1 47 44 46 99, www.total.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Total SA,  Svante Inc.,  LafargeHolcim,  Oxy Low Carbon Ventures,  CCS,  CCUS,  CO2,  Carbon Capture,  

UK Renewable Energy
Date: 2019-12-30
In London, the newly elected majority Conservative government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed its election manifesto pledge to "enable new floating turbines" and increase the country's new offshore wind capacity from 30GW to 40GW by 2030.

The Johnson government's commitment to wind energy is part of its effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The government also confirmed its planned £800 million investment in a carbon capture storage (CCS) cluster by the mid-2020s. A further £500 million will also be provided to help energy-intensive industries move to low-carbon techniques and a low-carbon economy. (Source: BBC, Various Media,Dec., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Offshore Wind,  UK Renewable Energy,  

Port of Antwerp
Date: 2019-12-20
In the Netherlands, a collaboration of eight players in the port sector -- Air Liquide, BASF, Borealis, INEOS, ExxonMobil, Fluxys, Port of Antwerp and Total -- are reporting an agreement to conduct a study of the economic and technical feasibility of developing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) at the Port of Antwerp.

The consortium believes that both storing and using carbon can make a useful contribution to achieving the energy and climate objectives at Flemish, Belgian and European level and lead to reductions in CO2 emissions in the run-up to 2030. To that end, the Port of Antwerp and a number of other partners have submitted the necessary applications to the European Commission.

The Port of Antwerp in Flanders, Belgium, is a port in the heart of Europe accessible to capesize ships. It is Europe's second-largest seaport, after Rotterdam. Antwerp stands at the upper end of the tidal estuary of the Scheldt which is navigable by ships of more than 100,000 Gross Tons as far as 80 km inland. -- Wikipedia. (Source: Port Staretegy, 18 Dec., 2019) Contact: Port of Antwerp , Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO, +32 (0)3 205 20 11, www.portofantwerp.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CCUS,  

Greenhouse Gas,Center for Biological Diversity
Date: 2019-12-18
Bill Would Pause New Fossil Fuel Leasing, Tie Future Fossil Fuel Permits to Carbon Sequestration WASHINGTON— In Washington, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)has introduced legislation aiming to set an overall cap on greenhouse gas emissions from public lands and to achieve "net zero" emissions from public lands by 2040.

The legislation would temporarily pause all new fossil fuel leasing on public lands until the Department of the Interior develops a comprehensive strategy to achieve "net zero" emissions on these lands.

If interim benchmarks for greenhouse gas emissions reductions are not met by 2025, fossil fuel leasing, as well as drilling and other permits to develop fossil fuels on existing leases, would be curtailed until the bill's targets were achieved. Unfortunately the legislation fails to permanently end new fossil fuel leasing which would be allowed to continue even beyond 2040 if emissions resulting from federal lands fossil fuel use were sufficiently offset by carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), forest regrowth and other land-use changes, or by the deployment of large-scale renewable energy facilities on public lands.

The federal government owns roughly 640 million acres, about 28 pct of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States. Four major federal land management agencies administer 610.1 million acres of this land (Source: Center for Biological Diversity, 17 Dec., 2019) Contact: Center for Biological Diversity, www.biologicaldiversity.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG,  Greenhouse Gas Emissions,  

Red Trail Energy
Date: 2019-12-13
Following on our June 16th coverage, Richardton, North Dakota-based corn ethanol producer Red Trail Energy LLC reports preparations for its carbon dioxide emissions underground storage project are underway with plans to drill a test well within the next few months. Depending on the tests results, Red Trail could start injecting CO2 by fall 2021, according to the company. (Source: Red Trail Energy, Star Tribune, 11 Dec., 2019) Contact: Red Trail Energy, Gerald Bachmeier, CEO, (701) 974-3308, www.redtrailenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Red Trail Energy,  Ethanol,  CCS,  Carbon Capture & Storage,  

University of Virginia
Date: 2019-12-11
A recently released study from the University of Virginia notes that farming, agriculture and other land practices presently contribute around 11 gigatons to CO2 emissions per year -- roughly one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. However, the study argues that the land could actually be converted into an absorber of carbon, given the right conditions.

Among the measures recommended by the study were richer countries transitioning to plant-based diets and reducing food waste, while aiding poorer nations to curb deforestation and restore degraded land. If a concerted global effort was made, land could be absorbing three gigatons of carbon by 2050, turning one of our biggest liabilities into a helping hand in the fight against climate change. The study also recommends:

95 pct reduction in deforestation and land degradation by 2050. This would include more robust conservation policies in developing tropical countries, as well as the conversion of coastal wetlands into protected areas and the prohibition of peatland burning.

25 pct reduction in agricultural emissions by 2050. This would include introducing synthetic or organic fertilizers, enhancing the water-agriculture interface in places where rice cultivation is a primary industry and managing emissions from fermentation and manure.

50 pct adoption of plant-based diets by 2050. This would involve encouraging a healthier diet through consumer campaigns and governmental policies, as well as the development of new foodstuffs to entice unconvinced consumers.

50 pct reduction of current level of food waste by 2050. This would involve tightening up gaps in the supply chain, improving consumer awareness through advertising campaigns and enhancing refrigeration and distribution capabilities in the developing world.

Restoration of forests, coastal wetlands and drained peatlands. This would involve financing ecosystem services, improving in local and national conservation policies and investing in restoration practices.

Improving forestry and agroforestry management. This would include optimising current forestation conservation process and integrating agroforestry into lands currently used for agriculture and grazing.

Enhancing soil carbon sequestration capabilities. This would include controlling soil erosion, reducing tillage of the land and restoring degraded soils, as well as the application of biochar where appropriate.

Deploying bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) in developed countries. This would involve investing into the research and development of BECCS technologies and deploying them in relevant sites. (Source: University of Virginia, Environmental Technology, 1 Dec., 2019) Contact: University of Virginia, Stephanie Roe, Environmental Researcher, Report Lead Author, 434-924-7761, www.evsc.as.virginia.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon,  Carbon Storage,  

Alberta, Emissions Reduction Alberta,Lrhigh Cement
Date: 2019-12-11
On the Canadian prairies, the government of Alberta reports it is contributing $1.4 million towards a $3 million feasibility study of capture and storage of carbon emissions project at the Lehigh Cement plant in Edmonton. If constructed, the project could capture an estimated 600,000 tpy of CO2 and avoid up to 90 pct of the plant's current emissions.

The project will align with the province's new Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) program which is intended to help industries deploy pioneering, emissions-reducing technologies and will support research and investment in clean technology. (Source: Gov. of Alberta, Journal of Commerce, Dec., 2019) Contact: Lehigh Cement, (780) 420-250, www.lehighhanson.com; Emissions Reduction Alberta, Steve MacDonald , CEO, 780-498-2068, info@eralberta.ca, www.eralberta.ca; Technology Alberta Innovation and Emissions Reduction System, www.alberta.ca/technology-innovation-and-emissions-reduction-system.aspx

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Cement,  Emissions Reduction Alberta,  

Packard Foundation
Date: 2019-12-09
According to the newly released Global Change Biology study from the Los Altos, California-based David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the burgeoning bioenergy sector must peak and decline in the next 30 years to alleviate extreme pressure on land. The study researchers assert that projections envisioning the use of biomass from crops, trees or grasses for fuel through 2100 overlook the technology's high carbon footprint and excessive land use.

An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released last year found that many scenarios capable of reducing the threat of climate change relied heavily on bioenergy, predicting that energy from biomass could make up 26 pct of primary energy in 2050 -- up from 10 pct in 2020 -- and predicting that solar and wind combined would likely only account for 22 pct. Those scenarios often relied on significant use of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which involves growing trees across a large area of land to produce wood pellets burned for energy, then capturing and sequestering the carbon emissions. In its analysis, though, the IPCC found significant challenges associated with a high reliance on bioenergy, noting in particular that the vast areas of land required to produce biomass for energy would compete with food production and other human needs.

The Global Change Biology assessment examine a flurry of recent reports that suggest even more problems with large-scale bioenergy projects reliant on large tracts of land, and also show that more cost-effective alternatives will be available in the coming decades. Pulling from these recent studies, the authors establish three reasons why large-scale bioenergy must and can peak and decline in the next 30 years:

Large-scale bioenergy emits carbon. Carbon emissions from bioenergy can be greater in the near-term than emissions from the fossil fuels it is replacing, undermining the assumption that bioenergy is always a relatively low-emission and low-cost form of energy. Burning wood pellets, for example, creates a "double climate problem." Manufacturing and shipping wood pellets entails substantial emissions of fossil CO2, and it can take decades or centuries for harvested areas to return to pre-harvest carbon stocks.

Large-scale bioenergy puts a squeeze on land. Land is already a scarce resource, and it will become even scarcer with time due to an increase in the human population and a rise in the appreciation of the conservation value of natural and mostly-natural ecosystems--even if agricultural yields continue to increase. Because land is so limited, we should use it as efficiently as possible for energy production. In contrast to land-intensive bioenergy, the amount of electricity that can be produced from a hectare of land using photovoltaics is at least 50-100 times that from biomass.

Large-scale bioenergy is inferior to other solutions. And, by mid-century, land-intensive bioenergy will face fierce competition from superior technologies such as wind and solar energy, the development of efficient storage and other flexibility solutions, and the advent of more effective carbon removal technologies such as direct air capture with carbon storage.

The assessment comes at a time when the bioenergy industry is ramping up worldwide, with the EU in the lead. Bioenergy currently accounts for 10 pct of the world's energy, and 50 pct of our renewable energy. In the EU, bioenergy accounts for two-thirds of all renewable energy (nearly half from wood). Two-thirds of the EU's "20 pct Renewable Energy by 2020" target depends on bioenergy. And the bloc is also about to greenlight the conversion of five large coal plants to bioenergy plants that burn imported wood pellets from overseas forests.

Land-intensive electrical power projects in particular are picking up steam as governments and industry leaders seek to transform disused coal factories into new profit centers. Between 2006 and 2015, the production of wood pellets for biomass energy use quadrupled to 26 million tons. Worldwide, demand for globally traded wood pellets destined for use in phased-out coal plants or new dedicated bioenergy plants is expected to rise 250 pct by 2027.

The study lays out a bioenergy trajectory that policymakers can use to encourage sustainable bioenergy while also opening the door for new technologies to replace land-intensive bioenergy in the very near future. These recommendations include improved accounting of the actual carbon emissions associated with the use of biomass, favoring biomass from waste, residues or land management practices that enhance carbon storage, and providing incentives for energy storage, direct air capture technologies, and low-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels. Above all, the authors argue that bioenergy projects should be avoided if they involve natural forests, such as converting natural forests to bioenergy plantations, or use land best suited for food crops. And the authors caution that claims that bioenergy projects are a zero-carbon form of energy should be met with skepticism.

The Packard Foundation through 2020, will have awarded nearly $1 billion in grants to reduce carbon emissions, one of the its greatest program commitments in its 55-year history. (Source: David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Dec., 2019) Contact: David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Walt Reid, Director Conservation and Science Program, Report Author, 650-948-7658, www.packard.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bioenergy,  CO2,  CCS,  Biofuels,  Carbon Emissions,  

CCS
Date: 2019-12-04
A group of world leading maritime shipping companies and ship builders, including NYK, Sovcomflot, DSM and others, are reported to have joined forces with the København, Denmark-based Maritime Development Center to develop DecarbonICE, an on-board carbon capture and storage (CCS)solution.

The DecarbonICE concept captures ship exhaust CO2 and other GHGs in a cryogenic process and turns it into dry ice. Proven offshore technology is then applied during normal ship operations to transport the dry ice into the seafloor sediments for permanent sequestration as liquid CO2 and CO2 hydrate.

In combination with future carbon neutral fuels like biofuels and electro fuels, the DecarbonICE technology can create carbon negative shipping and thus contribute to atmospheric carbon reduction at a significantly lower cost than shore-based CCS. capture.

The shipping industry is looking for carbon free solutions to achieve the IMO 2050 target of a 50 pct CO2 emissions reduction compared to the 2008 level. (Source: Maritime Development Center, Port News, 1 Dec., 2019) Contact: Maritime Development Center, +45 33 33 74 88, www.mdc.center

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Capture & Storage,  CO2,  Maritime Emissions,  IMO,  

Air Liquide, Air Products, ExxonMobil , Shell
Date: 2019-12-04
In the Netherlands, the Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub and Offshore Storage Project (PORTHOS) is reporting a non-binding agreement with Air Liquide, Air Products, ExxonMobil and Shell to collectively work on preparations for the capture, transport and storage of carbon dioxide in Rotterdam for eventual storage in empty gas fields beneath the North Sea.

The carbon capture will take place at Air Liquide, Air Products, ExxonMobil and Shell refineries and hydrogen production facilities in Rotterdam. The transport and storage of the CO2 beneath the North Sea will be prepared by Porthos.

The Netherlands has clear climate objectives: the emission of greenhouse gases must be reduced by 49 pct by 2030 and by 95 pct by 2050 compared with 1990. One way to achieve the climate objectives is to capture CO2 for use or for storage underground (CCUS). The national coalition agreement and the national Climate Agreement underline the importance of CCUS for the energy transition. (Source: PORTHOS, Gas World, Dec., 2019) Contact: PORTHOS, +31 6 2246 6553, info@rotterdamccus.nl. www.rotterdamccus.nl/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News Air Liquide,  Air Products,  CCS,  CCUS,  ExxonMobil ,  Shell ,  Carbon Capture,  

Ervia,Equinor
Date: 2019-11-27
On the Emerald Isle, Dublin-based utility company Ervia is reporting a MoU with Stavanger, Norway-based Equinor ASA under which the two firms will assess the potential for Ireland to benefit from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Under the MoU, Ervia will work with Equinor, a world leader in CCS technology, and the Norwegian Government's wider Northern Lights project, which aims to drive CCS development across Europe. If successful, the project would see carbon emissions from Ireland's electricity production and large industry captured and sequestered in Norway's geological reserves in the North Sea. Northern Lights project partners include ArcelorMittal, Air Liquide, Shell, Total, Equinor and others. (Source: Ervia, Chemical Engineering, 25 Nov., 2019) Contact: Ervia, Cathal Marley, Interim CEO , www.ervia.ie; Equinor ASA, www.equinor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Ervia,  CCS,  Equinor,  

MMA Offshore
Date: 2019-11-20
Freemantle, WA-based MMA Offshore Limited is reporting three new multi-vessel contract awards and extensions from AGR Australia and Esso.

Two of the contracts will support a project exploring commercial-scale carbon capture and storage in Australia -- including the CarbonNet Offshore Appraisal Well Drilling Programme which is part of the Victoria State Government's CarbonNet Project. MMA Offshore's contract is expected to commence in late November, lasting approximately 45 days.

The CarbonNet Project is exploring the viability of commercial-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) from multiple CO2 capture projects. (Source: MMA Offshore, Riviera, Nov., 2019) Contact: MMA Offshore, David Ross, CEO, +61 8 9431 7431, +61 8 9431 7432, www.mmaoffshore.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Australia CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

COAL21
Date: 2019-11-20
In the Land Down Under, COAL21, Australia's largest industrial low emissions technology fund, reports it will provide additional funding towards establishing the country's first commercial scale carbon capture hub in Queensland.

The new funding will support consideration of a final investment decision for construction of a $150 (Aus) million carbon capture plant at the Millmerran Power Station as part of the Carbon Transport and Storage Company's estimated $230 million, scalable Integrated Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) project in the Surat Basin. When fully operational, the facility will remove and store emissions equivalent to to the emissions 25,000 cars per year over the project's potential 25-30-year life, according to COAL21.

According to COAL21, the investment will provide: an emissions reduction solution for carbon exposed industries in southern Queensland; improved energy security in the national electricity market; and the foundation of a commercially competitive emission reduction and removal solution for new high efficiency low emission power stations, as well as emissions reduction infrastructure, for Australian industries.

COAL21 is a $550 million low emission technology fund established by the Australia black coal industry with the purpose of investing in research and deployment of carbon reduction technologies.

The Surat Basin investment continues more than a decade of COAL21 investing in low emission technologies, including a world first project that demonstrated carbon capture technology can be applied to coal-fired power stations to generate electricity with low emissions -- the Callide Oxyfuel project. (Source: COAL21, International Mining, 19 Nov., 2019) Contact: COAL21, www.coal21.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  Coal,  

Royal Canadian Navy
Date: 2019-11-18
Montreal-based international engineering and construction firm reports The Royal Canadian Navy's new 12-story Tribute Tower housing facility at CFB Stadacona in Halifax has been awarded Canadian Green Building Council LEED Silver certification.

The $65 million construction contract was awarded to a Design Build Joint Venture partnership of SNC-Lavalin Construction and Aecon Atlantic in 2013 but was constructed by Pomerleau. Architecture and LEED consulting services were provided by A49 of Halifax.

Additionally, SNC-Lavalin collaborated with Texas-based Protection Engineering Consultants to design Tribute Tower in accordance with the United States Unified Facility Criteria (UFC) 4-023-03 standard, making it the first Canadian structure built to this standard. (Source: SNC Lavalin, Daily Commercial News, Contact: SNC Lavalin, www.snclavalin.com; United States Unified Facility Criteria, www.iccsafe.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News SNC-Lavalin ,  LEED Certification,  Canadian Green Building Coucil,  

ExxonMobil,MIT Energy Initiative
Date: 2019-10-21
Irving, Texas-headquartered oil giant ExxonMobil reports it has extended its support of the MIT Energy Initiative's (MITEI) low-carbon energy research and education mission by renewing its status as a founding member for another five years. ExxonMobil first signed on as a member of the initiative in 2014.

With its renewed membership, ExxonMobil will: extend its membership in MITEI's Center for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage CCUS; join MITEI's Center for Energy Storage, which seeks to develop new energy storage technologies for use in renewables-heavy electric power systems, electricity-powered transportation, and other applications; and join MITEI's Mobility Systems Center, its newest Low-Carbon Energy Center.

Among MITEI projects supported by ExxonMobil is a new multi-level energy assessment tool, the Sustainable Energy System Analysis Modelling Environment, which assesses lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from various energy sectors. Other ExxonMobil-supported MITEI research includes an assessment of the future role for carbon capture and storage (CCS)technology in a portfolio of climate mitigation options and a project that models the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of solar power and demonstrates its low carbon intensity.

ExxonMobil will also continue to support energy education through MITEI's undergraduate and graduate programs, including the Energy Fellows Program, which enables graduate students to engage in research in low-carbon energy areas of their choice and prepares them for careers addressing energy and climate challenges.(Source: ExxonMobil, PR, 21 Oct., 2019) Contact: ExxonMobil , Robert Armstrong, www.exxonmobil.com, www.twitter.com/exxonmobil; MIT Energy Initiative, Louis Carranza, Assoc. Dir., energy.mit.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CCUS,  ExxonMobil,  

Aroura Energy Research
Date: 2019-10-18
In a recently published report, Oxford, UK-headquartered Aurora Energy Research notes the UK will need more than 100GW of additional wind and solar capacity and 30GW of short duration energy storage to meet its net-zero grid system obligations.

The report presupposes capacity increases of more than 100GW of solar and wind, rising from 33GW today to more than 140GW in 2050, as well as 20GW of new nuclear and the inclusion of 3GW of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the system.

In this scenario, there could be an 'excess' in renewable generation of 185TWh by 2050. Aurora suggests this could be used to produce hydrogen to decarbonise heating, transport or industry, however. To meet these necessary increases in storage and flexibility, Aurora has called on government, Ofgem, and the system operator to follow three principles: price the externalities, define the system needs and to let the market decide.

Aurora Energy Research is a consultancy which offers data-driven analytics on European and global energy markets to provide intelligence on the global energy transformation through forecasts, reports, forums and consultancy services. (Source: Aroura Energy Research, Current News UK, 16 Oct., 2019) Contact: Aurora Energy Research, Ana Barillas, Principal, Richard Howard, Research Director, +44 (0) 1865 952 700, oxfordoffice@auroraer.com, www.auroraer.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  

Velocys,Bayou Fuels
Date: 2019-10-11
UK-headquartered landfill gas-to-liquid fuels and chemicals producer Velocys Plc and its subsidiary Velocys, Inc. is reporting an agreement with Occidental Petroleum subsidiary Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, LLC (Oxy) under which Oxy will capture and store CO2 from Velocys' planned Bayou Fuels waste woody biomass-to-fuels project in Natchez, Mississippi.

According to OXY, it is uniquely positioned to transport and store the CO2 by leveraging Occidental's industry leadership in CO2 storage and utilization for enhanced oil recobery (EOR). (Source: Velocys, gasworld, 19 Oct., 2019)Contact: Velocys Plc, David Pummell, CEO, +44 1235 841 700, (713) 275-5840 -- Houston Office, info@velocys.com, www.velocys.com; Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, www.oxy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Velocys,  Biofuel,  Biorefinery,  Waste-to-Fuel,  Bayou Fuels,  

Qatar
Date: 2019-10-09
In Qatar, the Ministery of State for Energy Affairs reports the commissioning of a previously unannounced carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility aimed at storing as much as 5 million tonnes of carbon from Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities by 2025.

According to the Ministry announcement, the 2.1 million tpy capacity facility is the region's largest such facility. (Source: Qatar Ministery of State for Energy Affairs, The Peninsula, Reuters, 8 Oct., 2019) Contact: Qatar Minister of State for Energy Affairs, www.gco.gov.qa › ministries › minister-of-state-for-energy-affairs

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Capture,  CO2,  Qatar,  

International CCS Knowledge Centre
Date: 2019-10-09
Tokyo-based Japan CCS Co., Ltd. and the Regina, Saskatchewan-headquartered International CCS Knowledge Centre are reporting a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining plans to collaborate on accelerating the use and understanding of carbon capture utilization and storage (CCS/CCUS).

Japan CCS Co., Ltd. is conducting the Tomakomai CCS Demonstration Project to demonstrate the viability of full-chain CCS in Japan. The International CCS Knowledge Centre will share the experience and lessons-learned from the construction, operation and maintenance of SaskPower's Boundary Dam 3 CCS Facility - the world's first commercial scale, post-combustion CCS facility on a coal-fired power plant.

The International CCS Knowledge Centre was established by BHP and SaskPower with a mandate to advance the global understanding and deployment of large-scale CCS to reduce global GHG emissions. (Source: Japan CCS, International CCS Knowledge Centre, PR, 8 Oct., 2019) Contact: International CCS Knowledge Centre , Mike Monea, President & CEO, www.ccsknowledge.com; Japan CCS Co., Ltd., www.japanccs.com/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News International CCS Knowledge Centre,  CCS,  Boundry Dam,  Saskpower,  ,  

ION Clean Energy,Nebraska Public Power District
Date: 2019-10-02
Boulder, Colorado-based solvent-based CO2 capture technology specialist ION Clean Energy, Inc. reports it has been selected by the U.S. DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and awarded $5.4 million to complete a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study for a 600-mw equivalent, CO2 capture system designed to be retrofitted into Nebraska Public Power District's (NPPD) Gerald Gentleman Station in Sutherland, NE.

The project will provide critical data and insight into the transformative potential of ION's CO2 capture technology when deployed at existing coal-fired power plants.

ION Clean Energy is commercializing its proprietary liquid absorbent process and working with local and global partners to commercialize and deploy its CO2 capture technology. (Source: ION Energy, PR, 1 Oct., 2019) Contact: ION Clean Energy, Alfred "Buz" Brown, CEO, 303.997.7097, info@ioncleanenergy.com, , www.ioncleanenergy.com; Nebraska Public Power District, Pat Pope, CEO, Pres., www.nppd.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Nebraska Public Power District,  ION Clean Energy,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

MEG Energy
Date: 2019-10-02
On the Canadian prairies, Calgary-based MEG Energy reports it is seeking government support for a new carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project that aims to erase emissions from its oil sands facility and possibly from other nearby oil-producing operations.

The company is hoping to have an operational pilot project within two years but has not released costing or other details. (Source:, MEG Energy, CBC, 1 Oct., 2019) Contact: MEG Energy, Derek Evans, CEO, 403-770-0446, www.megenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  

DTE Energy
Date: 2019-09-27
In the Motor City, DTE Energy reports it is committing to achieve net carbon neutrality by the year 2050. To that end, the Detroit utility plans to work on carbon capture and sequestration CCS), energy storage storage technologies, and even "advanced modular nuclear" technology, according to DTE COO Trevor Lauer. (Source: DTE, Michigan NPR, 26 Sept., 2019)Contact: DTE Energy, Trevor Lauer, Pres., COO, Irene Dimitry, VP Business Planning & Development, (313) 235-9994, dimitryi@dteenergy.com, www2.dteenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News DTE Energy,  Carbon Neutral ,  

South African National Energy Development Institute,Global CCS Institute.
Date: 2019-09-20
The Sandon, South Africa-based South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) reports it has joined the Melbourne, Australia-headquartered Global CCS Institute. The move is intended to further the activities of the South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage (SACCCS), a division of SANEDI.

SANEDI's international membership includes governments, global corporations, private companies, research bodies and HGOs that are committed to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as an integral part of a net-zero emissions future.

The South African government has pledged to cut its total CO2 emissions through increased energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear, cleaner mobility and CCS and others. (Source: SANEDI, ESI Africa, 18 Sept., 2019) Contact: SANDEI, Barry Bredenkamp, General Manager, +27 11 038 4300, www.sanedi.org.za; Global CCS Institute. +61 3 8620 7300, , www.globalccsinstitute.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  ,  

US DOE,NETL
Date: 2019-09-16
The U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has announced approximately $110 million in federal funding for cost-shared R&D projects under three funding opportunity announcements (FOAs). Approximately $75M is for awards selected under two FOAs announced earlier this fiscal year; $35M is for a new FOA.

These FOAs further the (Trump) Administration's commitment to strengthening coal while protecting the environment. Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is increasingly becoming widely accepted as a viable option for coal-fired energy sources or gas-fired power plants and other industrial sources to lower their CO2 emissions.

Under the first FOA award, Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) Studies for Carbon Capture Systems on Coal and Natural Gas Power Plants, DOE has selected nine projects to receive $55.4 million for cost-shared R&D. The selected projects will support FEED studies for commercial-scale carbon capture systems.

Under the second FOA award, Regional Initiative to Accelerate CCUS Deployment, DOE selected four projects to receive up to $20 million for cost-shared R&D. The projects also advance existing R&D by addressing key technical challenges; facilitating data collection, sharing, and analysis; evaluating regional infrastructure; and promoting regional technology transfer.

Under the new FOA, , DOE is announcing up to $35 million for cost-shared R&D projects that will accelerate wide-scale deployment of CCUS through assessing and verifying safe and cost-effective anthropogenic CO2 commercial-scale storage sites, and carbon capture and/or purification technologies. These types of projects have the potential to take advantage of the 45Q tax credit for each ton of CO2 sequestered or utilized. The credit was recently increased to $35/metric ton for enhanced oil recovery and $50/metric ton for geologic storage.

Projects selected under this new FOA shall perform the following key activities: complete a detailed site characterization of a commercial-scale CO2 storage site (50 million metric tons of captured CO2 within a 30 year period); apply and obtain an underground injection control class VI permit to construct an injection well; complete a CO2capture assessment; and perform all work required to obtain a National Environmental Policy Act determination for the site.

DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory NETL) will manage the selected projects. (Source: US DOE, Office of Fossil Energy, PR, 13 Sept., 2019)Contact: US DOE Office of Fossil Energy. www.energy.gov/fe/foa-2058-front-end-engineering-design-feed-studies-carbon-capture-systems-coal-and-natural-gas, www.energy.gov/fe; NETL, www.netl.doe.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News NETL,  CCS,  US DOE,  CCUS,  CO2,  Office of Fossil Energy,  

Abu Dhabi,Carbon Emissions
Date: 2019-09-13
In Abu Dhabi, the UAE Energy Ministry reports the oil-soaked nation is planning to generate 50 pct of its energy from renewable sources and slash its carbon emissions by 70 pct by the year 2050 while not "diminishing its role as a supplier of hydrocarbons."

To that end, in February 2018, Abu Dhabi created the Department of Energy to act as a regulator and policy maker for the country's energy sector. The country also implemented significant structural reforms in the energy sector and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company Group (ADNOC) has announced plans to invest $1.8bn by 2023 in carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other measures to reduce carbon emissions.(Source: ADNOC, Oil & Gas, Sept., 2019) Contact: ADNOC Group, www.adnoc.ae

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  

BHP Billiton
Date: 2019-09-13
In the Land Down Under, mining giant BHP Billiton is touting a five-year plan that will see the company spend $400 million on carbon capture and storage (CCS) and other technologies and measures to reduce carbon emissions. The plan also ties the group's executives remuneration packages closer to meeting environmental targets.

According to Group CEO Andrew Mackenzie, "For many years performance against emissions targets has been considered in BHP's executive remuneration plan. From next financial year we will clarify and strengthen this link and further reinforce the strategic importance of action to reduce emissions."

On Dec. 8, 2017, Dr. Fiona Wild, BHP VP for Sustainability and Climate Change, noted "We have knowledge of geology, markets and economics, so there's probably something we can bring to the table here in terms of our understanding around CCS to try to push this technology down the cost curve so it can be more readily available at scale and affordable costs." (Source: BHP, Western Australian, July, 2019) Contact: BHP Billiton, Dr. Fiona Wild, VP Sustainability and Climate Change, +61 3 9609 3333, www.bhpbilliton.com, www.bhp.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News BHP Billiton news,  Climate Change news,  

HeidelbergCement
Date: 2019-09-11
HeidelbergCement reports it has joined a list of leaders from various industries in endorsing Norway's state-owned energy group Equinor's carbon capture and storage (CCS) plans.

HeidelbergCement's Norwegian subsidiary Norcem has been involved in CCS research at its 1.2Mt/yr integrated cement plant in Brevik since 2011. The plant was "shortlisted" by the Norewgian government for its multiple-industry Northern Lights CCS project early last year Beginning in 2023, Equinor will remove 0.4Mt/yr of CO2, half of the plants total CO2 output, from Brevik for storage in empty oil and gas fields beneath the North Sea. (Source: HeidelbergCement, Global Cement News, 6 Sept., 2019) Contact: HeidelbergCement, Dr Bernd Scheifele, CEO, Jan Theulen, Director Alternative Resources, www.heidelbergcement.com; Equinor, Pal Eitrheim, VP New Energy Solutions, www.equinor.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News HeidelbergCement,  Carbon Emissions,  Equinor,  

Equinor,Gassnova
Date: 2019-09-09
In Oslo, Norway's Equinor is reporting steel maker ArcelorMittal, Heidelberg Cement, the Swedish refiner Preem, and the Finish energy firm Fortum Oyi are among the firms signing Memorandums of Agreement (MoU) on joining the Norwegian government's Northern Lights underground carbon dioxide (CO2) storage project offshore Norway. The CCS project is led by Equinor in partnership with Shell and the French energy giant Total.

Industry's commitment is considered crucial for the Norwegian government's investment in the project, which aims at capturing and storing up to 5 million tonnes of CO2 from various industrial sites onshore. The project is expected to cost between $802 million and $1.4 billion to establish a full CCS chain. To date, Norway has spent roughly $92 million on the project which could start operations in 2023 or 2024, according to a Gassnova, a governmental agency in charge of CCS development, report.(Source: Equinor, Gassnova, Reuters, 5 Sept., 2019) Contact: Equinor, Eldar Saetre , CEO, www.equinor.com/en; HeidelbergCement, Dr Bernd Scheifele, CEO, Jan Theulen, Director Alternative Resources, www.heidelbergcement.com; Fortum Oyi, www3.fortum.com; PREEM, Petter Holland, CEO, Pres., +46 (0) 10 459 1000, www.preem.se/en/in-english

More Low-Carbon Energy News GassnovaCCS,  Equinor,  ArcelorMittal,  Heidelberg Cement,  Preem,  Fortum,