Midwest AgEnergy
Date: 2020-07-01
Midwest AgEnergy Group (MAG), the parent company to ethanol biorefinery, Blue Flint, near Underwood, ND and Dakota Spirit, a 75 million gpy biorefinery near Spiritwood, ND, is reporting receipt of $3.4 million in grant funding from the North Dakota Industrial Commission. The funding will be used advance the development of a potential carbon storage (CCS) system at the Blue Flint facility located next to Coal Creek Station near Underwood, ND.

The research will involve drilling a stratigraphic test well to examine the geology near the Blue Flint facility to determine the potential and viability of permanently storing CO2 in a deep saline formation. If the sequestration project is successfully completed, the Blue Flint facility anticipates sequestering approximately 200,000 tpy of CO2. The result of the sequestration will be a lower carbon footprint for the facility and the ability to participate in the IRS 45Q tax credit program, incenting such activities. (Source: Midwest AgEnergy, Daily News, 29 June, 2020) Contact: Midwest AgEnergy, Jeff Zueger, CEO, (701) 442-7500/(701) 251-3900, www.midwestagenergygroup.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Midwest AgEnergy,  Ethanol,  Blue Flint Ethanol,  CCS,  

DRAX,Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Date: 2020-06-26
In the UK, Drax Group and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. (MHIE) are reporting a new 12-month bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) pilot project at the Drax Power Station in the Humber region, North Yorkshire.

The pilot, which is expected to get underway this autumn, will test two of MHI's proprietary solvents -- KS-1TM Solvent which is presently being used at 13 commercial plants including Petra Nova in Texas where it is capturing 1.4 million tpy of CO2 , and KS-21TM Solvent which is designed to achieve significant performance improvements and cost savings, according to MHIE.

Implementing BECCS at Drax could deliver 16 million tpy of negative emissions -- a third of the negative emissions the UK needs from BECCS to reach its zero carbon targets by 2050, according to DRAX. (Source: DRAX, MHI, Cdn. Biomass, 24 June, 2020) Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, +44(0)1757 618381 www.drax.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,  DRAX,  CCS,  Biomass,  

Blue Flint Ethanol
Date: 2020-06-22
The North Dakota Industrial Commission reports it will invest $3.4 million on a project to investigate the suitability of the geology around the Coal Creek Power Plant in Underwood, North Dakota for underground CO2 storage. The Lignite Energy Council also approved the investment. The Coal Creek plant is slated for closure in 2022.

The $7 million project was proposed by Blue Flint Ethanol, also of Underwood. The ethanol plant uses the CO2 in its processing of corn. (Source: Prairie Public Broadcasting News, 22 June, 2020) Contact: Lignite Energy Council, Jason Bohrer, Exec. Dir., 701-258-7117, www.lignite.com; Blue Flint Ethanol -- MidWest Ag Energy, 701-442-7500, 701-442-7514, www.midwestagenergy.com/fccp-blue-flint-19634; Blue Flint Ethanol, Midwest AgEnergy, Jeff Zueger, CEO, (701) 442-7500/(7010 251-3900, www.midwestagenergygroup.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Flint Ethanol,  COs,  CCS,  

Cenergetic
Date: 2020-06-19
In the Palmetto State, the Charleston County School District (CCSD) reports its energy use has fallen by 17 pct since implementing an energy conservation program with Dallas-based K-12 schools energy efficiency specialist Cenergistic.

To find savings, CCSD personnel worked closely with Cenergistic engineers, experts, and energy specialists to audit and optimize energy-using systems across the school district to achieve peak efficiency. Cenergetic tracked energy consumption at all CCSD campuses through state-of-the-art smart technology to identify and correct areas that need immediate attention.

Since 2016, Cenergetic has created more than $7 million in savings, seen 61 different facilities gain ENERGY STAR® certification, and created a culture of sustainability among students and staff. The energy saved from the program equates to avoiding the carbon emissions produced by the average car driving approximately 100 million miles, according to the company. (Source: Cenergetic, Website, June, 2020) Contact: Cenergistic, Dr. Wm. Spears, CEO, (855) 798-7779, info@cenergistic.com, www.cenergistic.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Cenergetic news,  Energy Efficiency news,  

CCS,Norcem,Aker Solutions
Date: 2020-06-17
Aker Solutions and HeidelbergCement-owned Norcem are reporting an agreement to advance the engineering, procurement and construction of a CO2 capture, liquification and intermediate storage plant at Norcem's cement plant in Brevik, Norway.

The project will use Aker Solutions' Advanced Carbon Capture (ACC) technology and its HSE-friendly S26 amine solvent.

The Akers Solutions--Norcem project is subject to Norwegian government approval and funding of the project. If completed, the plant could become the world's first large-scale capture plant at a cement producer. (Source: Aker Solutions, Cement News, 17 June, 2020) Contact: Aker Solutions, Fredrik Berge, Inv. Relations, +47 22 94 62 19, fredrik.berge@akersolutions.com, www.akersolutions.com; Norcem, www.norcem.no

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aker Solutions,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  Norcem,  Cement,  CO2,  

Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Date: 2020-06-15
The state of Wyoming, Japan Coal Energy Center (JCOAL) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are reporting an agreement to jointly advance a carbon capture test project to be conducted at the Wyoming Integrated Test Center at the Dry Fork Station power plant. The tests will cover JCOAL and Kawasaki's novel amines -- chemical compounds that naturally attract carbon dioxide -- use in carbon capture. The project is now under construction.

JCOAL operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan and is supported by more than 120 member coal-related businesses, including Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Nippon Steel and Toshiba. The organization works to promote overall coal activities, from coal mining to the field of coal utilization, toward a stable energy supply, sustainable economic growth and the reduction of the global environment emissions. (Source: Wyoming News Exchange, Laramie Boomerang, 12 June, 2020) Contact: Wyoming Integrated Test Center, 307-635-3573, info@wyomingitc.org, www.wyomingitc.org; JCOAL, www.jcoal.or.jp › eng; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, www.global.kawaski.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Kawasaki Heavy Industries,  JCOAL,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  ,  

Pale Blue Dot
Date: 2020-06-12
In Scotland, Aberdeenshire-headquartered Pale Blue Dot Energy reports it has tapped Jersey-based Petrofac to support front end engineering design and concept work on its Acorn carbon capture and hydrogen production project at the St Fergus gas terminal, near Peterhead. The project has secured funding from the EU and UK and Scottish governments.

Project partners, including Chrysaor, Shell and Total, aim to reform North Sea natural gas into clean hydrogen, with carbon dioxide emissions safely mitigated through the carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure. The Acorn project holds the first UK CO2 appraisal and storage licence to be awarded by the Oil and Gas Authority. (Source: Pale Blue Dot, Thomson Media, 10 June, 2020) Contact: Petrofac Engineeing, Johm Pearson, CEO, www.petrofac.com: Pale Blue Dot, Ian Phillips, Project Director, info@pale-blu.com, www.pale-blu.com; pale-blu.com › acorn

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Pale Blue Dot,  

UNDEERC
Date: 2020-06-10
Reporting from Bismarck, the North Dakota Industrial Commission reports it has awarded $500,000 in Renewable Energy Programme funding to the Energy & Environmental Research Centre at the University of North Dakota (UNDEERC) for the development of North Dakota's ethanol and carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility near Richardson.

Research for the facility will build on the successful outcomes of three phases of work which have been carried out since 2016. A CO2 Storage Facility Permitting Guidance Document will be compiled as part of the project to serve as a resource for other North Dakota renewable energy or biofuel producers interested in pursuing utilization of CCS technology, according to the release. "This project continues to help maximize the marketability of North Dakota ethanol through evolving CCS incentive programmes," the commission noted in a statement. (Source: North Dakota Industrial Commission, 6 June, 2020) Contact: North Dakota Industrial Commission, www.dmr.nd.gov; UNDEERC, 701-777-5000, www.undeerc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News UNDEERC,  CCS,  Ethanol,  

Global CCS Institute
Date: 2020-06-08
The Melbourne, Australia-headquartered Global CCS Institute is reporting the addition of 10 carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities to its global database, bringing the total number of CCS facilities in various stages of development to 59 -- 21 facilities in operation, 3 under construction, and 35 in various stages of development, with a capture capacity of more than 127 million tpy.

The facilities added continue trends in CCS deployment that include innovative applications such as natural gas power, negative emissions and cement, as well as stacked and offshore geologic storage, according to the report.

Download the The Value of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) report HERE. (Source: Global CCS Institute, PR, 8 June, 2020) Contact: Global CCS Institute , Brad Page, CEO, +61 3 8620 7300 , info@globalccsinstitute.com,, www.globalccsinstitute.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Global CCS Institute ,  CCS ,  

Climeworks AG
Date: 2020-06-03
Zurich-headquartered carbon capture technology specialist Climeworks AG reports it raised 73 million Swiss francs ($76 million) in a private funding round -- the biggest private investment in a direct air capture firm to date, according to Climeworks.

Climeworks' technology captures CO2 from the air and stores it in solid state underground. (Source: Climeworks, Bloomberg, June, 2020) Contact: Climeworks, Christoph Gebald, co-CEO, +41 44 533 2999, www.climeworks.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Direct Air Carbon Capture,  Climeworks AG,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Capture,  

Carbon Capture
Date: 2020-06-01
In Washington, the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service this week issued proposed regulations to help businesses understand how legislation passed in 2018 may benefit those claiming carbon capture credits. The proposed regulations provide guidance regarding two new credits for carbon oxide captured using equipment originally placed in service on or after February 9, 2018, allowing up to: $50 per metric ton of qualified CO2 for permanent sequestration, and up to $35 for Enhanced Oil Recovery purposes.

Neither of these new credits is subject to a limitation on the number of metric tons of qualified carbon oxide captured. The new law also expanded carbon capture to include "qualified carbon oxide". Prior to the change in law, carbon capture was limited to a total of 75,000,000 metric tons of qualified carbon oxide.

The proposed regulations address procedures to determine adequate security measures for the geological storage of qualified carbon oxide, exceptions to the general rule for determining who the credit is attributable to, procedures for a taxpayer to make an election to allow third-party taxpayers to claim the credit, standards for measuring utilization of qualified carbon oxide and rules for credit recapture.

In Notice 2020-12, the IRS provides guidance to help businesses determine when construction has begun on a qualified facility or on carbon capture equipment that may be eligible for the carbon capture credit. This notice provides broad guidance in lieu of taxpayers requesting private letter rulings in this area.

In Revenue Procedure 2020-12, the IRS creates a safe harbor for the allocation rules for carbon capture partnerships similar to the safe harbors developed for partnerships receiving the wind energy production tax credit and the rehabilitation credit. The safe harbor simplifies the application of carbon capture credit rules to partnerships able to claim the credit. (Source: US IRS, US Treasury Dept., MyChesCo, 30 May, 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Oxide,  Carbon Monoxide,  CO2,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  Carbon Credit,  

Fluor, Project Tundra
Date: 2020-05-29
Houston headquartered Fluor Corp. reports it has been awarded the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for Minnkota Power Coop's Project Tundra, a carbon capture, utilization and storage retrofit project at the Milton R. Young Station in Center, North Dakota. The work is expected to be completed in Q1, 2021.

For its scope of work, Fluor will leverage its proprietary Econamine FG Plus carbon capture technology -- an energy-efficient and cost-effective process for the removal of CO2 from flue gas streams. The process will incorporate Fluor's advanced solvent formulation together with a number of patented energy savings features.

The FEED is being funded by the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy and managed by its National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) as part of a larger initiative to advance carbon capture technology development. (Source: Fluor Corp., PR, Chem Engineering, 21 May, 2020) Contact: Fluor Corp., www.fluor.com; Minnkota Power Coop, 701-795-4000, www.minnkota.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Project Tundra,  Fluor,  

Ofgem, Energy Networks Association
Date: 2020-05-29
In the UK, Britain's five gas networks -- Cadent, National Grid, NGN, SGN, and Wales & West Utilities have outlined a "Zero Carbon Commitment" and plan to spend £904 million on zero-carbon energy infrastructure and hydrogen deployment across the UK, subject to Ofgem funding approval which is expected in July.

If approved, the spending would focus on projects across Britain between 2021 and 2026, under the RIIO-2 price control. The gas networks claim that spending could help the UK use "blue hydrogen" developed from carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, and "green hydrogen" from renewable electricity -- with the latter becoming cost-competitive by 2030.

Under the plan, £446 million would be spent on a new network infrastructure for the industrial use of hydrogen, including £391 million for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects in the north-west of England, Aberdeenshire and the Isle of Grain. A further £264 million would be spent on projects to expand the capacity of local gas networks by connecting hydrogen and bio-methane generation projects and transport refueling stations. £150 million would be used to run large-scale trials for domestic use of hydrogen heating, cooking and transportation and how these are connected to the gas grid. £43 million would be spent to research blending more zero-carbon hydrogen with the natural gas currently used in the UK's gas networks.

According to the Energy Networks Association (ENA), £182 billion could be invested to make hydrogen cost-competitive with the current natural gas-based system and would reduce energy system costs to the UK public by £189 billion by 2050. (Source: ENA, edie, 28 May. 2020) Contact: Energy Networks Association, www.energynetworks.org; OFGEM, Chris Lock, +44 0207 901 7225, www.ofgem.gov.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Blue Carbon,  Ofgem,  Net-Zero Emissions,  

Aker Solutions
Date: 2020-05-29
Norwegian engineering firm Aker Solutions reports its mobile carbon capture and storage (CCS) test facility at oil major Preem's hydrogen gas plant refinery in Lysekil, Sweden, has begun test operations. Full-scale operations are slated for later this year when the project reduces the Lysekil refinery emissions by 500,000 metric tpy -- one-third of the refinery's total annual CO2 emission -- according to the company.

The project, a collaboration between Sweden's largest fuel company Preem, Aker Solutions, Chalmers University of Technology, Equinor, and the Norwegian research institute SINTEF, is funded by the Swedish Energy Agency and the Norwegian research and development programme CLIMIT. (Source: Aker Solutions, Website, 27 May, 2020) Contact: Aker Solutions , Luis Araujo, CEO, +47 67 51 30 00, +47 67 82 69 50 fax, www.akersolutions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aker Solutions,  CCS,  

DOE Office of Fossil Energy
Date: 2020-05-29
A federally-funded carbon capture facility is planned for a site adjacent to Mississippi Power's Kemper County Energy Facility. The facility will be managed by the Southern States Energy Board and will receive $17.4 million in federal grants and $6.1 million in non-DOE funds for a total of $23.59 million. Up to 900 million metric tpy of CO2 emissions from three Southern Company power which will be stored underground.

On April 24, the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy announced $131 million in grants for carbon capture, utilization and storage research and development. Five projects, including the one in Kemper County, were selected for funding. The other carbon capture projects receiving DOE grants include:

The Illinois Storage Corridor will construct two capture facilities and receive $25 million.

The San Juan Basin in New Mexico will store carbon emissions from a nearby power plant, with some of the carbon dioxide to be stored at a site in northwest New Mexico and the rest sent via pipeline for enhanced oil recovery in the Permian Basin. The project will receive $21.9 million.

The North Dakota project will store carbon emissions from a nearby coal-fired power plant and receive $24.9 million in federal funds.

Wyoming will build three storage sites to handle carbon emissions from a coal-fired power plant and will receive federal grants totally $19.1 million.

The projects will assess safe and cost-effective commercial scale geologic storage sites and examine the technological and economic viability of carbon capture or purification technologies and the National Energy Technology Laboratory will manage the selected projects.

The $7.5 billion Kemper County plant was originally intended to be fueled by synthesis gas produced from lignite coal and was to have to have removed 65 pct of the carbon emissions and other byproducts from the gas stream for sale to industrial customers. The plant was supposed to cost $2.4 billion, but the cost ballooned by 212.5 percent to $7.5 billion. (Source: U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy, Northside Sun, 27 May, (2020) Contact: U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy, www.energy.gov › office-fossil-energy

More Low-Carbon Energy News DOE Office of Fossil Energy news,  

MAN Energy Solutions
Date: 2020-05-27
Augsburg, Germany-headquartered MAN Energy Solutions, a unit of VW, reports it has contracted for the engineering of three RG compressor trains for a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project in the Netherlands. The Port of Rotterdam Authority, Energie Beheer Nederland B.V. and N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie are jointly developing the Port of Rotterdam CO₂ Transport Hub and Offshore Storage (PORTHOS) project.

When completed, PORTHOS will store approximately 2.5 million tpy of CO2 beneath the North Sea. The CO2 will be captured by various companies in the Rotterdam port area which accounts for roughly 16 pct of the Netherlands total CO2 emissions, according to the release.

MAN Energy Solutions' scope of work for Porthos covers the engineering of two RG 25-4 and one RG 31-4 type compressor trains with an order for three additional units intended at a later stage. PORTHOS is expected to store the first CO2 by the end of 2023. (Source: MAN Energy Solutions, WoldOil, 26 May, 2020) Contact: MAN Energy Solutions, Uwe Lauber, CEO, www.man-es.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CCUS,  Carbon Capture & Storage,  

MAN Energy Solutions
Date: 2020-05-27
Augsburg, Germany-headquartered , a unit of VW, reports it has contracted for the engineering of three RG compressor trains for a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) project in the Netherlands. The Port of Rotterdam Authority, Energie Beheer Nederland B.V. and N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie are jointly developing the Port of Rotterdam CO2 Transport Hub and Offshore Storage (PORTHOS) project.

When completed, PORTHOS will store approximately 2.5 million tpy of CO2 beneath the North Sea. The CO2 will be captured by various companies in the Rotterdam port area which accounts for roughly 16 pct of the Netherlands total CO2 emissions, according to the release.

MAN Energy Solutions' scope of work for Porthos covers the engineering of two RG 25-4 and one RG 31-4 type compressor trains with an order for three additional units intended at a later stage. Porthos is expected to store the first CO2 under the North Sea by the end of 2023. The finalization of MAN's engineering contract is scheduled for late-summer 2020. (Source: MAN Energy Solutions, WoldOil, 26 May, 2020) Contact: MAN Energy Solutions, Uwe Lauber, CEO, www.man-es.com

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

North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center
Date: 2020-05-22
The University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) reports it has been awarded nearly $17 million last month from the U.S. DOE Office of Fossil Energy for a project that will directly support Project Tundra, a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) research and development project led by Grand Forks-based Minnkota Power Cooperative. The EERC is the lead on the CarbonSAFE effort, which is a facet of the project that is looking at CO2 storage options for Project Tundra, according to the release.

Another $7.9 million in non-DOE funding from the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC), through Minnkota, as well as Computer Modelling Group Ltd. and Schlumberger, brings the total funding to $24.9 million for the CarbonSAFE Phase III project. DOE recently awarded a total of $131 million for cost-shared R&D CCUS projects in the U.S.

Project Tundra is currently in the advanced R&D phase. If the project moves forward, construction will commence in 2022–2023. (Source: UND Today, University of North Dakota, PR, 19 May, 2020) Contact: Minnkota Power Co-op, Mac McLennan, Pres., CEO, 701-795-4000, www.minnkota.com; UND EERC, Charlie Gorecki, CEO, 701.777.5000, eercinfo@undeerc.org, www.undeerc.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center news,  Project Tundra news,  CCS news,  Minnkota news,  

Shell Oil
Date: 2020-05-19
"CCS is a crucial technology to help society and economies thrive through the energy transition. We appreciate the leadership shown by the Norwegian government to accelerate the development of CCS value chains and believe that the Northern Lights carbon dioxide  solution has the potential to unlock investment in capture projects across Europe." -- Syrie Crouch, CCS VP, Shell Oil

More Low-Carbon Energy News Northern Light,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  

TOTAL, Equinor, Shell
Date: 2020-05-19
International Energy giants Equinor, Shell and TOTAL are reporting agreement on the planned $685 million Northern Lights -- North Sea carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

The project to be located off the Norwegian coast would capture and sequester 5 million tpy of CO2 from some of the EU's heaviest emitters.

A final investment decision on the project hinges on approval by the Norwegian authorities and rubber-stamping by the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

"The Northern Lights project could become the first step to develop a value chain for CCS, which is vital to reach the global climate goals of the Paris Agreement," according to Equinor Exec.VP Anders Opedal. (Source: Total, Equinor, Shell Oil, ReCharge, 15 May, 2020) Contact: Equinor, www.equinor.com; TOTAL, Investor Relations: +44 (0) 207 719 7962 l, ir@total.com, www.total.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News TOTAL,  Equinor,  Shell ,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

TOTAL
Date: 2020-05-19
Paris-based energy giant TOTAL reports it is partnering with UK start-up Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC) to develop new quantum algorithms to improve Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) materials and technologies.

TOTAL presently invests up to 10 pct of its $1 billion annual R&D effort on CCS related technologies and initiatives. TOTAL is working on nanoporous materials (adsorbents) that could eventually be used to trap the CO2 emitted by the Group's industrial operations or those of other major emitters. Absorbents could also be used to capture CO2 directly from the air (Direct Air Capture or DAC).

(Source: TOTAL, PR, Business Wire, 15 May, 2020) Contact: TOTAL, Investor Relations: +44 (0) 207 719 7962 l, ir@total.com, www.total.com; Cambridge Quantum Computing, www.cambridgequantum.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News TOTAL,  CCUS,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Capture,  Direct Air,  

JX Nippon
Date: 2020-05-15
In the Lone Star State, Houston-headquartered engineering, procurement, and construction company and former Halliburton subsidiary KBR, Inc. reports it has been awarded a Master Service Agreement (MSA) and Feasibility Study by Tokyo-based JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp.

The Feasibility study will assess options for Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), alongside blue hydrogen production relating to oil and gas fields in South East Asia, a region where JX Nippon continues to expand on its global track record of CCS/CCUS projects.

Under the agreement, KBR's Singapore hub will provide technical consultancy services in relation to developing concepts and technology recommendations for the capture of CO2, reinjection, and production of blue (i.e. carbon free) hydrogen. KBR will also evaluate the feasibility of conversion and transport of hydrogen in other forms for sale into the market, including liquified cryogenic hydrogen, liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), ammonia, and methanol (utilizing CO2). (Source: KBR, PR, 13 May, 2020) Contact: JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration, www.nex.jx-group.co.jp › english; KBR, Jay Ibrahim, Pres., Energy Solutions, www.kbr.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  

Midwest AgEnergy,Blue Flint Ethanol
Date: 2020-05-13
North Dakota-based Midwest AgEnergy Group (MAG), the parent company to ethanol biorefineries Blue Flint, near Underwood, North Dakota and Dakota Spirit near Spiritwood, North Dakota, reports they are evaluating alternative thermal energy and utility options to ensure the long-term viability of the Blue Flint facility.

MAG's move is occasioned by Great River Energy's planned 2022 closure of its Coal Creek Station which provides water and steam to the Blue Flint facility. Great River's Spiritwood Station provides steam and electricity to Midwest AgEnergy's Dakota Spirit facility. To ensure long-term operations at the Blue Flint facility the company is:

Assessing the most viable alternative source for water and process heat while preserving the low carbon fuel designation that facility has developed •Evaluating options for using the contract termination payment from Great River Energy to reinvest in economical alternative sources of power and water at the Blue Flint facility

Continuing with the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at Blue Flint. CCS will prevent CO2 from entering the atmosphere and safely store it underground in a geological formation and will decrease the carbon intensity of ethanol fuel produced at the facility

Continuing to utilize the steam and water services provided by Coal Creek through its scheduled operations into the second half of 2022 and implement changes to allow operations well beyond 2022. The company notes it foresees little to no impact to the Dakota Spirit facility and plans to continue long-term biorefinery operations. (Source: Midwest AgEnergy Group , 11 May, 2020) Contact: Midwest AgEnergy, Jeff Zueger, CEO, (701) 442-7500, www.midwestagenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Midwest AgEnergy,  Ethanol,  Blue Flint Ethanol,  

Newcastle University,
Date: 2020-05-08
In the UK, Newcastle University researchers are touting a new class of self-forming silver membrane to separate carbon dioxide from a mixture of gases. Operating like a coffee filter, it lets harmless gases, such as nitrogen, exit into the atmosphere and then the CO2 can be processed.

In a method never tried before and described in the research paper, aluminum oxide supports in pellet and tubular form were used to grow the silver membrane. Silver was added to the membrane, and the conditions experienced during operation forced the silver to grow within the membrane, bestowing higher performance.

The researchers used X-ray micro-computed tomography to look inside the membrane and confirm that the permeation of CO2 and O2 stimulated self-assembly of silver dendrites.

The researchers believe the system may be applicable for use in CO2 separation processes, either to protect the environment or in reaction engineering. Researchers also note "the performance of the membrane is at the level required to be competitive with existing carbon capture processes -- in fact, it would likely reduce the size of the equipment required significantly and potentially lower operating costs." (Source: Newcastle University, Website, Technology Networks, May 04, 2020) Contact: Newcastle University, Dr. Greg Mutch, www.ncl.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

UK Oil and Gas Authority
Date: 2020-05-08
The UK's oil regulator UK Oil and Gas Authority has unveiled plans to force North Sea operators to meet the government's 2050 net-zero carbon by 2050 goals.

To that end, the Authority proposes to amend its principle objective of maximizing economic recovery to bring in a number of low carbon obligations on operators, who would be open to penalties if they are not met. Changes include reducing flaring and emissions as much as possible, fully assessing low carbon development options like platform electrification, and requiring "good faith" negotiations on carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Greenpeace noted "the Oil and Gas Authority's plan to achieve net-zero is unworkable, because it demands a continued reliance on fossil fuels, which is destroying our climate -- what we really need is a zero-carbon economy." (Source: UK Oil and Gas Authority, Energy Voice, Evening Standard, 6 May, 2020) Contact: UK Oil and Gas Authority, Mike Tholen, Sustainability Director, Andy Samuel, CEO, +44 0300 020 1010, oga.correspondence@ogauthority.co.uk, www.ogauthority.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK Oil and Gas Authority,  CCS,  Net-Zero Emissions,  CO2 ,  

Iceland
Date: 2020-05-08
In Reykjavik, the Icelandic government has announced several new environmental policies and proposals including grants totaling 550 million ISK ($3,750,000 US) to projects addressing climate change.

Of the total 550 million ISK, roughly 200 million ISK will be invested in projects aiming to naturally store carbon dioxide long-term in order to reduce levels of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Carbon sequestration is a key part of the government's plan to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement's terms.

Additional grants totaling 75 million ISK will support the creation of new birch forests; 25 million ISK will address land reclamation projects; 60 million ISK for land quality recovery schemes; and 20 million ISK will be dedicated to wetland recovery.

A further 300 million ISK will be used to reduce Iceland's energy consumption and 50 million ISK has been earmarked for the government's recently launched climate fund to support climate change research and projects raising awareness of the impacts of global warming.

The release notes the government aims to reduce carbon emissions by 40 pct by 2030. (Source: : Iceland Minister for the Environment, Reykjavik Grapevine, 1 May, 2020) Contact: Iceland Minister for the Environment, Gudmundur Ingi Guobrandsson, www.government.is/ministries/ministry-for-the-environment-and-natural-resources

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

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology,
Date: 2020-05-06
The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) is reporting the carbon capture project at San Juan Generating Station has scored $22 million in cooperative funding for a northwest New Mexico site analysis.

Data and analyses produced under the funding agreement will be used to prepare, submit and attain a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency to potentially construct a CO2 injection well, that would allow for geologic sequestration of 50 million metric tonnes of CO2. Of the total funding, $17.5 million came from the US DOE and $4.5 million is in cost sharing from the other parties to the agreement. (Source: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, PR, 4 May, 2020) Contact: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Dr. Robert Balch , Petroleum Recovery Research Centre , 575-835-5434, www.nmt.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology,  ,  

USDA Forest Service
Date: 2020-05-04
USDA Forest Service reports the release of its Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals from Forest Land, Woodlands, and Urban Trees in the United States, 1990-2018 report, a state-by-state overview of carbon emissions and related trends and details on deforestation and reforestation across the 49 continental states. Estimates of carbon movement from the atmosphere into living trees, dead wood, and soil as well as state-by-state estimates of emissions from forest fires is included.

The Forest Service scientists quantified the contribution of forests, harvested wood products, and urban trees to carbon capture and storage. They found that, collectively, these natural systems account for more than 95 pct of Earth's terrestrial carbon sink. The atmospheric carbon absorbed by forests, harvested wood, and urban trees is equal to more than 11 pct of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States each year between 1990 and 2018.

Download the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals from Forest Land, Woodlands, and Urban Trees in the United States, 1990-2018 report HERE. (Source: USDA Forest Service, April, 2020) Contact: U.S. Forest Service, www.fs.usda.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  USDA Forest Service,  Carbon Emissions,  

CCS,Norcem,Aker Solutions
Date: 2020-05-04
Oslo-based HeidelbergCement subsidiary cement manufacturer Norcem is reporting as much as 400,000 tpy of carbon dioxide could be captured and stored at what is set to become the world's first full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility for cement production, if government construction funding is approved. The project, which would use Aker Solutions carbon capture technology, would be constructed at a Norcem cement plant in Brevik.

The project has received necessary safety and quality certifications and could break ground in January 2021. Building the full-scale CCS system and operating it for five years is estimated to cost $1 billion. (Source: Norcem, ENR, May, 2020) Contact: Aker Solutions, Fredrik Berge, Inv. Relations, +47 22 94 62 19, fredrik.berge@akersolutions.com, www.akersolutions.com; Norcem, www.norcem.no

More Low-Carbon Energy News Aker Solutions,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  Norcem,  Cement,  CO2,  

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Date: 2020-04-29
The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NM Tech) is reporting receipt of $17.5 million in US DOE funding to study the safe storage of CO2 in underground saline reservoirs near the San Juan Generating Station. An additional $4.4 million in afunding will come from Enchant Energy and NM Tech funds.

The data obtained from the $22 million effort will be used to prepare, submit and obtain a permit to construction a Class VI well to store CO2 captured from the power plant if Enchant Energy successfully retrofits San Juan Generating Station with carbon capture technology. The Class VI wells are intended to store carbon dioxide in a safe and secure manner for at least 990 years.

Other recently funded CCS projects include:

Approximately $25.4 million for the Illinois Storage Corridor

Nearly $23.6 million for an early carbon dioxide storage complex in Kemper County, Mississippi

Roughly $25 million for a carbon dioxide storage well project in North Dakota as part of Minnkota Power's Project Tundra

About $19.1 million for a storage complex project in Campbell County, Wyoming, that would use CO2 captured from the coal-fired Dry Fork Station. (Source: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Farmington Daily Times, 27 April, 2020) Contact: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Robert Balch, Dir, Petroleum Recovery Research Center at New Mexico Tech, 575-835-5434, www.nmt.edu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Storage,  CCS,  CO2,  New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology ,  

HyNet
Date: 2020-04-24
In the UK, the HyNet hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCS) project reports receipt of Government funding to map out the northwestern region's journey to becoming the country's first net-zero carbon industrial sector by 2040.

The £120,000 project, which is jointly funded by UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) under the Industrial Decarbonization Challenge Fund (IDCF), will help determine how the North West region will decarbonise and meet its goal. The region -- Cheshire, parts of North East Wales, Warrington, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester -- which collectively generates roughly 6 million tpy of industrial CO2 emissions. (Source: HyNet, GasWorld, 22 April, 2020) Contact: UK Research & Innovation Industrial Decarbonization Challenge Fund, www.ukri.org/innovation/industrial-strategy-challenge-fund/industrial-decarbonisation

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  Carbon Storage,  CCS,  Hydrogen,  Carbon Captur,  

University of East Anglia Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Date: 2020-04-15
"A rapid proliferation of low-carbon innovations distributed throughout our energy system, cities and homes can help drive faster and fairer progress towards climate targets.

"Big new infrastructure costing billions is not the best way to accelerate decarbonisation. Governments, firms, investors and citizens should instead prioritize smaller-scale solutions which deploy faster. This means directing funding, policies, incentives and opportunities for experimentation away from the few big and towards the many small projects.

"Large 'silver bullet' technologies like nuclear power or carbon and capture storage (CCS) are politically seductive, but larger scale technologies and infrastructures absorb large shares of available public resources without delivering the rapid decarbonization we need." -- Charlie Wilson, University of East Anglia Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. Contact: Charlie Wilson, +44 (0)1603 591386, charlie.wilson@uea.ac.uk, www.tyndall.ac.uk

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

Liquid Wind,Carbon Clean Solutions, Haldor Topsoe,
Date: 2020-04-01
Goteborg, Sweden-based Liquid Wind, Axpo, COWI, London-based Carbon Clean Solutions, Haldor Topsoe, Nel Hydrogen and Siemens are reporting joining forces in a "power-to-fuel" project to convert CO2 emissions into cost-effective carbon neutral fuel.

The stakeholders will combine their expertise and technology to capture waste carbon dioxide (CCU) and combine this with hydrogen, made from renewable electricity and water, to produce renewable methanol (eMethanol.

Six individual 45,000 tpy facilities are planned across Scandinavia by 2030 with the first project in Sweden expected to be in production by 2023. The consortium aims to standardize the eMethanol facility and blueprint a 'digital twin for efficient replication than can be scaled and licensed internationally. The project is supported by a €1.7 million investment from EIT InnoEnergy. (Source: Liquid Wind, Manifold Times, 31 Mar., 2020) Contact: Liquid Wind, Claes Fredriksson, Founder & CEO, info@liquidwind.se,www.liquidwind.se; Carbon Clean Solutions Ltd., Aniruddha Sharma, CEO, +44 (0) 20 3755 1600, ccs@kekstcnc.com, www.carboncleansolutions.com; Haldor Topsoe, Morten Schaldemose, , EVP, www.topsoe.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Low Carbon Fuel,  Marine Fuel,  Methanol,  Hydrogen,  Carbon Clean Solutions,  Haldor Topsoe,  

Minnkota Power
Date: 2020-03-30
Further to our 14th Jan., 2019 coverage, Grand Forks, Minnesota-based Minnkota Power Cooperative reports its planned Project Tundra CCS project is expected to capture 90 pct of carbon emissions from a single unit of the 455-MW lignite coal-fired 1970s-era Milton R. Young Station power plant in the city of Center. The project calls for carbon to be pumped into an underground geologic storage area on land underneath the lignite mine that supplies coal to the plant.

The planned project has received $30 million in federal and $15 million funding from the North Dakota Lignite Research Fund. The University of North Dakota is collaborating with Minnkota on developing the system with ALLETE Clean Energy and ALLETE subsidiary BNI Energy assisting with the development. (Source: Minnkota Power,Ap., 2020) Contact: Minnkota Power, Stacey Dahl, External Affairs, 701-795-4000, www.minnkota.com; Project Tundra, www.projecttundrand.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Minnkota Power ,  CCS,  Allete,  

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,