Carbon capture is a temporary solution in the energy transition

Capturing CO2 during an industrial production process or from flue gas after production prevents this greenhouse gas from being released into the atmosphere. This is one way to fight climate change. Capturing CO2 is the first step in the CCS (carbon capture and storage) process. After capture, the CO2 is transported to and stored in empty gas fields below the sea bed of the Dutch sector of the North Sea. Gasunie is developing the infrastructure that will make these transports possible.

Carbon capture at a glance

  • Companies are responsible for capturing the CO2 they emit.
  • They can do that either during the production process or afterwards by removing it from the flue gas.
  • Once captured, the CO2 is transported to and stored in empty North Sea gas fields.
  • CCS is necessary in the fight against climate change.
  • CCS is currently an economically viable alternative because emission allowances have become more expensive.
  • CCS is already happening around the world.

CCS prevents CO₂ from ending up in the atmosphere

Carbon capture is the process of separating CO2 during the production process or from flue gas after production. Flue gas is the gas released from the combustion or gasification of fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas. Capturing CO2 means that this greenhouse gas does not end up in the atmosphere.

This is the first step of CCS (carbon capture and storage) or CCU (carbon capture and utilisation).

Pre-combustion and post-combustion carbon capture

When it comes to capturing CO2, there are three ways to do it: before combustion, after combustion, or through oxyfuel combustion.

With pre-combustion carbon capture, CO2 is captured during the production process before combustion is completed. This option is used, for example, in the production of hydrogen using natural gas. CO2 is then separated by using activated carbon to absorb it.

With post-combustion carbon capture, CO2 is captured from the flue gases produced by the combustion of natural gas (or coal or waste).

Oxyfuel combustion involves burning flue gas using pure oxygen. After this process, the CO2 is filtered out of the gas.

Carbon capture is necessary in the fight against climate change

By 2030, the Netherlands wants to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% compared to 1990. Replacing fossil fuels with renewable alternatives such as solar and wind power will deliver part of this reduction.

Since these renewable energy sources are not a viable alternative for certain industrial processes, such as processes that require extremely high temperatures, for example, the search for other solutions is on.

Until a more sustainable alternative has been developed, emissions can, nonetheless, still be reduced by capturing and storing the CO2 released by these processes.

In the meantime, these industrial processes will continue to need fossil fuels. Therefore, in order to hit the climate targets set for 2030, carbon capture is a necessity rather than an option. CCS is a temporary solution to limit carbon emissions and thus fight climate change. Its impact is immediate rather than long term.

Costs of carbon capture, transport and storage comparable to those of emission allowances

The costs involved in capturing, transporting and storing a metric ton of CO2 are expected to come down over the coming years, while the price of emission allowances, i.e. the right to emit a ton of CO2, will likely go up.

For a long time, emission allowances were a lot cheaper than CCS, which stood in the way of CCS properly taking off. Ever since the European Union started to eliminate emission allowances from the market, emission allowance prices have been going up, making CCS now also a good alternative from a financial perspective.

On top of that, the Dutch government incentivizes CCS by giving subsidies under the Stimulering Duurzame Energieproductie (SDE++) scheme to cover the cost difference between emissions on the one hand and capture and storage on the other.

Carbon capture is already happening in Norway, Canada and the US

Worldwide, CO2 is already being captured and stored in various countries. One of these countries is Norway, where CCS is used in two locations to permanently store CO2 in empty natural gas fields, which is also what the Netherlands is planning to do. Similar CCS projects are underway in Canada and the US.

Carbon capture, storage or utilisation

The company that emits CO2 is also responsible for capturing it. After this first step, the CO2 is transported to a compressor, either directly through a pipeline or by ship. The latter option is used when the distance is too great to lay pipelines or when the volume is limited.

The compressor pressurises the CO2 to create a mixture of liquid and gaseous CO2 that makes the gas easier to transport. Next, the CO2 is transported out to sea through pipelines.

CO2 is stored in empty gas fields below the North Sea bed. Extraction of natural gas from these fields has gradually brought down the pressure in these gas fields’ porous cavities. Injecting CO2 will raise the pressure up to the original pressure of the field.

Gasunie provides infrastructure for CCS

Gasunie plays a major role in the infrastructure needed for CO2 transport. Gasunie is a partner in various CCS projects, including Porthos (planned to become operational in 2025) and Aramis (planned to become operational in 2028). Gasunie, Vopak and Gate terminal are furthermore looking into whether it would be possible and viable to build an independent reception and supply terminal for liquid CO2 at the Maasvlakte industrial area (the CO2next project). And Gasunie is also one of the collaborators on the Delta Rhine Corridor project. The idea behind this project is to lay multiple pipelines for the transport of hydrogen, natural gas, CO2 and other substances.