Shell, Air Liquide, Oxy: How does Carbon Capture Tech Work?

Hard-to-abate sectors, like heavy industry and heavy-duty transport, collectively account for around 30% of global emissions.

Sometimes carbon is an integral part of a production process, or processes have very limited decarbonisation alternatives. 

We still need these industries to function for the things we expect in a modern world, but if they don’t decarbonise they have the potential to cause far more harm than good. 

So what’s the solution? 

Carbon capture technology won’t be a silver bullet, but has already started to play a big role in helping hard-to-abate industries decarbonise. 

Industry giants including Shell, Air Liquide and Occidental Petroleum are trying to push carbon capture to reduce emissions. 

Huibert Vigeveno, Downstream, Renewables and Energy Solutions Director at Shell, says: “Carbon capture and storage is a key technology to achieve the Paris Agreement climate goals.”

The mechanics of carbon capture

At its core, carbon capture is about taking CO2 out of the air or industrial emissions before it can wreak havoc on our atmosphere. 

There are two main types of carbon capture:

1. Point source capture: This method targets CO2 at its industrial birthplace - think power plants, cement factories and steel mills. 
2. Direct air capture (DAC): The more ambitious cousin of point source capture, DAC aims to filter CO2 directly from the ambient air. CO2 makes up only about 0.04% of the atmosphere, making this method more difficult. 

Both methods typically use a mixture of chemicals to trap CO2 molecules. 

Once captured, the CO2 can be compressed and transported via pipeline to be stored underground in depleted oil and gas reservoirs or deep saline formations. This process is known as carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Captured CO2 can also be repurposed and converted into useful products like building materials, chemicals and fuels. This process is called carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS).

How effective is carbon capture? 

Whilst carbon capture sounds incredible, it is not a cure-all. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that carbon capture facilities around the globe currently capture about 40 million metric tons of CO2 annually. 

That’s a drop in the ocean compared to the 37.4 billion tonnes of CO2 emitted in 2023 alone.

The technology faces several challenges:

1. Energy intensity: Ironically, carbon capture itself is an energy-hungry process. It can consume anywhere from 10% to 40% of a power plant's energy output to decarbonise its emissions, potentially offsetting some of its benefits. 
2. Cost: Building and operating carbon capture facilities isn't cheap. The price tag for capturing a tonne of CO2 can range from US$250 to US$550 for DAC, and US$36 to US$110 for point source capture. 
3. Scale: While the number of facilities is growing, scaling up to make a significant dent in global emissions remains a big task.
4. Storage concerns: There are questions about the long-term viability and safety of underground CO2 storage.

Companies leading in carbon capture

French company Air Liquide has been supplying industrial gases and services to industries since 1902.

Air Liquide is set to participate in the development of almost 30 CCUS projects.

François Jackow, Chief Executive Officer at Air Liquide, explains: “Clearly, CCS should not be used as an excuse to avoid efforts to decarbonise industry by using more renewable energy or changing the use of end products that are considered “essential” today. 

“However, not all industrial emissions can be eliminated simply by substituting fossil fuels with low-carbon energy. 

“We are in a situation of emergency, which is why CCS is essential in this transitional phase.”

Hydrocarbon exploration company Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) acquired DAC tech company Carbon Engineering in 2023 and is now building the world’s largest DAC facility.

Oxy aims to capture one million tonnes of CO2 per year and power its carbon capture facility using low-carbon energy in partnership with nuclear fusion company TAE Technologies.  

“Collaborating with TAE Technologies is an opportunity to build on Occidental’s portfolio of clean power sources that can provide our Direct Air Capture facilities with reliable, emissions-free energy,” says Frank Koller, Vice President, Power Development at Oxy Low Carbon Ventures.

“Fusion is a promising technology that advances our efforts to explore sustainable energy sources as we progress with commercialising large scale Direct Air Capture as a critical climate solution.”

The future for carbon capture 

While the technology shows promise, it's not a magic wand that will make emissions disappear overnight. 

Critics argue that it could be a distraction from the urgent need to reduce emissions in the first place. 

However, carbon capture could play a crucial role in hard-to-decarbonize sectors like cement and steel production. 

It might also serve as a stopgap measure while renewable energy sources are scaled up.

The effectiveness of carbon capture will ultimately depend on continued technological improvements, significant cost reductions, and supportive policy frameworks.  

It's just one piece of a much larger puzzle.

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