Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) is a process that prevents carbon dioxide (CO2) from entering the atmosphere by capturing carbon dioxide from emissions of industrial processes. This captured CO2 is either reused or stored for future use. CCUS technologies have enormous clean energy potential.
Carbon dioxide is captured using different methods:
- Pre-combustion capture: in this method extraction of CO2 from hydrocarbons before combustion takes place.
- Post-combustion capture: capturing CO2 after the combustion of hydrocarbons.
- Oxy-fuel combustion: combustion of hydrocarbons in a pure oxygen environment.
- Direct air capture: in this method the capture of Co2 from the atmosphere takes place.
This captured CO2 through is stored burring many several kilometers down the earth’s surface. Other than storing, the CO2 can also be reused or utilized by being a feedstock in many products or services or by transforming it into different products.
Benefits:
Reduces emissions at source
Energy production has a major part in increasing the emissions of greenhouse gases. Installing the CCUS can reduce 20% of total CO2 content from industrial and energy production facilities.
Removes pollutants
The CCUS process of oxyfuel combustion leads to the reduction of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide gases. Thus resulting in the removal of other pollutants too along with carbon dioxide.
Reduces damages
Using CCUS reduces the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, this reduction or removing CO2 directly from the source decreases the net damage to the environment.
Challenges:
Expensive
Installing the technology and carrying out its process can be highly costly. It's been reported the system has increased the cost of electricity to implement the technology.
Oil Recovery can reverse its purpose
Oil companies purchase the stored captured carbon dioxide to use in its plant. This reuse leads to the release of more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere contributing to a larger amount of greenhouse gas release in the atmosphere.
Health hazard
Though the accident rates during the process are relatively low. But the leak at injection sites, from a pipeline, and gradual leak from fractures in the rock layers or from injection wells is possible which can lead to a risk to human and animal life. Both the soil and groundwater in the area surrounding the storage site have the potential to be contaminated.
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