Carbon capture utilisation and storage

Carbon Capture

CO2 capture is still expensive today, but technology is improving and the significant number of demonstration facilities, currently being deployed in cement production, demonstrates the potential for significant cost reduction in the years ahead.&lt

A variety of different capture technologies are currently being tested in pilot projects across the globe. These include post combustion (e.g. chemical absorption by amines), direct separation, oxyfuel and calcium looping. Typically additional energy is needed for these technologies to operate the separation and handling processes

Captured CO2 can be used in the production of e-fuels and as a feedstock for the chemical industry. More specific uses are to promote crop growth in greenhouses and in the food and drinks industries.

The construction industry can also play its part in developing an economy forCO2 – and there are signs that this is happening. The process of carbonation has been long understood by engineers with respect to reinforced concrete and is rightly limited for the sake of durability. Recent development has focused on speeding up the reaction in various applications as a method of sequestering CO2. Potential applications include

• the manufacture of artificial aggregates

• curing concrete

• carbonation of recycled concrete.

SequestrationCO2 can be sequestrated in geological formations which would avoid it being released into the atmosphere.

Infrastructure Both solutions, utilisation or sequestration, require the development of infrastructure between the source and point of use or storage.