New project promises CO2 capture at $30 per tonne

Located near Chennai, the project aims to help the 10MW coal-fired power station become a ‘zero-emission plant’, with the captured CO2 used locally for soda ash production.

During a visit to CCSL’s research facility at Imperial College earlier this year, The Engineer heard how the company hopes to reduce the cost of CCS to $10 a tonne by 2018. Current CCS technologies typically cost between $60-90 per tonnes, and CCSL is hailing the new privately funded scheme as a major breakthrough. With fracking in Lancashire given the green light last week, CCS technology could be a crucial tool to help the UK meet both its energy needs and climate targets.

“This project is a game-changer,” said Aniruddha Sharma, chief executive officer at CCSL.

“By capturing and crucially, re-using, CO2 at just $30 per/tonne, we believe that there is an opportunity to dramatically accelerate uptake of CCU (carbon capture and utilisation) technology, with its many benefits, around the world. This is a project that doesn’t rely on government funding or subsidies – it just makes great business sense.”