Capturing carbon, crafting a cleaner future
What if we could trap CO2 before it is emitted into the atmosphere, perhaps even turn it into something useful? The UK government is pledging nearly £22 billion for carbon capture projects in the coming decades – technologies like our ongoing trial in Germany.
The UK Government’s commitment of almost £22 billion to fund carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects over the next 25 years will establish two major CCS clusters in the north east of England, and the north west of England, and north Wales. Ministers expect it will play a significant role in achieving our climate ambitions, with carbon capture a vital strategy to reach net zero whilst supporting Britain’s heavy industry.
Think of carbon capture as a powerful filter designed to catch CO2 before it’s released into the atmosphere. Whether that is through power generation itself or energy intensive industries such as agriculture and concrete, CO2 is produced, contributing to climate change. With carbon capture technology, we can trap those emissions, preventing them from becoming part of the problem - and potentially transform it into something valuable such as cleaner fuels or raw materials for industry.
This innovative approach is exactly what we’re exploring at our biomass plant in west Germany and highlights the exciting potential of carbon capture technology. We’re setting up a mobile carbon capture unit at our Bergkamen biomass plant to test how efficiently we can capture carbon emissions from the power generation process. It’s a six-month trial but the potential outcomes could reshape how we tackle CO2 emissions, not just in Germany, but across the UK as well.
The site in Bergkamen is just one location where we are pioneering efforts to understand and develop advanced carbon capture technologies. If this trial carbon capture plant goes full scale it has the potential to capture about 200,000 tons of CO2 each year.
And our Bergkamen project isn’t just a local effort. What we learn there will directly inform how we roll out carbon capture in other places – including here in the UK. As the government plans its CCS clusters, insights from the trial could contribute to the UK’s ambitious journey to cut CO2 emissions.
How does carbon capture work?
Once captured, the CO2 can be handled in different ways: it could be stored deep underground, where it can’t contribute to global warming, or turned into something useful like synthetic fuels or raw materials for the chemical industry. In a nutshell, carbon capture could play a huge role in helping us reduce overall emissions and meet net zero targets.
Whether it’s reducing emissions, creating green fuels, or storing CO2 safely underground, the potential applications are vast, and they play a pivotal role in shaping a greener, more sustainable future.
And the benefits extend beyond just businesses. These innovations could lead to cleaner air, reduced reliance on fossil fuels, and sustainable energy for local communities.