Carbon Capture, Storage (CCS) & Utilization

 

We all know how the mining and process industries are CO2 emissions rich. The carbon emissions comprise the Greenhouse gases (GHGs) which in turn contribute to the global warming and climate change.

If you are new to sustainability and don't know what are greenhouse gases you can check our article-

What are GHGs?

What if there was a way to capture these carbon emissions emanating from these processes, store it and utilize it for various end-uses? 

In this article we will talk more about this technology and its potential benefits and drawbacks-

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology is one of the most promising solutions for mitigating the impacts of climate change. This technology involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from various sources, such as power plants or industrial processes, and storing them underground in geological formations or in deep saline aquifers

Capturing CO2 emissions

CCS technology begins with the capture of carbon dioxide emissions from various industrial processes. There are three main types of carbon capture technologies:

Pre-combustion capture: This technology involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions before the fuel is burned. For example, in a gasification plant, coal or natural gas is transformed into a gas that can be burned to produce electricity. Before the gas is burned, the carbon dioxide is separated and captured.

Post-combustion capture: Here, carbon dioxide emissions are captured after the fuel is burned. In power plants or industrial facilities that burn fossil fuels, the carbon dioxide is captured from the flue gas that is produced during combustion.

Oxyfuel combustion: It involves burning the fuel in an atmosphere of pure oxygen instead of air, which produces a more concentrated stream of carbon dioxide that can be captured more easily.

Storing CO2 emissions

Once the carbon dioxide has been captured, it is transported to a storage site. The most common storage method is to inject the CO2 into underground geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs or saline aquifers. The CO2 is injected at high pressure, and it is trapped underground by the surrounding rock formations.

Utilizing CO2 emissions

Mostly the stored CO2 emissions are sealed away and are not used. However, in recent times there has been a surge among industries in utilizing this stored CO2 in different processes. Wherever applicable, companies are opting for downstream integration to utilize the stored CO2 gas to increase the cost efficiency of this technology.

By capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions, this technology can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. However, there are also some potential drawbacks to CCS technology. One of the main concerns is the cost. CCS technology can be expensive to implement, and it may not be cost-effective for all industries or applications. In addition, there are some concerns about the safety and long-term stability of carbon storage sites. There is a risk that the stored CO2 could leak back into the atmosphere or cause geological instability.

What do you think about CCS technology? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.