Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ConsenCUS (CarbOn Neutral cluSters through Electricity-based iNnovations in Capture, Utilisation and Storage)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-11-01 do 2024-04-30
The aim of the project is to allow crucial European industries to operate with net-zero carbon emissions, by offering them Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) solutions based on renewable electricity, and integrating them in carbon neutral clusters. The project is called ConsenCUS: CarbOn Neutral clusterS, through Electricity based iNnovations in capture, Conversion, Utilization and Storage. We will bring promising innovations in electrochemical capture and utilization processes from lab-scale (TRL 4-5) into industrial settings (TRL 7) to be tested and proven. By modelling their potential in these and other industries, the project can illustrate what is needed for industrial clusters in the North-West and South-East European regions so that on average they do not emit CO2, but either convert it into useful products and/or temporarily store CO2, becoming Net-Zero.
The consortium targets three crucial industries: cement, refinery and magnesite. These are hard-to-abate sectors at the top of the industrial emitters list; decarbonizing them using renewable electricity allows reaching a truly net-zero Europe in 2050. New techniques make a wider dispersion of CO2 capture and conversion possible. The electrochemical processes are easily scalable, so a broader range of CO2-emmitting industries can be targeted, once our technique is proven. By combining capture and conversion in a versatile basic chemical (formate) the project also unlocks markets for this ‘recycled’ carbon, replacing the use of ‘fossil’ carbon.
Cluster design and optimization based on techno-economic and humanities research will chart how shared infrastructure, jobs, communities, economy and environment can be positively affected by the CCUS activities in Europe.
The consortium targets three crucial industries: cement, refinery and magnesite. These are hard-to-abate sectors at the top of the industrial emitters list; decarbonizing them using renewable electricity allows reaching a truly net-zero Europe in 2050. New techniques make a wider dispersion of CO2 capture and conversion possible. The electrochemical processes are easily scalable, so a broader range of CO2-emmitting industries can be targeted, once our technique is proven. By combining capture and conversion in a versatile basic chemical (formate) the project also unlocks markets for this ‘recycled’ carbon, replacing the use of ‘fossil’ carbon.
Cluster design and optimization based on techno-economic and humanities research will chart how shared infrastructure, jobs, communities, economy and environment can be positively affected by the CCUS activities in Europe.
The ConsenCUS project focuses on the innovative CCU demonstration unit, but equally on research on storage (temporary and permanent), CCUS awareness and acceptance and value chain modelling.
Work on the CCU Demonstration Plant:
An intensive collaboration between the innovators, industries and supportive partners resulted in understanding of all technological interfaces between the different parts of the demonstration plant and how to locate the demonstration plant at the industrial sites. Based on this, the engineering and construction of the demonstration plant across 3 different sites resulted in a finished plant, on-site on the expected date in November 2023. During the first demonstration campaign in Aalborg, Denmark, the demonstration plant proved that it captures CO2, regenerates it, converts it to potassium formate, which in turn was upgraded to formic acid. In the next demonstration campaigns in Romania and Greece, other demonstration goals like operational hours, steady performance and electric efficiency are tested.
During the demonstration campaign, multiple interventions were needed to address technical breakdowns, improve capture rates and integrating it with procedures on the industrial host-sites, resulting in a deeper understanding of the process that can be applied in the upcoming demonstration campaigns.
Work on CO2 Storage:
The lab research on safe cyclic loading/unloading of CO2 in saline aquifers and salt caverns was done by testing both types of rock under different stress and gas pressures, simulating the effects of CO2 on the caverns and cap-rock. Accompanying mathematical modelling on loading/unloading has started. Both research angles have not yet finished so, once a system modelling framework is finished, specific operating conditions can be refined for more detailed loading/unloading scenarios, fitting the Net-Zero Industry models. BGS and GEUS further collaborated with storage site operator Gas Storage Denmark on a risk assessment tool needed for storing CO2, accelerating storage readiness level understanding and preparing for necessary storage capacity assessments.
Work on Awareness and Acceptance:
The base-line studies of the strategic narratives about CCUS in the clusters (NW and SE Europe) have completed and some interesting findings are published in a first op-ed about the Romania situation. Yearly updates of these narratives give insight in the way CCUS is discussed in open sources in the clusters. Accompanied by dedicated studies of relevant communities in the clusters close to demonstration sites, public awareness and acceptance of CCUS is being researched by organising various community events and logging the interaction with the participants. It can be concluded that the topic of CCUS is regarded a difficult one to engage the public on, especially if there are other energy related topics that have more direct impact (energy crisis, rising energy bills). Yet, we see a big increase in the total number of publications about CCUS in the identified clusters, indicating more and more attention towards this topic.
Work on Clustering and modelling the value chain:
Databases of emitters, end-users and possible storage-sites were put together to start with mathematical modelling and value chain optimization research on how they can be combined to become a net-zero cluster, emitting no net greenhouse gases. We started to develop a value chain optimization framework to analyse how location, size and timing of investments are affected by alternative technologies and infrastructures. The models to analyse the techno-economic impact and Life Cycle Analysis of the ConsenCUS technologies are ready to be used with actual data from the demonstration campaign, providing valuable insights in achievements against benchmark technologies.
Work on the CCU Demonstration Plant:
An intensive collaboration between the innovators, industries and supportive partners resulted in understanding of all technological interfaces between the different parts of the demonstration plant and how to locate the demonstration plant at the industrial sites. Based on this, the engineering and construction of the demonstration plant across 3 different sites resulted in a finished plant, on-site on the expected date in November 2023. During the first demonstration campaign in Aalborg, Denmark, the demonstration plant proved that it captures CO2, regenerates it, converts it to potassium formate, which in turn was upgraded to formic acid. In the next demonstration campaigns in Romania and Greece, other demonstration goals like operational hours, steady performance and electric efficiency are tested.
During the demonstration campaign, multiple interventions were needed to address technical breakdowns, improve capture rates and integrating it with procedures on the industrial host-sites, resulting in a deeper understanding of the process that can be applied in the upcoming demonstration campaigns.
Work on CO2 Storage:
The lab research on safe cyclic loading/unloading of CO2 in saline aquifers and salt caverns was done by testing both types of rock under different stress and gas pressures, simulating the effects of CO2 on the caverns and cap-rock. Accompanying mathematical modelling on loading/unloading has started. Both research angles have not yet finished so, once a system modelling framework is finished, specific operating conditions can be refined for more detailed loading/unloading scenarios, fitting the Net-Zero Industry models. BGS and GEUS further collaborated with storage site operator Gas Storage Denmark on a risk assessment tool needed for storing CO2, accelerating storage readiness level understanding and preparing for necessary storage capacity assessments.
Work on Awareness and Acceptance:
The base-line studies of the strategic narratives about CCUS in the clusters (NW and SE Europe) have completed and some interesting findings are published in a first op-ed about the Romania situation. Yearly updates of these narratives give insight in the way CCUS is discussed in open sources in the clusters. Accompanied by dedicated studies of relevant communities in the clusters close to demonstration sites, public awareness and acceptance of CCUS is being researched by organising various community events and logging the interaction with the participants. It can be concluded that the topic of CCUS is regarded a difficult one to engage the public on, especially if there are other energy related topics that have more direct impact (energy crisis, rising energy bills). Yet, we see a big increase in the total number of publications about CCUS in the identified clusters, indicating more and more attention towards this topic.
Work on Clustering and modelling the value chain:
Databases of emitters, end-users and possible storage-sites were put together to start with mathematical modelling and value chain optimization research on how they can be combined to become a net-zero cluster, emitting no net greenhouse gases. We started to develop a value chain optimization framework to analyse how location, size and timing of investments are affected by alternative technologies and infrastructures. The models to analyse the techno-economic impact and Life Cycle Analysis of the ConsenCUS technologies are ready to be used with actual data from the demonstration campaign, providing valuable insights in achievements against benchmark technologies.
The ConsenCUS project showed that CO2 can be separated from flue gas using only electricity in a relevant industrial environment at scale, for the first time world-wide, to the best of our knowledge. Now we are ready to perform the demonstration campaigns, pursue our quantified demonstration goals, and use them to determine the actual economic and climate impact that our concept can generate when deployed at an EU-wide scale. The project also delivers insightful information on the public awareness and acceptance of CCUS, by engaging with communities through a useful game, making the complex topic of CCUS negotiable.
Work on risk-assessment for CO2 storage proved to be very useful for site owners, accelerating the search for more and more storage capacity that is needed to meet the Net-Zero goals of the EU.
An exiting time is ahead of us where we want to fully show the capacity of the demonstration and conversion techniques and their efficiency in relation to benchmark technologies.
Work on risk-assessment for CO2 storage proved to be very useful for site owners, accelerating the search for more and more storage capacity that is needed to meet the Net-Zero goals of the EU.
An exiting time is ahead of us where we want to fully show the capacity of the demonstration and conversion techniques and their efficiency in relation to benchmark technologies.