Carbon Capture Technology

 

Carbon Capture Technology

Carbon Capture Technology (CCT) refers to methods and systems designed to capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industrial sources, power plants, or directly from the atmosphere, preventing them from entering the atmosphere and contributing to climate change.

Key Methods of Carbon Capture

1. Post-Combustion Capture

   • Captures CO₂ from flue gases after fossil fuel combustion.

   • Uses chemical solvents (e.g., amines) to absorb CO₂.

   • Common in retrofitting existing power plants.

2. Pre-Combustion Capture

   • Involves gasifying fuel to produce a mix of hydrogen and CO₂.

   • CO₂ is separated before combustion.

   • Efficient but usually applied in new plants.

3. Oxy-Fuel Combustion

   • Burns fuel in pure oxygen instead of air.

   • Produces flue gas that is mostly CO₂ and water vapor, making separation easier.

4. Direct Air Capture (DAC)

   • Captures CO₂ directly from the atmosphere.

   • Uses chemical sorbents or filters.

   • Still expensive and energy-intensive but promising for negative emissions.

Storage and Utilization

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):

  • CO₂ is compressed and injected deep underground into geological formations (e.g., depleted oil and gas fields, saline aquifers).

  • Ensures long-term storage.

• Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU):

  • CO₂ is used in industrial processes.

  • Examples: making synthetic fuels, building materials (cement curing, carbonated concrete), or producing plastics.

Applications

• Power plants (coal, natural gas).

• Cement, steel, and chemical industries.

• Direct air capture facilities.

• Enhanced oil recovery (EOR), where captured CO₂ is injected into oil fields to increase extraction.

Advantages

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

• Enables cleaner use of fossil fuels during energy transition.

• Can create a circular carbon economy by reusing CO₂.

• Supports achieving net-zero targets.

Challenges

• High costs and energy requirements.

• Infrastructure needed for transport and storage.

• Risk of CO₂ leakage from storage sites.

• Limited large-scale deployment so far.

Future Outlook

Carbon capture is expected to play a critical role in climate strategies, especially for hard-to-abate industries (cement, steel, chemicals). Research is ongoing to:

• Lower costs with better solvents and materials.

• Scale up direct air capture.

• Integrate CCS with renewable energy and hydrogen production.