The CO2 Capture Project has announced the commencement of the second phase of an important strategic project to develop technologies that could mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Hydro is one of eight companies participating in this joint industry project.
The CO2 Capture Project is developing techniques to capture and geologically store the CO2 associated with the use of energy derived from fossil fuels. The CO2 Capture and Storage technique is gaining increasing support as an option for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
During the first phase of the CO2 Capture Project, USD 50 million were spent developing a range of technologies to reduce the cost of CO2 capture and provide assurance that CO2 can be securely stored geologically. Eight companies – including Hydro – and the governments of the USA, EU and Norway collaborated on managing and funding this technology development. The first phase was completed in 2004 and summary results are available on the CO2 Capture Project website at www.co2captureproject.org.
The second phase of the project has now commenced, building on the achievements of the first phase by developing a focused suite of capture technologies to be ready for pilot testing by the end of 2007. The second phase also aims to demonstrate that the geological storage of CO2 is secure and can provide an attractive greenhouse gas mitigation option.
The project has already received initial funding from the US Department of Energy and the Norwegian Research Council and plans to build on this with additional government support, forming a strong public/private partnership. Companies participating in the second phase of the CO2 Capture Project are BP, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips, Eni, Hydro, Petrobras, Shell and Suncor.
Significant Hydro contributions
"The CO2 Capture Project has advanced the technology for CO2 capture and shown the potential for reducing, by more than 50 percent, the cost per ton CO2 avoided. The project, which has received international esteem, has also been highly commended by the funding agencies," Lars Ingolf Eide points out. Eide is chief engineer in gas and power technology at Hydro's Research Center in Porsgrunn, Norway, and represents Hydro on the CO2 Capture Project board.
The CO2 Capture Project, co-funded by the Research Council of Norway, has enabled Hydro's Oil & Energy and Corporate Research Centers in Porsgrunn to develop a so-called Hydrogen Membrane Reformer (HMR). Hydro has filed a patent application for the HMR process and materials. Even though it is considered a long term and challenging project, HMR technology shows the highest cost-reduction potential of various CO2 capture techniques.
"The CO2 Capture Project has contributed to giving Hydro an international profile in CO2 capture and storage. Hydro employees have contributed actively to most of the CO2 Capture Project's activities, thus demonstrating our technological expertise. The project has also provided an efficient overview of current technologies," says Eide.