Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology removes carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere during fossil fuel combustion in power plants or industrial facilities, commonly referred to as Carbon dioxide utilization and storage (CCUS).
Capturing occurs at industrial sources such as power plants, steel mills and cement factories. To capture, flue gas must first be separated using chemical solvents before being compressed so it can be transported via pipeline.
Capture
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an innovative technology which captures CO2 produced from fossil fuel power stations and industrial facilities for long-term storage in deep underground sites. CCS can also remove CO2 from the atmosphere through pre-combustion carbon capture or mineral carbonation processes which involve reacting CO2 with specific types of rock formations to form stable minerals that store it permanently underground.
Once separated from other emissions sources, captured CO2 is typically compressed so it becomes liquid-like for transport via pipeline or ship, then injected into deep geological formations such as used oil and gas reservoirs or inaccessible coal seams located under the ocean floor at great depths. As of today, 29 CCS projects are operating worldwide while another 153 are at various stages of development, accounting for 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Transport
Carbon capture and storage technology involves collecting greenhouse gas emissions from large power plants or energy intensive industries and transporting them for long-term geological storage, typically coal, natural gas or biomass power stations.
CCS works by extracting CO2 from flue gases produced from fossil fuel combustion, either chemically prior to burning (pre-combustion) or through physiological chemical processes in post-combustion flue gas from plants after combustion (post-combustion). Captured CO2 is then transported for storage via pipelines; ships or trucks may also be utilized for shorter distances or remote areas.
CCS systems tend to be tailored specifically for each facility that deploys it, making its construction and use costly. Although several large-scale CCS projects are already operational worldwide and more are in development, widespread deployment remains challenging.
Sequestration
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) involves employing various technologies to capture CO2 from large industrial facilities, such as power plants or cement and chemical factories, then inject it underground geological formations for permanent storage rather than being released back into the atmosphere or even used to produce useful products such as concrete and chemicals.
Post-combustion removal involves burning fossil fuel and extracting the CO2 emissions; or pre-combustion is used where partial oxidization results in hydrogen and carbon monoxide being released before combustion – both can then be captured and separated out for separation purposes.
Sequestration is not a program of spending cuts but instead refers to a policy designed to limit planned increases in spending as set out by the 2011 Budget Control Act. Congress has elected instead to raise BCA spending caps as their legislative sessions near completion thereby effectively nullifying any effects of sequestration.
Future
Future carbon capture and storage (CCS) success relies heavily on improved technologies that are more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and deploy at scales that meet climate goals.
CCUS is one strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. The process entails collecting carbon dioxide emissions before they reach the chimney, transporting them to storage sites, and injecting them deep underground for permanent underground storage.
There are currently several CCS technologies in use. These include pre-combustion carbon capture, in which fuel is gasified into syngas before using a physical solvent to separate out CO2. Another approach involves post-combustion capture where CO2 from flue gases after power generation can be collected for storage; several large projects are underway that demonstrate this technology.