CCUS technologies: Key to the Fight Against Climate Change

In addition to avoiding emissions and expanding renewable energies, the systematic capture, utilisation and storage of CO2 will also be necessary to achieve Germany’s climate targets by 2045. These CCUS (carbon capture, utilisation and storage) technologies are becoming increasingly important as they can make a significant contribution to reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. The ambitious goal of achieving negative emissions by 2050 – i.e. removing more CO2 than is emitted – makes the use of these technologies indispensable. CCUS plays a central role in climate neutrality, particularly for unavoidable emissions from industrial processes.

Capture and Processing: The Basis for Effective CO2 Reduction

Two central technologies are used in CO2 capture: Carbon Capture enables CO2 to be captured directly at industrial sources such as chemical plants, power plants, cement factories and bioenergy plants before it enters the atmosphere. A distinction is made between biogenic CO2 from renewable plant material and CO2 from fossil sources. Direct air capture, on the other hand, aims to filter CO2 that has already been emitted from the ambient air.

After capture, the CO2 undergoes a complex treatment process. Impurities and non-condensable gases are removed to avoid disruptions in further processing. In particular, avoiding corrosion in the transport pipelines caused by water or hydrogen sulfide plays an important role. State-of-the-art TDLAS and QF analysers enable precise inline real-time measurements, which are crucial for process safety and efficiency. These technologies are characterised by high speed, accuracy and stability, while also requiring little maintenance.

Transport and Storage: Complex Infrastructure as a Prerequisite

The captured CO2 can be transported in a variety of ways. While transport by ship is particularly relevant for offshore storage and export to regions without inland transport options, rail transport is a cost-effective second option for inland transport. However, pipelines are the most efficient transport method for large industrial clusters. Similar to electric mobility, where a dense network of charging stations determines success, a comprehensive pipeline network is essential for CCUS technologies.

CO2 can be stored in the North Sea, where sandstone layers have a capacity of around 100 billion tonnes of CO2, or in underground rock formations. In the case of geological storage, the CO2 is injected into porous rock such as sandstone or limestone at a depth of around 900 metres, where it remains in a supercritical liquid state. An impermeable cap rock prevents the gas from escaping. According to the US National Energy Technology Laboratory, North America alone has a CO2 storage capacity for more than 900 years at current production rates. The possibilities and feasibility are therefore considerable. In offshore storage, the CO2 is injected into the ocean at a depth of about two kilometres. In both cases, continuous monitoring is essential to ensure that the CO2 remains permanently isolated.

However, the successful implementation of CCUS technologies depends to a large extent on the creation of a clear regulatory framework and the development of an efficient infrastructure. Continuous research and development are necessary to further increase the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of these technologies and to enable their widespread application. There are plenty of approaches, but market penetration is currently rather low. Intensive cooperation between all the necessary partners, such as industry, research and politics, is the basis for the successful implementation of these promising technologies, in order to make the envisaged contribution to achieving the climate targets.

Source: Trade journal ‘Chemietechnik’

Photo: wasanajai