In line with the COP27 agreement, GAIL and LanzaTech have initiated a Strategic Partnership for Carbon Capture and utilisation projects to bio-recycle carbon waste into fuels and chemicals.
News in detail
GAIL (India) Limited, India’s largest natural gas company, and LanzaTech Global, Inc., USA, carbon capture and utilisation (“CCU”) – a company that converts waste carbon into products that people use in their daily lives.
Both companies have entered into a partnership to explore innovative technology solutions that help GAIL meet its Net Zero 2040 goals. Further, the partners will explore opportunities to support decarbonization applications globally.
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GAIL and LanzaTech to setup a Pilot-Scale Project
The partners – GAIL and LanzaTech, will be setting up a pilot-scale project for capture conversion and utilisation of Carbon dioxide (CO2). The pilot can be a role model for converting CO2 into useful materials.
For example, in steel industries instead of emitting CO2 into the atmosphere, LanzaTech’s technology can capture it, and process it using GAIL’s renewable energy-powered H2 and CO2 gas streams, it can make products that can be used to produce base products. The base products, in turn, can be used to make everyday consumer goods like fuel, packaging material, Technical textiles, etc.
LanzaTech is upbeat about the partnership with GAIL
“Waste CO2 can be used to make the things we need,” said Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, LanzaTech’s CEO and Board Member of the US-India Strategic Partnership. “By combining LanzaTech’s expertise in carbon recycling with GAIL’s commitment to reducing emissions and implementing renewable projects, this project has the potential to turn CO2 from an environmental liability to a value-added product. CO2 can be the raw material of the future, enabling fossil carbon to stay underground. We look forward to launching our collaboration with GAIL to make this vision a reality.”
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About LanzaTech’s Carbon Capture and Utilisation Technology
LanzaTech’s CCU technology works like a brewery: proprietary bacteria consume carbon-rich pollution from industrial facilities and convert it into CarbonSmart™ chemicals to create rubber, plastics, synthetic fibers, and fuels.
These materials form the building blocks for consumer products such as clothing, laundry detergent, and sustainable aviation fuel (“SAF”). LanzaTech’s technology platform is designing a future where consumers can continue using indispensable products they use every day without depending on materials derived from virgin fossil fuels. Such products are expected to be well accepted by climate-conscious consumers even at a premium.
GAIL-LanzaTech partnership can set a benchmark for others
GAIL and LanzaTech aim to establish new standards in carbon utilization through their collaboration, offering a compelling model for utilizing CO2 gas streams that would otherwise contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. The partnership between GAIL and LanzaTech Global Inc. represents a significant milestone in GAIL’s broader energy transition towards achieving Net Zero emissions and their commitment to sustainable development.
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What is Carbon Capture and Utilisation Technology?
CCU is considered a critical technology in the fight against climate change because it enables the reduction of CO2 emissions from large industrial sources that are challenging to decarbonize directly. It not only helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also has the potential to create new economic opportunities through the utilization of captured carbon in various industries.
Carbon Capture and Utilisation is a process that involves two main steps:
- Capture: The first step is capturing CO2 emissions from sources like power plants, industrial facilities, and even the air (as in direct air capture). Various technologies, such as post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture, and oxy-fuel combustion, are employed to trap and separate CO2 from other gases.
- Utilisation: In the utilization phase, the captured CO2 is put to productive use rather than being released into the atmosphere. It can be used in a variety of ways, such as in the production of building materials, chemicals, or fuels. By incorporating CO2 into these products, it is effectively “recycled” and prevents it from contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
Methods of Carbon Capture
There are several methods for capturing carbon:
- Post-combustion capture: In this method, CO2 is captured after fossil fuels have been burned. The exhaust gases, which contain CO2, are directed through a solution that can absorb the CO2. This process helps remove carbon dioxide from the emissions produced during combustion.
- Pre-combustion capture: Before fossil fuels are burned, they undergo a process where hydrogen gas and CO2 are produced. The CO2 is separated from the other gases before combustion takes place. This method allows for the capture of carbon dioxide before it is released into the atmosphere.
- Oxy-fuel combustion: In oxy-fuel combustion, fossil fuels are burned in a pure oxygen environment rather than in air. This results in emissions of high-concentration CO2, making it easier to capture the carbon dioxide released during combustion.
- Direct air capture: Direct air capture involves the removal of CO2 directly from the atmosphere. Specialized technology and materials are used to extract carbon dioxide from the ambient air, reducing the overall concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.
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Applications of Utilised Carbon
Once captured, CO2 can be converted into various products. Here are a few promising utilization avenues:
- Fuel production: CO2 can be transformed into fuels like methane, diesel, or even jet fuel using various chemical processes.
- Plastic production: Some startups and research institutes are turning CO2 into polymers and other materials for plastic production.
- Building materials: CO2 can be mineralized to produce carbonates, which can then be used in cement or other building materials.
- Algae cultivation: CO2 can be used to grow algae, which can be processed into biofuels or used in various other products.
Benefits of Carbon Capture and Utilisation
- Economic viability: By turning carbon emissions into marketable products, industries can be encouraged to reduce their carbon footprint.
- Reduction of atmospheric CO2: By capturing and utilizing CO2, we can limit the amount of greenhouse gases entering our atmosphere.
- Creation of a circular economy: Instead of a one-way stream from production to waste, CCU supports a circular approach where emissions are continuously cycled back into the economy.
One such example is JSW cement factories utilize industrial waste such as slag from JSW steel plants to manufacture blended cement. This eco-friendly product not only contributes to environmental sustainability but also possesses higher strength compared to standard cement.
Read about it here – JSW Cement to Invest Rs 1215 Crores in Vijayanagar Plant Expansion
Readers can learn in brief about the NITI Aayog’s Study report on CCUS below.
NITI Aayog’s study report on ‘CCUS’ will enable actions on climate change
NITI Aayog released a study report on ‘Carbon Capture and Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) Policy Framework and its Deployment Mechanism in India’
News in brief
CCUS will ensure SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and GROWTH in India, particularly for the production of clean products and energy, leading to an Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The study report on CCUS explores the importance of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage as an emission reduction strategy to achieve deep decarbonization from the hard-to-abate sectors. The report outlines broad-level policy interventions needed across various sectors for its application.
Net Zero Emission by 2070
India is taking steps towards achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070, and the role of Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) becomes an important activity to achieve decarbonization from the hard-to-abate sectors.
CCUS projects will also lead to a significant employment generation. It estimates that about 750 Million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of carbon capture by 2050. It can create employment opportunities for about 8-10 million people in a full-time capacity in a phased manner.
The right CCUS policy implementation roadmap is the key
“India’s dependency on fossil-based Energy Resources is likely to continue in the future, hence CCUS policy in the Indian Context and proper, well-thought-through roadmap is needed for a successful implementation of CCUS projects,” said Dr. V.K Saraswat, Member, NITI Aayog.
For more information on CCUS, you can click on NITI Ayog’s live streaming of the report
Conclusion
Carbon Capture and Utilisation hold great promise in our fight against climate change. By turning a problem (CO2 emissions) into a solution (useful products), CCU offers a potential win-win scenario. Future investment in research and development, paired with supportive policies and market mechanisms, will be crucial to realizing the full potential of CCU.
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