Environmental Health & Safety

Researchers Target CO2 Capture

Oct. 7, 2008

Project seeks to develop more cost-effective technology for capturing carbon dioxide.

A research and development project now starting in Norway seeks to develop more cost-effective technology for capturing carbon dioxide. Aker Clean Carbon, Lysaker, is leading the so-called SOLVIT program, and working with SINTEF, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, Trondheim, and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. The eight-year effort is valued at the equivalent of about $54.3 million. Gassnova SF, a Norwegian government agency, will provide the equivalent of about $6 million for the first phase, which will run through the end of 2010.The program specifically focuses on capturing CO2 from process plants and power stations. It aims to develop better, more-cost-effective processes and chemicals to manage emissions from these facilities. Aker and SINTEF already have cooperated on amine-based solutions for carbon capture; one of these solutions is ready for commercialization. Phase one of the program will evaluate other amine solutions being developed by the two groups.Figure 1

Laboratory Site: White building on left (a rendering) at SINTEF complex in Trondheim will house pilot units. Source: SINTEF.

“We have a clear goal to bring the cost of CO2 capture and cleansing down significantly. In phase two and three of SOLVit, the parties will try to introduce new chemical solutions and elements to the process in order to generate cost cuts. The aim is to come up with a process facility for CO2-capture that can operate on half the energy consumption of today’s processes,” notes Roger Bjerkestrand, chief executive of Aker Clean Carbon.As part of the program, the partners are building a new laboratory at the SINTEF site in Trondheim (Figure 1).