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,  

Equinor,Ervia
Date: 2019-09-06
In Dublin, the Irish state utility company Ervia reports it has inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Norwegian firm Equinor -- f.k.a. Statoil -- to undertake research on the potential for Ireland to benefit from Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

Under the MoU, Eriva will work with Equinor and the Norwegian Government's wider "Northern Lights" project which aims to drive CCS development across Europe. If successful, this would see carbon emissions from Ireland's electricity production and large industry captured and exported via ship to be permanently stored in Norway's geological reserves in the North Sea.

Ervia, previously known as Bord Gais or Bord Gais Eireann, is a multi-utility company distributing pipeline natural gas, water services and dark fiber services in Ireland. (Source: Business Irish, Ervia, 5 Sept., 2019) Contact: Ervia, Cathal Marley, CEO, +44 01 823 0300www.ervia.ie

More Low-Carbon Energy News Equinor,  Bord Gais,  CCS,  Carbon Emissions,  

ExxonMobil, Mosaic Materials
Date: 2019-08-28
Irving, Texas-headquartered petroleum and energy giant ExxonMobil reports it is partnering with US-based Mosaic Materials Inc. to explore breakthrough technologies that can remove carbon dioxide from emissions sources. The two companies will evaluate opportunities for industrial uses of the technology at scale.

ExxonMobil V.P for R&D, Vijay Swarup, noted "New technologies in carbon capture will be critical enablers for us to meet growing energy demands, while reducing emissions. Our agreement with Mosaic expands our carbon capture technology research portfolio, which is evaluating multiple pathways -- including evaluation of carbonate fuel cells and direct air capture -- to reduce costs and enable large-scale deployment."

Mosaic's technology utilizes porous solids known as metal-organic frameworks to selectively remove impurities such as CO2 from gas mixtures in an array of applications from submarines to power plants, according to the company website.

With a working interest in approximately 20 pct of the world's total carbon capture capacity, ExxonMobil has been able to capture about 7 million tpy of carbon dioxide and has cumulatively captured more of it than any other company since 1970, according to the company. (Source: ExxonMobil, TradeArabia News Service, 27 Aug., 2019)Contact: ExxonMobil, Vijay Swarup, VP ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., William M. Colton, VP Strategic Planning, www.exxonmobil.com; Mosaic Materials, John Husk, VP, Bus. Dev., www.mosaicmaterials.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Exxon,  Mosaic Materials,  CO2,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

Boundary Dam,SaskPower
Date: 2019-08-23
On the Canadian Prairies, SaskPower and the Estvan Mercury are reporting the carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility at SaskPower's Boundary Dam Power Station captured 80,530 tonnes of CO2 in July -- an average of 2,598 tpd with a peak one-day capture rate of 2,871 tonnes.

The 80,530 tonnes of CO2 captured in July marked about 80 pct capacity for CO2 for the second consecutive month. The 12-month average for tonnes of CO2 captured was 51,297 tonnes, or about 51 pct.

Since start-up in October 2014, the facility has captured over 2.8 million tonnes of CO2. (Source: SaskPower, Estevan Mercury, 21 Aug., 2019) Contact: SaskPower, Mike Marsh, Pres., CEO, (306) 566-2121, www.saskpower.com

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

Public Service Co. of New Mexico,Enchant Energy
Date: 2019-08-19
In an effort to avoid the scheduled 2022 shut down of Public Service Co. of New Mexico's (PSNM) coal-fired San Juan Generating Station, Farmington New Mexico city officials are reporting an agreement with Enchant Energy Corp., also of Farmington.

Under the agreement, the city would keep its 5 pct share in the plant and Enchant Energy Corp. would acquire a 95 pct ownership interest from other utilities that will be divesting in the plant. Enchant Energy would also pay for installation of new emissions equipment and carbon capture technology. The company anticipates an estimated $1.23 billion investment in the project but notes it could benefit from federal tax credits associated with investments in carbon-capture technology.

Enchant Energy seeks to capture CO2 for sequestration purposes and electricity production by investing in state-of-the-art environmental technology at San Juan Generating Station. These activities are intentionally designed to further New Mexico's dual goals of substantially reducing its statewide CO2 output and supporting New Mexico's economy by employing hundreds of people in San Juan County and on the Navajo Nation by providing reliable, low-cost wholesale electricity, according to the company website. (Source: Public Service Co. of New Mexico, Durango Herald, AP, 17 Aug., 2019) Contact: Public Service Co. of New Mexico, Pat O'Connell, Dir. Resource Planning, (505) 241-2700, www.pnm.com; Enchant Energy, Jason Selch, CEO, (505) 436-1828, info@enchantenergy.com, (505) 436-1828, www.enchantenergy.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Enchant Energy,  Public Service Co. of New Mexico,  Coal,  CCS,  

Oslor Norway,Carbon Emissions
Date: 2019-08-12
The Norwegian capital city of Oslo -- pop. 634,200 +- -- reports it has targeted a 95 pct reduction in carbon dioxide emission by the year 2030 but did not reveal the anticipated costs of reaching it goal. The target of 95 percent is compared to 2009 emissions.

To reach its goal, the city government wants all vehicles in the city to be "emission free," although they did not want to go so far as to talk of an outright ban on petrol and diesel cars. Oslo is this year's European Green Capital and the municipality also wants to reduce car traffic overall by a third compared to 2015, emphasising public transport, bicycle paths and pedestrian walkways. The city has also a carbon capture and storage mechanism at a city waste incineration plant.

Oslo mayor Raymond Johansen described his city's goal as the "most ambitious climate strategy of any major city in the world," (Source: City of Oslo, ET Auto, AFP, 10 Aug, 2019) Contact: City of Oslo, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oslo

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

UK National Grid
Date: 2019-08-09
According to the UK National Grid's latest Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report, Great Britain could reach net-zero carbon in its electricity grid by 2050 -- if "immediate action" is taken across all key energy technology and policy areas, such as increased energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS), and "at a significantly greater scale than assumed."

The report outlines five "credible pathways and scenarios for the future of energy" over the next 30 years. Two of the scenarios meet the country's old 2050 target of an 80 pct reduction in GHG emissions by 2050, and a new "standalone sensitivity analysis on how net-zero carbon emissions could potentially be achieved by 2050."

The report notes that achieve net-zero, British homes would need to use at least one-third less energy for heating by 2050 than today, while the electricity system would need to operate using only zero-carbon generation, and the power sector would need to deliver negative emissions, using technologies like biomass and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).

Report details HERE. (Source: UK National Grid, July, 2019) Contact: UK National Grid, Kayte O'Neill, Head of Strategy and Regulation, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK National Grid,  Net-Zero Carbon,  CCUS,  CCS,  CO2,  

Low-Carbon Energy, UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
Date: 2019-07-29
In London, the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is touting renewable and nuclear energy fund proposals it says are critically important in reaching net-zero emissions. The proposals explore the use of the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) finance approach to attract significant private investment in major infrastructure projects like the Thames Tideway Tunnel which used the RAB model to reduce the cost of financing and risk for developers while limiting the long term impact on consumer energy costs.

The RAB funding model could also be used to reduce the costs of carbon dioxide storage. A funding model similar to the Contracts for Difference scheme, which provides developers with a set price for low-carbon electricity will be explored alongside other options to deliver investment in Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) power projects while cutting emissions. The government aims to roll out the technology at scale by the 2030s, subject to costs coming down, as part of its commitment to become a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

To that end, the government has committed £170 million towards deploying technologies like carbon capture and hydrogen networks in industrial clusters to support establishment of the world's first net-zero industrial cluster by 2040. Additionally, industry will consider investing up to £261 million in new technologies to reduce emissions. Plans have also been announced to make it easier to recycle oil and gas infrastructure for use in CCUS projects, including using some of the 20,000 km of pipelines and depleted oil and gas reservoirs to transport and store CO2. Great Britain is aiming to completely phase out coal by 2025. (Source: UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) , PR, 23 July, 2019) Contact: BEIS, +44 0 20 7215 5000, enquiries@beis.gov.uk, www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCUS,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  Net-Zero Emissions,  BEIS,  

Canadian Natural Resources
Date: 2019-07-26
Calgary, Alberta-based Canadian Natural Resources, Canada's largest oil and gas producer reports it is aiming to achieve zero emissions in its oil sand operation by procuring innovating technologies, but has not indicated when or how it intended to achieve its goal.

The company also noted it was one of the biggest carbon capture players in the market ranking fifth when it comes to carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) capacity. The also noted it cut its GHG emissions by 20 pct in the year 2014 and has stopped venting at primary heavy oil operations in Alberta by 72 pctt since 2014. (Source: Canadian Natural Resources, OilPrice, Industry Journal Pro, CBC News, 25 July, 2019) Contact: Canadian Natural Resources, Steve Laut, https://twitter.com, www.cnrl.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News GHG Emissions,  Net-Zero Carbon Emissions,  CO2,  CCS,  

BHP Billiton,Carbon Engineering,Climate Change
Date: 2019-07-24
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, 22 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,  Climate Change,  

CCS
Date: 2019-07-19
g The recently released global Carbon Capture and Sequestration Market Report analyzes various trends, obstructions, and challenges faced by the leading CCS players and competitors in the global and regional markets.

The report delivers an in-depth analysis of the industrial value chain, Information and data by manufacturer, by type, application and others.

Download CCS report sample HERE. Access CCS report details HERE. (Source: Market Research Pioneer, 18 July, 2019) Contact: MR Pioneer, Elvis Fernandes , 513. 549. 5911 (U.S.) , +44 203 318 2846 (U.K.) , sales@marketresearchvision.com, www.marketresearchvision.com

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

UK National Grid
Date: 2019-07-17
According to the UK National Grid's latest Future Energy Scenarios (FES) report, Great Britain could reach net-zero carbon in its electricity grid by 2050 -- if "immediate action" is taken across all key energy technology and policy areas, such as increased energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS), and "at a significantly greater scale than assumed."

The report outlines five "credible pathways and scenarios for the future of energy" over the next 30 years Two of the scenarios meet the country's old 2050 target of an 80 pct reduction in GHG emissions by 2050, and a new "standalone sensitivity analysis on how net-zero carbon emissions could potentially be achieved by 2050."

The report notes that achieve net-zero, British homes would need to use at least one-third less energy for heating by 2050 than today, while the electricity system would need to operate using only zero-carbon generation, and the power sector would need to deliver negative emissions, using technologies like biomass and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).

Report details HERE. (Source: UK National Grid, ReNew Economy, July, 2019) Contact: UK National Grid, Kayte O'Neill, Head of Strategy and Regulation, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News UK National Grid,  Net-Zero Carbon,  

SaskPower
Date: 2019-07-17
On the Canadian prairies, SaskPower reports its Boundary Dam Power Station carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility captured 81,417 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) this past June. The facility was online 99.4 pct of the month, as opposed to the previous 12 months when it was online only 40.7 pct of the time.

The facility's volume of CO2 captured last month meant the facility was operating at 84 pct capacity, compared to the 12-month average of about 44.6 pct. Since its October 2014 opening, the facility has captured a total of 2,725,661 tonnes of CO2, according to SaskPower. (Source: SaskPower, Estevan Mercury, 16 July, 2019) Contact: SaskPower, Mike Marsh, Pres., CEO, (306) 566-2121, www.saskpower.com

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

New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund
Date: 2019-07-12
The Keeling Curve Prize is reporting two San Francisco Bay Area organizations -- Opus 12, based in Berkeley, and the Oakland-based New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund (NEX/CalCEF) -- have been awarded $25,000 apiece for developing promising global warming solutions.

The Keeling Curve Prize recognizes ideas in the areas of Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU), Energy Access, Transportation, Finance, and Social & Cultural Impacts, that either effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions or increase carbon uptake, according to a June 28 Keeling Curve Prize press release.

The Opus 12 team was one of the Carbon Capture & Utilization winners, and the NEX/CalCEF team was one of the Finance winners. The Opus 12 award-winning device takes CO2 and water and produces high-value chemicals and fuels that are conventionally made with petroleum. The technology diminishes emissions and produces the "critical products that are the building blocks of modern civilization." The process can generate 16 different products, including ethylene, a precursor for most plastics, methane and syngas, according to the Opus 12 website.

The NEX/CalCEF team developed a "qualified clean energy opportunity zoning fund" which supports energy entrepreneurs, according to the Keeling Curve Prize website.

The NEX/CalCEF team developed a "qualified clean energy opportunity zoning fund" which supports energy entrepreneurs, according to the Keeling Curve Prize website. (Source: Keeling Curve Prize, PR, Daily Californian, 11 July, 2019) Contact: New Energy Nexus/California Clean Energy Fund, hello@newenergynexus.com,www.newenergynexus.com; Keeling Curve Prize, Jacquelyn Francis, Dir., director@kcurveprize.org, www.kcurveprize.org; Opus 12, www.opus-12.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCU,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  Climate Change,  

Carbon Capture and Storage
Date: 2019-07-12
The Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Market is projected to grow at moderate CAGR during the period 2018-2024, according to this research report which provides granular analysis of market share and market dynamics, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market.

Review report details HERE.

Request a sample Report HERE. (Source: Market Study Report, PR, July, 2019) Contact: Market Study Report LLC, (302) 273-0910, sales@marketstudyreport.com, www.marketstudyreport.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture and Storage,  CCS,  

Natural Gas
Date: 2019-07-08
"Natural gas has its place on the road to less carbon-intensive energy options. It's a necessary transition phase until renewable energy sources and carbon capture and storage (CCS) become commercially viable for large-scale implementation." -- Professor Francesco Cherubini, NTNU Trondheim - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, July, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Coal,  Natural Gas,  Climate Change,  

OGCI Climate Investments
Date: 2019-07-03
In the UK, Teesside's Clean Gas project on the former SSI steelworks site could become the world's first gas-powered energy plant using carbon capture and storage (CCS)technology at scale with £3.8 million in funding from the federal government. The £18 million project was announced in November by OGCI Climate Investments.

Phase one is a huge power plant, which will run on natural clean gas and could be operational as early as 2024 or 2025. Construction is slated to get underway in 2020.

The UK Government has laid out plans for the UK to be a world-leader in the field of CCS, with its Clean Growth Strategy and last November's CCUS Action Plan.

OGCI companies set a target to reduce the collective average methane intensity of our aggregated upstream gas and oil operations to below 0.25 pct by 2025, with the ambition to achieve 0.20 pct. Starting from a baseline of 0.32 pct in 2017, reaching the 0.20 pct target would translate into greatly reducing our collective methane emissions by more than one-third -- approximately 600,000 tpy of methane -- by the end of 2025, according the OGCI website. (Source: Teeside Live, 27 June, 2019) Contact: OGCI Climate Investments, contact@climateinvestments.energy, www.oilandgasclimateinitiative.com/climate-investments

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  OGCI Climate Investments ,  

ExxonMobil
Date: 2019-07-03
Irving, Texas-headquartered U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil is reporting an agreement with NYC-based Global Thermostat to advance carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology that can capture and concentrate CO2 emissions from the atmosphere and industrial sources with the goal of slowing climate change.

Should the technical readiness and scalability of the technology be determined, pilot projects at ExxonMobil facilities could follow, according to a MobilExxon press release.

As previously reported, ExxonMobil recently committed to spending as much as $100 million over 10 years with the U.S. DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) on research to bring lower-emission tech to commercial scale. (Source: ExxonMobil, PR, 1 July, 2019) Contact: ExxonMobil, Vijay Swarup, VP ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., William M. Colton, VP Strategic Planning, www.exxonmobil.com; Global Thermostat, Dr. Graciela Chichilnisky, CEO, 646-798-6217, www.globalthermostat.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News ExxonMobil,  CCS,  CO2 Emissions,  Carbon Capture,  

Pale Blue Dot,
Date: 2019-06-28
In London, the UK Government is reporting £4.8 million funding to the Aberdeenshire firm Pale Blue Dot Energy for ACORN, a carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) project at St Fergus gas plant near Peterhead, Scotland.

The funding, which is part of a total £26 million spread across nine UK projects aimed at accelerating the rollout of carbon capture technology as the island nation strives for net zero emissions by 2050, will be used to pay for detailed design work on ACORN which, if approved for development, could be completed and commissioned in 2023-24. The ACORN project would use existing oil and gas infrastructure to store CO2 in depleted North Sea oil fields. (Source: Pale Blue Dot Energy, EnergyVoice, 27 June, 2019) Contact: Pale Blue Dot Energy, Emma Anderson, +44 (0) 1330 826890, www.pale-blu.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

Tata Chemical
Date: 2019-06-28
Tata Chemicals Europe (TCE) plans to construct Britain's first industrial-scale carbon capture and utilization (CCU) demonstration plant to trap emissions for use in sodium carbonate manufacturing. The £16.7 million ($21.2 million) project will be located at Tata's Northwich industrial site in Cheshire, England and should start operations in 2021, according to a Reuters report.

Tata's CCU plant will capture, purify and liquefy as much as 40,000 tpy of CO2 from the flue gases of its 96-mw gas-fired combined heat and power plant. The gas will be used in sodium bicarbonate manufacturing. The operation is expected to cut Tata's carbon emissions by 11 pct.

The UK aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. (Source: Tata Chemicals Europe, Reuters, 26 June., 2019) Contact: Tata Chemicals Europe, +44 0 1606 724000, www.tatachemicalseurope.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Tata Chemical,  Carbon Capture,  CCS,  

DRAX
Date: 2019-06-24
In the UK, power plant operator DRAX and Nottingham-startup Deep Branch Biotechnology, a lab located at DRAX's giant power station in Yorkshire, reports the two organizations will explore ways to capture and process CO2 into protein for sustainable animal feed.

Deep Branch Biotechnology is to run the new pilot project within the DRAX power plant's Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS) Incubation Area. For the pilot project, scientists will gather waste CO2 from energy generation and feed it to microbes which will use it to make single-cell proteins that could replace soy and fish meal in fish and livestock feeds.

Deep Branch claims it can convert "up to 60-70 pct of CO2 into protein, helping to both minimize the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere during power generation and other industrial processes, whilst producing protein for animal feeds which will help reduce the impact of agricultural sectors on the environment as well."

The Deep Branch pilot, which is slated to get underway this autumn, aims to capture enough CO2 to produce 100kg of protein. If successful, Deep Branch Biotechnology plans to build a larger production facility by 2020. DRAX has been capturing CO2 since February through its Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) pilot project, which uses technology developed by Leeds University spin-out company C-Capture. (Source: Deep Branch Biotechnology, DRAX, June, 2019) Contact: Deep Branch Biotechnology, Peter Rowe, CEO, info@deepbranchbio.com, www.deepbranchbio.com; DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, www.drax.com; C-Capture, Caspar Schoolderman, Director of Engineering, Tel/Fax +44 0 113 245 0418, www.c-capture.co.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News C-Capture,  CCUS,  DRAX,  CO2,  Carbon Capture,  

IndigoAg
Date: 2019-06-21
"If we took every cultivated acre on earth, which is about 3.5 billion acres, and got it back to 3 pct, that would take 1 trillion tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and it hold it in the soil. A trillion tons of carbon dioxide happens to be the increase that we've had in the atmosphere since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.” -- David Perry, CEO, IndigoAg Contact: Indigo Ag, David Perry, CEO, (844) 828-0240, info@indigoag.com, www.indigoag.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Dioxide,  CO2,  Carbon Storage,  

Rutgers
Date: 2019-06-17
In the Garden State, Rutgers University and Duke Farms in Hillsborough Township report they are collaborating on a study to develop 2,700 acres as an experimental carbon sink to absorb and store atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Higher levels of carbon dioxide are a factor in global warming and climate change.

The Rutgers University researchers, from the New Brunswick, Newark and Camden campuses, will conduct monitoring and research at the largely wooded Duke Farms over five years. The study will begin by compiling baseline data on the presence of carbon in various land types and land management protocols. The Rutgers scientists will then create strategies to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in soil and vegetation. The study will also determine the greenhouse gas emissions supporting the Duke Farms operations compared to the carbon stored on the property. (Source: Rutgers, Bridgewater Courier, 13 June, 2019) Contact: Rutgers Climate Institute, Marjorie Kaplan, Assoc. Dir., (848) 932-5739, www.climatechange.rutgers.edu; Duke Farms, Michael Catania, Exec. Dir., www.dukefarms.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Sequestration,  Carbon Sink,  

National Grid, Drax, Equinor
Date: 2019-05-29
In the UK, National Grid, Drax and Equinor are reporting they will partner to develop the country's first carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) hub in the Humber region. Under their initial plan, carbon emissions from the woody biomass-wood pellet burning Drax power station near Selby, could be captured and stored in disused gas fields in the southern North Sea. (Source: DRAX,Various Media, May, 2019)Contact: DRAX, Will Gardiner, CEO, www.drax.com; Equinor, www.equinor.com/en; UK National Grid, www2.nationalgrid.com/uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  UK National Grid,  Drax ,  Equinor,  

Carbon Engineering Ltd
Date: 2019-05-24
Kallanish Energy is reporting Squamish, BC-based Carbon Engineering Ltd and Houston-headquartered oil major Occidental Petroleum subsidiary Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC (Oxy) are in the process of engineering and designing a plant to capture CO2 emissions from the air, and to use those emissions in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) activities.

The plant, which would be located in the Permian Basin, is being billed the world's largest Direct Air Capture (DAC) and sequestration facility and is designed to capture 500 kilotonnes per year of CO2 directly from the atmosphere.

Plant construction could get underway in 2021 for operation in 2023. Plant costs and other details have not been revealed. (Source: Carbon Engineering, Kallanish Energy, May, 2019) Contact: Oxy Low Carbon Ventures, www.oxy.com/OurBusinesses/midstreamMarketing/LowCarbonVentures; Carbon Engineering, Steve Oldham, CEO, info@carbonengineering.com, www.carbonengineering.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Engineering ,  EOR,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

Wabash Valley Resources
Date: 2019-05-20
In Terra Haute, Wabash Valley Resources (WVR), an affiliate of Phibro LLC, reports the closing of an investment from OGCI Climate Investments to develop a 1.5-1.75 million tpy carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project near West Terre Haute, Indiana.

The project will capture and sequester virtually all of the plant' facilitate the production of fertilizer, from the co-located WVR plant, with a very low carbon footprint. Wabash Valley Resources LLC acquired the plant in 2016, with plans to convert it to an ammonia production plant and CCS project. (Source: Wabash Vallet Resources, May, 2019) Contact: Wabash Valley Resources LLC, www.wvresc.com; Philbro LLC, Simon Greenshields, Pres., CEO, www.phibro.com; OGCI Climate Investments, Pratima Rangarajan, CEO, http://oilandgasclimateinitiative.com/climate-investments.

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wabash Valley Resources,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  

Carbon Storage
Date: 2019-05-15
Researchers at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel investigating the possibilities and limits of the sub-sea CO2 storage report it is possible to reduce anthropogenic CO2 emissions by separating CO2 from flue gases and storing the captured CO2 in geological formations. The researchers also note negative emissions can be achieved by coupling biogas production with CO2 separation and storage.

Assessments by the IPCC show that these approaches are essential parts of the technology mix needed to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees C.

In Europe the largest potential to store CO2 is located offshore in deep saline aquifers and other sub-seabed geological formations of the North Sea where over 10,000 oil and gas wells have been drilled. At many of these wells, methane gas from shallow biogenic deposits is leaking into the environment because the surrounding sediments were mechanically disturbed and weakened during the drilling process. The study notes that CO2 stored in the vicinity of these wells may leak and ultimately return into the atmosphere.

"We have performed a release experiment in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea to determine the footprint and consequences of such a leak", explains study lead author Dr. Lisa Vielstadte from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel.

In the study, CO2 released at the seabed in 82 meters of water was tracked and traced using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) equipped with chemical and acoustic sensors and additional measurements on board of Research Vessel Celtic Explorer. The resulting data showed that CO2 gas bubbles were completely dissolved close to the seafloor and the pH value of ambient bottom waters was lowered from a background value of 8.0 to a more acidic value of 7.0 at the release site as a consequence of the dissolution process. This bottom water acidification has detrimental effects on organisms living at the seabed", However, strong bottom currents induced a rapid dispersion of the dissolved CO2 such that the area at the seabed where potentially harmful effects can occur is small.

Accordingly, the study tentatively concluded it is possible to store CO2 safely in sub-seabed formations if the storage site is located in an area with a small number of leaky wells, the report summarizes. (Source: Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel , PR, 14 May, 2019) Contact: GEOMAR - Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Dr. Lisa Vielstadte, +49 431 600-0, Fax:+49 431 600-2805, www.geomar.de/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Sequestration,  CCS,  

ExxonMobil
Date: 2019-05-10
Irving, Texas-headquartered oil industry juggernaut ExxonMobil reports it will invest as much as $100 million over 10 years to research and to develop advanced lower-emissions technologies in collaboration with the US DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).

The research aims to advance potential scalable technologies that improve energy efficiency, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce emissions from the production of fossil fuels and petrochemicals, according to ExxonMobil. Initial collaborative efforts will explore ways to bring biofuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS) to commercial scale across the power generation, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. (Source: ExxonMobil, GreenCar Congress, 9 May, 2019)Contact: Exxon Mobil, William M. Colton, VP Strategic Planning, www.exxonmobil.com

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

Wabash Valley Resources
Date: 2019-05-10
This week in Indianapolis, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb approved legislation allowing Wabash Valley Resources LLC to open a $450 million pilot project to produce anhydrous ammonia and store up to 50 million metric tons of CO2 at the former SG Solutions plant adjacent to Duke Energy's Wabash River Generating Station.

The project is subject to US EPA approval. (Source: News & Tribune, 8 May, 2019) Contact: Wabash Valley Resources LLC, (929) 400-5230, www.wvresc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  Carbon Storage,  CO2,  

Loughborough Univ
Date: 2019-05-08
Loughborough University has been awarded £200,000 in grant funding from the UK Department for Transport and Supergen Bioenergy Hub -- a group of experts focussed on developing sustainable bioenergy systems -- for two projects which aim to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly. The projects will explore biofuel production, bioenergy carbon capture, and storage and utilisation.

One project, led by Dr Jin Xuan, a Senior Lecturer in Low Carbon Processes, will examine the role of e-biofuel in reducing emissions and increasing the sustainability of the road transport sector while enhancing renewable energy security. The research will examine the feasibility of a novel electrochemical process to produce biofuels while reusing the captured CO2.

The project will develop a new concept of e-biofuel which combines the advantages of both e-fuel (produced from renewable electricity and CO2) and biofuel (produced from biomass) to intensively decarbonise the road transport sector. It also provides Loughborough researchers with a new link to the Supergen Bioenergy Hub and the Department of Transport.

A second project led by Dr Tanja Radu, a Lecturer in Water Engineering, will research algae-based biomethane fuel purification and carbon sequestration. The project aims to develop and assess an innovative process for the simultaneous production of high-purity biomethane as a potential natural gas vehicle fuel, together with the sequestration of remaining biomass and biogas carbon into algal co-product and biochar.

The Supergen Bioenergy Hub at Aston University aims to bring together industry, academia and other stakeholders to focus on the research and knowledge challenges associated with increasing the contribution of UK bioenergy to meet strategic environmental targets in a coherent, sustainable and cost-effective manner. (Source: DfT, Loughborough University, East Midlands Business Link, 8 May, 2019) Contact: Loughborough University, www.lboro.ac.uk; Supergen Bioenergy Hub, Professor Patricia Thornley, Dir., p.thornley@aston.ac.uk, www.supergen-bioenergy.net

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bioenergy news,  Biofuel news,  CCS news,  Biogas news,  

AurCrest Gold, Lac Seul First Nation
Date: 2019-05-08
Toronto-headquartered Canadian minerals exploration specialist AurCrest Gold Inc. reports it and the Lac Seul First Nation are partnering to investigate carbon sequestration opportunities in the First Nation's traditional territory in Northwestern Ontario.

Lac Seul First Nations seeks to determine the feasibility of valuing their traditional territory for purposes of CCS and monetizing carbon offset credits for sale to the benefit of the First Nation and its business partners.

AurCrest and its subsidiary Wiigwaasaatig Energy Inc. will work with the First Nation to finalize a definitive carbon credit management agreement to develop and implement sequestration project opportunities. (Source: AurCrest Gold Inc., Accesswire, 7 May, 2019) Contact: AurCrest Gold, www.aurcrest.ca; Lac Seul First Nation, www.lacseul.firstnation.ca

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  

independent Committee on Climate Change
Date: 2019-05-06
In London, the independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the UK's top climate change advisory body reports it is set to recommend the government reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050 -- a target that is said to be viable, cost-effective and would put the UK on track to fully meet its Paris Climate Agreement commitment.

According to the CCC, net-zero by 2050 could be achieved within a budget of 1-2 pct of GDP. It would require new policies across various government departments: low-carbon electricity would need to quadruple and low-carbon heating will be required throughout Britain building stock. All new cars and vans should be electric by 2035 or earlier, while novel technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) will become a necessity. Such reforms are especially urgent considering that the UK is currently set to miss its present legally-mandated target of an 80 percent cut in emissions by 2050. (Source: Independent Committee on Climate Change, yahoo News, 30 April, 2019) Contact: Independent Committee on Climate Change, www.theccc.org.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Committee on Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Neutral,  

Committee on Climate Change
Date: 2019-05-03
In the UK, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and other environmental groups are calling for an end to the government's multi-billion pound subsidy programme for wood-fired electric power generation on the grounds that woody biomass does not fit the government's net-zero GHG by 2050 plan.

Environmental groups, including to Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Biofuelwatch, the Dogwood Alliance, and the Southern Environmental Law Center, have noted that relying on woody biomass with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) to achieve climate targets is "misguided" and will prove overly expensive. Biomass power generation reached a record 35.6 TWh in 2018, up by 12 pct year-on-year, according to government statistics.

The environmental organizations say the UK should rely on genuinely zero-emission renewables like wind, wave, and solar power, energy efficiency and conservation, and smart resources like energy storage, rather than woody biomass power generation. (Source: Committee on Climate Change, Renewables,May, 2019) Contact: Committee on Climate Change, www.theccc.org.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Woody Biomass,  Biomass,  Committee on Climate Change ,  

European CCUS Project
Date: 2019-04-26
The European CCUS Project Network is reporting recxeipt of funding from the European Commission to support and inspire major carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects with the potential to deliver significant carbon emission reduction in Europe's industrial regions.

The network will provide member projects with opportunities for sharing knowledge and best practices alongside guidance on how to increase public awareness and acceptance of CCUS technologies.

Projects being considered as network members will have a focus on carbon capture and storage and/or CO2 utilization, and will need to demonstrate substantial overall CO2 emissions reduction in lifecycle analysis as well as a commitment to building a European CCUS industry through knowledge sharing. (Source: European CCUS Project Network, GasWorld, 25 April, 2019) Contact: European CCUS Project Network, John Scowcroft|, Manager,: +32 (0) 2 550 3960 John.Scowcroft@globalccsinstitute.com, https://ccsnetwork.eu

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCUS,  European CCUS Project,  

Royal Dutch Shell
Date: 2019-04-24
In the UK, the Sunday Times is reporting oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell is seeking an unspecified subsidy from the British government to support Shell's development of underground carbon dioxide storage.

The requested subsidy is reportedly less than the roughly £40 million previously granted for renewable energy technologies, according to the Sunday Times. (Source: Talk Finance, Sunday Times, 23 April, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Royal Dutch Shell ,  CCS,  Carbon Storage,  CO2,  

Renewable Energy,CCS
Date: 2019-04-10
Chemistry World is reporting an international team of researchers has concluded that solar and wind power are more effective at cutting CO2 emissions than carbon capture and storage (CCS). In reaching their conclusion, the researchers considered the poor uptake of CCS technologies in fossil fuel power plants against their energy return on energy invested (EROEI), the researchers found that while CCS technologies could reduce greenhouse gas emissions, they are insufficient to fulfill their planned role in reaching climate change targets by 2050.

The research team found that while CCS has an EROEI of between 6.6 and 21.3, renewables have a potential EROEI of between 9 and 30+. The researcher team also found renewable energy was likely to be a more effective path to meeting climate change goals. (Source: Chemistry World, April, 2019)

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

Global CCS Institute
Date: 2019-04-10
According to an EU Observer report, it is unlikely that the EU and China will meet their goal of establishing an EU co-financed "near-zero emissions", carbon capture and storage (CCS) equipped coal fired power plant operation in China by 2020. China and the EU partnered and agreed to the project at a previous summit, in Beijing in September 2005.

However, Chinese companies financed a feasibility study for the project without EU funding, leading the EC to argue its planned €7 million contribution to the project was no longer possible. Even so, the EC notes it remains committed to an expert dialogue with China on CCUS.

According to the Melbourne, Australia-based Global CCS Institute, there are nine large-scale CCS facilities in China "in different stages of advancement" with only one such facility in operation. But China's four fossil-based power plants with CCS are all still in early development phase and not expected to be fully operational until somewhere in the 2020s. To date, the EU has not managed to get CCS projects into operation. (Source: EC, Global CCS Institute, EU Observer, April, 2019)Contact: Global CCS Institute, +61 3 8620 7300, info@globalccsinstitute.com, www.globalccsinstitute.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Global CCS Institute,  

Shell
Date: 2019-04-03
In a bid to halve its net carbon footprint by 2035, Shell, one of the world's biggest and most profitable oil and gas giants, plans to slash its net carbon footprint by half 2050 by diversifying its clean energy portfolio and investing in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. In the short term, the company is aiming for a 20 pct carbon footprint reduction by 2035 compared with its 2016 level as it seeks to adhere to the spirit and ambitions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

Download the Shell Sustainability Report-- Net Carbon Footprint HERE. (Source: Shell, www.shell.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Shell,  Carbon Footprint,  Carbon Emissions,  Climate Change,  

Indiana Wabash Valley Resources,Department of Natural Resources.
Date: 2019-03-27
In Indianapolis, the Indiana House reports passage of a bill that would create an underground carbon storage (CCS) pilot program to store carbon dioxide underground is going back to the state Senate for approval.

The original proposal would have allowed companies to store CO2 underground as long as they got consent from owners of about half the land. This current bill creates a pilot program that allows one company to take ownership of the land through eminent domain, subject to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources approval.

Subject to the bills passage and final approval, Wabash Valley Resources LLC plans to construct an ammonia production facility in Terre Haute and store its CO2 emissions underground to reduce its carbon footprint. (Source: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, wfiu. NPR, 26 Mar., 2019) Contact: Indiana Department of Natural Resources, (317) 232-4200 www.in.gov/dnr; Wabash Valley Resources, Todd Culwell, VP Corp. Affairs, www.wvresc.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Wabash Valley Resources,  CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Storage,  

Wood plc
Date: 2019-03-27
Aberdeen, Scotland-based global engineering giant Wood plc is reporting receipt of a multi-million-dollar contract from the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative Climate Investments (OGCI CI) for conceptual engineering for its gas power and industrial carbon capture (CCS) project. The project was first announced in 2016.

Wood will lead this first-of-a-kind project which aims to reduce CO2 emissions. The industrial carbon capture design will initially cover five of the principal industrial emitters of CO2: the production of hydrogen, fertilizer, petrochemicals, cement and steel.

Climate Investments is a $1 billion plus fund investing in technologies and business models to lower the carbon footprint of the energy and industrial sectors and their value chains. The fund was created by the CEOs of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative to take practical action on climate change. They invest in innovative companies that are ready to be commercialized and collaborate with global co-investors and industrials to achieve speed and scale. (Source: Wood Plc, Chemical Engineering, 26 Mar., 2019) Contact: Wood Plc, Bob MacDonald, CEO, Technical Solutions, www.woodplc.com; OGCI CI, https://oilandgasclimateinitiative.com/climate-investments

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

Arcelor Mittal
Date: 2019-03-25
Reporting from Antwerp, the Flemish government reports the approval of a plan to spend €400 million over the next 20 years in an effort to manage carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and to become climate neutral by 2050. The plan calls for a reduction in fossil fuels consumption while implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilization (CCU) of CO2 that is still being produced. Although CCS and CCU technology is not new it is expensive, and there is no related income from CCS for climate protection.

The Flemish government is interested in CCU, an example of which is a pilot project launched in Ghent last week between steel producer Arcelor Mittal and chemicals manufacturer Dow, to split the carbon monoxide and CO₂ from steel production and use the CO₂ to produce bio-ethanol, a renewable energy source.

In another example, energy provider Engie has joined with waste incinerator Indeval to use CO2 capture to produce ethanol in Antwerp. (Source: Various Media, Brussels Times, Apr, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Arcelor Mittal,  Carbon Emissions,  Carbon Storage,  CCS,  

Carbon Engineering Ltd.
Date: 2019-03-22
In Canada, Squamish, British Columbia-based direct air carbon (DAC) capture specialist Carbon Engineering Ltd. (CE) is reporting completion of an equity financing round of $68 million (US). This $68 million investment will enable the company to bridge the gap from the pilot demonstration of its DAC and AIR TO FUELS™ technologies, expand its pilot plant in Squamish, and engineer its first commercial facilities to capture up to 1 million tpy of atmospheric CO2.

Carbon Engineering's DAC technology can remove CO2 from the atmosphere for less than $100/tonne and deliver large-scale negative emissions by permanently and safely storing the CO2 underground. The technology can also be used to reduce emissions from transportation by converting atmospheric CO2 into ultra-low carbon fuels that can power existing vehicles and airplanes without vehicle engine modifications, according to the company. (Source: Carbon Engineering, PR, 21 Mar., 2019) Contact: Carbon Engineering, Steve Oldham, CEO, info@carbonengineering.com, www.carbonengineering.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Capture,  CCS,  CCUS,  Carbon Engineering Ltd.,  

CCS
Date: 2019-03-15
"We have already seen the fruits of clean technology, like CCUS -- Carbon Capture, Utilization, Sequestration -- right here in the United States. The Petra Nova facility in my home state of Texas ... uses a process to remove 90 pct of the carbon dioxide after coal is burned in that power plant." -- Rick Perry, US Energy Secretary,

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS news,  Rick Perry news,  

Acme Equities LLC
Date: 2019-03-04
Acme Equities LLC , a private NY based real estate investment company that focuses on North American energy projects, reports it is aiming to take over the 847-MW New Mexico's San Juan Generating Station (SJGS) and refit the 46-year-old, coal-fired plant with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology.

The plant is presently slated for shutdown in 2022. The addition of CCS technology would cut carbon emissions by an estimated 90 pct and offer the plant another revenue stream with the sale of the captured CO2 for enhanced oil recovery well production.

Acme Equities has reached an agreement with the city Farmington N.M., part-owner of the plant, to keep the SJGS open beyond 2022. Other owners of the facity include Tucson Electric Power, Los Alamos County, and Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems, along with majority owner Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), all of which have said they do not plan to receive power from the SJGS after 2022. (Source: Acme Equities LLC, Various Media, Mar., 2019) Contact: Acme Equities LLC, www.acmeequities.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  

RMIT University
Date: 2019-03-01
In the Land Down Under, Scientists at RMIT University in Melbourne are claiming the development of a new way to turn CO2 back into coal -- breakthrough that could pave the way for new carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies with the greatly limited possibility of "leakage."

According to the researchers, most carbon capture methods involve compressing CO2 into liquid form to be pumped and stored underground. Despite progress, the best carbon capture and storage technologies still aren't economical. They also pose environmental concerns.

To turn CO2 into coal, scientists developed a liquid metal catalyst that is highly conductive. The conversion process begins by dissolving the captured CO2 in an electrolyte liquid. After a small amount of the catalyst is added, a current is run through the solution. Chemical reactions caused solid flakes of carbon "coal" to separate from the solution. Because the carbonaceous solids are stable, they could be compacted and buried in the ground.

The process is efficient and scalable, but researchers acknowledge more work is needed before the method can be commercialized, according to the researchers. The research was conducted at RMIT's MicroNano Research Facility and the RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, with support from the Australian Research Council Centre for Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES). The paper is published in Nature Communications -- Room temperature CO2 reduction to solid carbon species on liquid metals featuring atomically thin ceria interfaces -- DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08824-8. (Source: RIMT University, Nature Communications, UPI, Feb., 2019) Contact: RMIT University, Australian Research Council , Dr, Torben Daeneke, Dr. Dorna Esrafilzadeh +61 3 9925 2000, www.rmit.edu.au

More Low-Carbon Energy News CO2,  Carbon Sequestration,  Coal,  

Preem,Aker Solutions
Date: 2019-03-01
Global engineering company Aker Solutions reports it has been selected by Sweden's largest fuel company PREEM to conduct a feasibility study of the technological and economic impact of implementing carbon capture technology at Preemraff Lyekil, Scandinavia's major crude oil refinery.

The scope of Aker's work includes pilot testing of carbon capture from the oil refinery flue gas in industrial conditions. The test is intended to assess the carbon capture process performance such as solvent degradation rate, energy efficiency and percentage of CO2 captured which will be included in the possible later design and implementation of a large-scale capture plant. The feasibility study will include design of a full-scale carbon capture plant for the Hydrogen Production Unit (HPU) at the refinery. (Source: Aker Solutions, Gas World, 28 Feb., 2019) Contact: Preem, Petter Holland, CEO, +46 (0) 10 459 1000, www.preem.se/en/in-english; Aker Solutions, Oscar Graff , VP, Head of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, Fredrik Berge, Inv. Relations, +47 22 94 62 19, fredrik.berge@akersolutions.com, www.akersolutions.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Preem,  CCS,  Carbon Capture,  AKer Solutions,  CCUS,  

GroundMetrics
Date: 2019-02-22
San Diego-based electromagnetic sensor system company and oil and gas technology pioneer GroundMetrics Inc reports it will use proprietary sensor systems and machine learning to monitor CO2 in the subsurface through a new project awarded by the US DOE.

In partnership with the DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory LBNL) and Expero Inc., GroundMetrics will develop a continuous sequestered carbon monitoring system to measure resistivity changes in the subsurface. The system will help carbon sequestration managers monitor CO2 saturation and thus provide time and cost-effective insight into how the CO2 is being distributed underground and whether it is leaking.

GroundMetrics offers full-field survey and monitoring services as well as partnership opportunities to oil and gas, geophysical service, and mineral exploration companies. (Source: GroundMetrics, Inc., PR, 21 Feb., 2019) Contact: GroundMetrics, George Eiskamp, CEO, Jessie Kaffai, (858) 381-4155, jkaffai@)groundmetrics.com, www.groundmetrics.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News CCS,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  Carbon Sequestration,