The Carbon Corner - Issue #70


In a rapidly changing world where environmental sustainability and carbon management are at the forefront of global concerns, various initiatives and projects have emerged to address the challenges of carbon emissions and climate change.

From carbon capture and storage ventures in offshore Malaysia and the UK's approval of carbon capture technology at the Drax power plant to the collaboration between Aker Carbon Capture and MAN Energy Solutions in North America, these developments and more are discussed in today's issue of The Carbon Corner!

Partnership Between Aker Carbon Capture and MAN Energy Boosts Carbon Capture Initiatives in North America

Aker Carbon Capture and MAN Energy Solutions have forged a partnership to explore carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) opportunities in the North American market. This collaboration will bring together MAN Energy's CO2 compressor technology with Aker Carbon Capture's amine technology and carbon capture solutions.

They are already working on what is expected to become the world's first large-scale carbon capture plant in the cement industry at Heidelberg Materials' Brevik CCS project in Norway, set to capture around 400,000 metric tonnes of CO2 annually. With strong incentives from the US government and North America's prominent position in the CCUS landscape, this partnership aims to drive the transition towards Net Zero in the region and beyond. North America is a leading hub for CCUS projects, with substantial growth potential on the horizon, making this collaboration a significant step in reducing carbon emissions from various industries and energy sources.

Drax Receives Approval to Add Carbon Capture Technology to Biomass Units in £40 Billion Project

Drax has been granted government permission to add carbon capture technology to two of its biomass units, marking a major milestone in the pursuit of carbon-negative power generation. The move comes as part of Drax's plan to reduce carbon emissions, with the biomass units converting to "bioenergy with carbon capture and storage" (BECCS).

This technology aims to remove more carbon from the atmosphere than is produced by burning the biomass. Drax has defended biomass as carbon-neutral, as regrowing forests offset the emissions from burning wood pellets. However, scientists and climate experts have raised doubts about the claims. The project could cost bill-payers over £40 billion and could add £1.7 billion to energy bills each year if all four biomass units are fitted with carbon capture technology, according to Ember, a climate thinktank.

Indiana Senate Bill Seeks Additional Oversight for BP's Carbon Sequestration Project

A bill authored by Indiana State Senator Rick Niemeyer seeks to impose additional procedural requirements on BP's carbon dioxide sequestration project, known as "Project Crossroads." The project aims to capture carbon dioxide emissions from BP's refinery in Whiting, Indiana, and store them underground. The United States Department of Energy plans to contribute about $98 million to fund the $138 million project. Niemeyer's bill, Senate Bill 131, would make any carbon sequestration project transporting carbon dioxide between counties subject to the approval of county officials in the destination county.

While Niemeyer expressed doubts about carbon storage benefits and concerns about its impact, he framed the legislation as a way to increase local governments' involvement in the process rather than a referendum on carbon storage itself. The bill is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Committee on Utilities. Project Crossroads is part of a broader effort to decarbonize industrial sites in Northwest Indiana using hydrogen fuel. By storing carbon produced through hydrogen production, BP aims to reduce the carbon footprint of hard-to-decarbonize industries such as steel and glass manufacturing.

Schaper Energy Consulting is a professional engineering firm offering carbon strategy services to CCS site developers. Check out some examples of our projects here: https://schaperintl.com/carbon-strategies/

If you have questions or comments, please contact us at info@schaperintl.com.

We hope you enjoyed reading this week and hope to see you back next week for more!

Schaper Energy Consulting

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