The renaissance of CCS and CCU: Opportunities and challenges in a global context
Christopher Weßelmann
In the wake of the climate change debate, the options of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) are once again being considered more closely. These technologies, which have been on the back burner for decades, are now experiencing a renaissance worldwide. However, their use is not without challenges or social and political resistance. To understand the potential of CCS and CCU, developments at the global and European level must be considered. Furthermore, it is important to assess the extent to which they can contribute to achieving climate targets.
At the global level, there is growing interest in CCS and CCU, driven by tighter international climate targets and the need to reduce emissions in sectors with limited opportunities for direct emission reduction. In particular, countries such as the USA and China, but also Australia and Canada, are investing heavily in the development and expansion of CCS plants. With the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 2022, the USA has created a financial incentive for CCS projects. The development of these technologies is seen there not only as an opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions, but also as a chance to strengthen domestic industry and create jobs.
From research to application – 15 years of operating the CO2 scrubbing pilot plant at RWE’s innovation centre in Niederaußem and the use of the results
Peter Moser, Georg Wiechers, Sandra Schmidt, Ferdinand Steffen and Peter Lindemann
The scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency require to implement CO2 capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) on a global, industrial scale to achieve the climate protection targets. Negative emissions – the permanent removal of CO2 from the atmosphere – can be achieved through the geological storage of biogenic CO2 (BECCS). Additionally, the concentration of CO2 can be reduced in the atmosphere by substitution of fossil raw materials and fuels with e-chemicals and e-fuels produced from biogenic CO2 and H2 which is generated using renewable electricity (BECCUS). RWE Power has been actively involved in the development and testing of CO2 capture technologies in plant tests under real operating conditions for more than 20 years. Centerpiece is the CO2 capture pilot plant in Niederaussem, which has been in operation for 15 years and where all relevant technical, economic and environmental aspects of amine scrubbing technology have been investigated in more than 115,000 hours of 24/7 operation since commissioning in 2009. The experience gained from long-term operation and the results of ongoing international research projects in Niederaussem on solvent management, emission reduction and highest CO2 capture rates are directly used in the BECCUS project currently being planned by RWE at Knapsacker Huegel, where biogenic CO2 is to be separated from the flue gas of sewage sludge mono-incineration plants for utilization and storage.
Coal combustion products worldwide: On the stretch from suitability to sustainability
Thomas Adams, Craig Heidrich, Jinder Jow and Joachim Feuerborn
Coal is used worldwide for energy and heat production with pros and cons and restrictions or phase-out decision in parts of the world for environmental reasons. Based on published commitments from more than 90 % coal use in Annex I countries will be phased out by 2050. Throughout regions of the world markets for coal combustion products (CCPs) users are increasingly dealing with the consequences today, i.e. CCP quality issues arising from discontinuous operation and less available CCPs for construction. To serve construction markets ‘harvesting’ CCPs from long-term storage is increasingly being embraced as phase out of coal energy escalates throughout the world. Research into harvested CCPs, use of other types of coal ash with and without processing needs, and blends with other materials are developing. The developments are partly already covered in standards and guidelines. The report gives an update on the situation with CCPs worldwide, on partly necessary sustainability aspect and developments in standards.
Sustainable construction with CCPs – an update for Europe
Fabrice Fayola and Joachim Feuerborn
In Europe, the developments towards CO2 neutrality by 2050 with impacts on fossil-fired production but also for construction materials and construction are finding it’s way. For fossil-fired energy and heat production this results in increased production by renewables and respectively discontinuous replacement production by coal power plants, and by this in availability issues for Coal Combustion Products (CCPs). Although known and used for decades, especially fly ash is subject of increasing interest for the production of carbon-reduced cement and concrete. The CCP production in coal-fired power plants in Europe still totals to about 75 million tonnes with decreasing tendency. Beside fresh production in power plants, especially fly ash is re-used from stocks and stocks with fly ash and bottom ash are under investigation. Furthermore, imports serve for customer needs. In addition to CCPs also other alternatives serve as raw or construction material having partly only regional significance. The report gives an update on the diverging developments of market needs and options by CCPs.
Energy transition and security of supply 2045
Periods of low wind and no sun require action!
Markus J. Löffler
In 2045, Germany’s electricity supply is to be based exclusively on renewable energies, in particular wind and solar power. It is known that the volatile energy output of these energy sources is incompatible with electricity demand. Without further measures, blackouts would occur. While an oversupply in the simplest case can be controlled very well, e.g. by switching off the corresponding energy sources in good time, security of supply in the event of an undersupply can only be achieved with the help of additional, actively controllable energy sources. Low-utilised gas or H2 power plants, battery and pumped storage power plants as well as electricity imports come into question. For imports, foreign countries must maintain controllable power plants, which must be available as a first priority if Germany finds itself in an undersupply situation. This possibility appears to be more speculative than certain.
What if Germany had invested in nuclear power?
A comparison between the German energy policy the last twenty years and an alternative policy of investing in nuclear power
Jan Emblemsvåg
Germany has one of the most ambitious energy transition policies dubbed ‘Die Energiewende’ to replace nuclear- and fossil power with renewables such as wind-, solar- and biopower. The climate gas emissions are reduced by 25% in the study period of 2002 through 2022. By triangulating available information sources, the total nominal expenditures are estimated at EUR 387 bn, and the associated subsidies are some EUR 310 bn giving a total nominal expenditures of EUR 696 bn. Alternatively, Germany could have kept the existing nuclear power in 2002 and possibly invest in new nuclear capacity. The analysis of these two alternatives shows that Germany could have reached its climate gas emission target by achieving a 73% cut in emissions on top of the achievements in 2022 and simultaneously cut the spending in half compared to Energiewende.
Mobilising agri-residues for modern bioenergy
Jenny Jones, Leilani Darvell and Bijal Gudka
Agricultural and food processing residues have a role to play in the energy mix for many countries as they look towards carbon reduction and net zero emission strategies. Many of these resources are in surplus and considered a waste, low-cost feedstock for adding to fuel strategies for heat and power. Nevertheless, agri residues provide many avenues for promoting Sustainable Development Goals including through the provision of local heat and/or power, improving air and water quality (by avoiding open burning or water run-off from heaps for example), creating employment opportunities in rural areas and offering additional income streams to farmers. The report evaluates the opportunities for exploiting surplus agri-residue resources, which will depend on many factors including not just what is technically feasible, but what is sustainable.
A guidebook for integrating biodiversity with renewable and grid projects
Eurelectric
The world is witnessing an unprecedented environmental decline with more frequent extreme weather events and rapidly growing biodiversity loss. This happens at a time when Europe’s power system is experiencing a dramatic transformation to reach the EU’s decarbonisation targets of doubling renewables capacity by 2030 and dominating the grid mix. While raising the bar of our decarbonisation efforts, there is a global ambition to ensure biodiversity is restored and adequately protected by 2050. This ambition is supported by the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
vgbe Summer School 2024 – Report
vgbe energy
From August 26 to 30, 2024, the 51st vgbe Summer School took place. Once again, the vgbe RESEARCH FOUNDATION financed the Summer School to provide academic talents with an in-depth insight into the energy sector. vgbe welcomed 18 students from both Germany and abroad, offering an exciting and impressive programme.
Editorial
Christopher Weßelmann
Editor in Chief vgbe energy
The renaissance of CCS and CCU: Opportunities and challenges in a global context
Dear readers of the vgbe energy journal,
In the wake of the climate change debate, the options of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) are once again being considered more closely. These technologies, which have been on the back burner for decades, are now experiencing a renaissance worldwide. However, their use is not without challenges or social and political resistance. To understand the potential of CCS and CCU, developments at the global and European level must be considered. Furthermore, it is important to assess the extent to which they can contribute to achieving climate targets.
Auf globaler Ebene ist ein wachsendes Interesse an CCS und CCU zu beobachten, das durch die verschärften internationalen Klimaziele und die Notwendigkeit, Emissionen in Sektoren mit geringen Möglichkeiten einer direkter Emissionsminderung getrieben wird. Vor allem Länder wie die USA und China, aber auch Australien und Kanada, investieren massiv in die Entwicklung und den Ausbau von CCS-Anlagen. Die USA haben mit dem Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 2022 einen finanziellen Anreiz für CCS-Projekte geschaffen. Die Entwicklung dieser Technologien wird dort nicht nur als Möglichkeit gesehen, die CO2-Emissionen zu senken, sondern auch als Chance, die heimische Industrie zu stärken und Arbeitsplätze zu schaffen.
China, on the other hand, has made CCS a key element in its strategy to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2060. Unsurprisingly, the country that is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases is trying to decarbonise its heavy industry with the help of CCS technologies. At the same time, China is facing challenges that go beyond mere technological development: social acceptance and the associated costs make the widespread use of CCS difficult.
In Australia, CCS plays an important role because the country has a long tradition of exporting fossil fuels and its energy supply is heavily based on coal and gas. The ability to capture and store CO2 emissions at source offers Australia an alternative way to modernise its industry while safeguarding its export markets. Similarly, Canada was one of the first countries to implement a comprehensive CCS programme and is now considered a global leader in the research and development of these technologies.
Europe is also increasingly recognising the strategic importance of CCS and CCU in achieving the net-zero emissions targets by 2050. The European Union is promoting the use of these technologies as part of the ‘Green Deal’ and sees CCS and CCU as playing a key role in the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries such as building materials, chemicals and steel. The focus here is on cross-border projects to exploit synergies between member states. This is particularly evident in major projects such as the ‘Northern Lights’ project in Norway, which is building a cross-border CO2 transport and storage infrastructure in cooperation with the Netherlands and other European partners.
Despite the progress made, there are still significant hurdles to implementation in Europe. A key problem remains the lack of storage capacity. While Norway has extensive geological formations that can be used for CO2 storage, other countries such as Germany or the Netherlands currently lack such options.
In addition, CCS is facing societal resistance in many countries, as the storage of CO2 in underground formations is associated with concerns regarding safety and environmental impacts.
The debate on CCS and CCU clearly shows that these are more than just technological challenges. They are strategic decisions about how we want to deal with unavoidable CO2 in the future. While CCS aims to store the CO2 permanently, CCU focuses on converting the carbon into usable products.
One advantage of CCU is that it offers an immediate economic use for CO2 and can thus create a business model that increases the acceptance of these technologies. At the same time, the conversion of CO2 is often energy-intensive and expensive, which means that many projects currently still rely on extensive subsidies. CCS, on the other hand, could theoretically be an effective method of capturing large amounts of CO2 – provided that suitable storage sites are available. This in turn raises the question of how much trust society has in this storage technology and whether possible leaks can be ruled out in the long term.
CCS and CCU are at a crossroads. While the technologies are recognised at the global level as necessary measures to achieve climate targets, their social and political acceptance, especially in Europe, remains a crucial factor for their success. It is becoming clear that the path to a climate-neutral future offers no easy solutions. CCS and CCU could – if used correctly – make an important contribution, but they must be integrated into a comprehensive concept that takes into account technological as well as social and political aspects.
The future of CCS and CCU will depend on whether we can strike the right balance between technical possibilities, economic feasibility and social acceptance. Current developments show that this process is already in full swing – and that the next few years will be crucial in determining whether these technologies will be part of the solution.