Challenges in Capture Processes: The Way Forward

State-of-the-art CO2 capture processes lead to a reduction of power plant efficiency and an increase in electricity costs when used with the dilute streams of CO2 found in the flue gases from the current generation of fossil fuel power plant. It accounts for more than 75% of the overall cost of the CCS chain. The development of other, more cost-effective methods of capture of carbon dioxide is one of the key issues relating to CCS (along with public acceptance of geological storage). European Research and technology development projects are underway in the EU Framework Programme 6, i.e. the integrated projects ENCAP and CASTOR, focusing on a range of technology improvements and break-through technology components as well as enabling technologies. Other capture methods are under examination outside these projects (e.g. membranes or sorbents). A major part of the research is aimed at achieving more concentrated gas streams by way of, for example, pre-combustion decarbonisation or 'oxyfuel', i.e. removing nitrogen prior to combustion.