Washington, D.C. -- Worldwide efforts to fund and establish carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects have accelerated, according to a new Department of Energy (DOE) online database, indicating ongoing positive momentum toward achieving the G-8 goal for launching 20 CCS demonstrations by 2010.
The database, a project of the Office of Fossil Energy's (FE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), reveals 192 proposed and active CCS projects worldwide. The projects are located in 20 countries across five continents. The 192 projects globally include 38 capture, 46 storage, and 108 for capture and storage. While most of the projects are still in the planning and development stage, or have just recently been proposed, eight are actively capturing and injecting CO2:
- In Salah Gas Storage Project, Algeria
- CRUST Project - K12-B Test, The Netherlands
- Sleipner Project, Norway
- Snøhvit Field LNG and CO2 Storage Project, Norway
- Zama Field, Canada
- SECARB Cranfield, United States
- Weyburn-Midale, Canada
- Mountaineer CCS Project, United States
CCS is a group of technologies for capturing and compressing the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by power plants or industrial sites; transporting it; and injecting it into suitable permanent storage sites, such as deep underground formations. It has been increasingly recognized by scientists and nations worldwide as an effective way to both reduce CO2 emissions from existing sources and help avoid future emissions, making it part of a portfolio response to meet atmospheric carbon dioxide reduction goals.
At its 2008 meeting in Japan, the G-8 -- of which the United States is a part -- adopted a goal recommended by the International Energy Agency to launch 20 large-scale CCS demonstration projects globally by 2010, with a further goal of deploying these technologies by 2020. Worldwide efforts to fund and establish CCS projects in general have accelerated, and the new database shows a recent increase in projects cost-shared by the electric power industry.
The database provides information about the efforts of various industries, public groups, and governments to develop and deploy CCS technology, a critical component in global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It lists technologies being developed for capture, testing sites for CO2 storage, and estimations of costs and anticipated dates of project completion, and uses Google Earth to illustrate the location of projects and provide a link to further information on each.
The Energy Department supports dozens of CCS projects through its Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSP) program, the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, and other global collaborations. FE and NETL support international projects in Canada, China, Germany, Australia, Algeria, and Norway. Hundreds of organizations--including government agencies, universities, and the private sector--are involved in global CCS efforts.
The seven RCSPs form a national network that is investigating the CCS approaches best suited for different regions of the country. DOE is also a project partner in the Weyburn-Midale, Sleipner, and In Salah projects, either through direct contributions or indirect involvement in technology development. Additionally, more than 20 small-scale CO2 injection field projects conducted by the RCSPs are underway in saline formations, oil and gas fields, and coals seams throughout the United States and Canada. These projects are all featured in the new database.
The database will be continually updated as information about new or existing projects is released. NETL welcomes project updates and comments that will improve the database. Contact information to provide updates or comments is available in the step-by-step instructions available from the database webpage.
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