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Summary of Energy Technology Analysis: Prospects for CO₂ Capture and Storage

Core Content

This document, Energy Technology Analysis: Prospects for CO₂ Capture and Storage, is a publication by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and is the first in a new series aimed at assessing the potential of emerging energy technologies. The report focuses on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) as a key technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the context of a growing global energy demand and increasing CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels.

The IEA outlines the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), both of which play a central role in energy policy and research. The IEA was established in 1974 and works with 26 OECD member countries and the European Commission, while the OECD, founded in 1961, promotes economic growth and development through cooperative policies.

Main Viewpoints

1. Need for CCS

• Fossil fuels will continue to be used extensively, leading to significant CO₂ emissions unless new policies are implemented.
• Improved energy efficiency and renewable energy can only partially address the issue.
• CCS is a promising option to drastically reduce emissions and is seen as a transition technology for the next 50–100 years.

2. Potential of CCS

• CCS can be applied in electricity generation, industrial processes, and fuels supply.
• It is particularly relevant in the electricity sector, where it can capture emissions from coal and gas power plants.
• In manufacturing, CCS can be used in process industries, furnaces, and combined heat and power (CHP) systems.
• In fuels supply, it can be applied in natural gas processing, oil refining, hydrogen production, and synfuel production.

3. Challenges and Barriers

• Large-scale deployment of CCS is likely 10 years away.
• RD&D investment must be significantly increased to realize its full potential.
• Market deployment from 2015 onward requires effective emission reduction incentives.
• Regulatory and legal frameworks need to be developed to support CCS.
• Public awareness and acceptance are critical for the successful implementation of CCS.

4. Modeling and Scenarios

• The report uses the Energy Technology Perspectives (ETP) model to analyze the potential of CCS.
• It presents BASE and GLO50 scenarios to illustrate the impact of CCS on emissions and energy systems.
• The GLO50 scenario shows a 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to the BASE scenario by 2030, through the adoption of CCS.

5. Cost and Technology Learning

• The cost of CCS varies by technology and region, but the report highlights the importance of technology learning to reduce costs.
• Investment costs for CO₂ capture, transportation, and storage are analyzed, with oxyfuel retrofit and chemical absorption being key technologies.
• Transportation via pipeline is established, but siting and environmental impact are important considerations.
• Storage options include deep saline aquifers, depleted oil and gas fields, and unmineable coal seams.

Key Information

• Current and planned CCS projects include:

  • 11 CO₂ capture demonstration projects
  • 35 CO₂ capture R&D projects
  • 26 geologic storage projects
  • 74 geologic storage R&D projects
  • 9 ocean storage R&D projects

• Successful projects include:

  • Sleipner (Norway): A commercial-scale sub-sea CO₂ storage project since 1996, storing 1 Mt/year.
  • Weyburn (Canada): Demonstrates CO₂-enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and storage, storing 2 Mt/year since 2001.
  • FutureGen (US): A planned megatonne-scale power plant for cogeneration of electricity and hydrogen, expected to start construction in 2007.

• CO₂ capture technologies include:

  • Post-combustion capture: Using chemical absorption or oxyfueling.
  • Pre-combustion capture: Converting fuel into CO₂ and hydrogen, then capturing CO₂.
  • Oxyfuel technology is considered the most promising for pre-combustion capture.
  • Chemical absorption is a common method for post-combustion capture.

• CO₂ storage is considered viable in:

  • Deep saline aquifers
  • Depleted oil and gas fields
  • Unmineable coal seams
  • Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and enhanced gas recovery (EGR) are also mentioned as potential applications.

• Policy actions are emphasized:

  • RD&D investment must be increased to accelerate CCS development.
  • Incentives for emission reduction are necessary to encourage market deployment.
  • International cooperation is essential for the global implementation of CCS.

• Environmental and economic benefits:

  • CCS can contribute to energy supply security.
  • It offers environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • It has the potential to reduce costs in the long run through technology learning and scale-up.

Conclusion

The report concludes that CCS is a viable and essential technology for achieving significant reductions in CO₂ emissions. However, its timely deployment depends on policy support, RD&D investment, and international collaboration. The ETP model provides a quantitative framework for analyzing the role of CCS in various sectors and under different policy scenarios. The study underscores that without major efforts, the full potential of CCS will not be realized, and it could become a key component of a sustainable energy future.