Carbon Catcher And Storage

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) (or carbon capture and sequestration) is the process of capturing waste carbondioxide (CO₂) from large point sources, such as fossil fuel power plant, transporting it to a storage site, and depositing it where it will not enter the atmosphere, normally an underground geological formation. The aim is to prevent the release of large quantities of CO₂ into the atmosphere (from fossil fuel use in power generation and other industries). It is a potential means of mitigating the contribution of fossil fuel emission to global warming and ocean acidification. Although CO₂ has been injected into geological formations for several decades for various purposes, including enchanced oil recovery, the long term storage of CO₂ is a relatively new concept. 

An integrated pilot-scale CCS power plant was to begin operating in September 2008 in the eastern German power plant Shwarze Pumpe run by utility Vattenfall, to test the technological feasibility and economic efficiency. CCS applied to a modern conventional power plant could reduce CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere by approximately 80–90% compared to a plant without CCS. The IPCC estimates that the economic potential of CCS could be between 10% and 55% of the total carbon mitigation effort until year 2100.

Capturing and compressing CO₂ may increase the fuel needs of a coal-fired CCS plant by 25–40%. These and other system costs are estimated to increase the cost of the energy produced by 21–91% for purpose built plants. Applying the technology to existing plants would be more expensive especially if they are far from a sequestration site. Recent industry reports suggest that with successful research, development and deployment (RD&D), sequestered coal-based electricity generation in 2025 may cost less than unsequestered coal-based electricity generation today. Storage of the CO₂ is envisaged either in deep geological formations, or in the form of mineral carbonates. Deep ocean storage is not currently considered feasible due to the associated effect of ocean acidification. Geological formations are currently considered the most promising sequestration sites. The National Energy Technology Laboratary (NETL) reported that North America has enough storage capacity for more than 900 years worth of carbon dioxide at current production rates. A general problem is that long term predictions about submarine or underground storage security are very difficult and uncertain, and there is still the risk that CO₂ might leak into the atmosphere.

TUTORIAL LINK: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9uVdi-3AqRE