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The UK Government’s latest budget pledges to allocate £20 billion of investment over 20 years to grow our Carbon Capture capability.
In this issue, we take a look at what Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage is - and what plans are already afoot.
What is Carbon Capture?
Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is the process of capturing CO2 from industrial processes such as power generation or cement production and storing it permanently underground, separating out CO2 from other gases such as nitrogen, oxygen and argon.
The captured gas is then compressed into a liquid form for transportation via pipeline or shipping for storage underground in suitable geological formations – such as depleted oil fields. These geological formations have been found to be suitable because they are usually well sealed with impermeable rock layers above them - which prevents leakage of stored CO2 into groundwater supplies.
What is Carbon Utilisation?
Carbon Utilisation is the process of converting CO2 into products, such as fuels and chemicals. Carbon Utilisation can be achieved through several different methods:
Chemical conversion processes that involve reacting CO2 with hydrogen or another carbon source to produce hydrocarbons (e.g., Fischer-Tropsch synthesis)
Biological processes that convert CO2 into organic compounds through photosynthesis or fermentation of biomass
Projects designed to support net zero emissions, aim to use captured industrial emissions as an input for other processes. Rather than releasing them into the atmosphere as waste gas.
What is Carbon Storage?
Carbon Storage is the process of reserving carbon dioxide in a geologic formation, such as an underground reservoir. The stored CO2 can be used for various purposes, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR), permanent sequestration or used as a raw material for manufacturing products like cement or plastics.
The captured CO2 is injected into the subsurface where it forms a solid mineral called carbonate rock. This process takes place over thousands of years, depending on how deep the injection occurs and what type of rock surrounds it. In some cases, this can take up to 100 years before all captured CO2 has been converted into solid minerals.
CCUS in the UK
In the UK, carbon emissions are expected to continue to rise over the next decade. The country's goal is to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 78% by 2035, compared with 1990 levels. In order to meet this target, it will need significant investment in low-carbon technologies such as wind and solar power generation, electric vehicles, energy efficiency measures and Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage.
Projects include:
Drax Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)
North Yorkshire project with four Carbon Capture units, each with the capacity to capture 4 million tonnes of C02 per year.
Humber Zero Project
Creating Carbon Capture opportunities in Immingham to reduce carbon emissions from adjacent power and petrochemical facilities.
HyNet North West
Development of a CCUS North West cluster, reducing carbon emissions from industries, homes and transport and storing the carbon captured in depleted gas fields in the Liverpool Bay.
Net Zero Teesside
Still in conceptual design, the project aims to decarbonise industrial operations across the Teesside area, then transporting carbon via a pipeline for storage under the Southern North Sea.
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