Carbon Capture and Utilization in the Industrial Sector

Area of Science:

• Industrial Chemistry
• Environmental Engineering
• Climate Change Mitigation

Background:

• Industrial processes like iron, glass, and cement production are major sources of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, contributing 23%.
• Current CO2 capture technologies face high costs, limiting adoption for industrial flue gases compared to the power sector.
• Industries with high CO2 concentrations in flue gases present potential for cost-competitive CO2 supply for utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a methodology for determining the levelized cost of CO2 capture, compression, and transportation from industrial sources.
• To identify industrial processes and transportation methods that offer the most cost-effective CO2 management strategies.

Main Methods:

• A top-down cost model was employed to assess CO2 separation and compression costs across 18 diverse industrial processes.
• A bottom-up cost model, incorporating geo-referencing, was used to calculate CO2 transportation expenses via pipeline and tanker truck.
• The methodology integrates costs for separation, compression, and transportation to determine the overall levelized cost per ton of CO2.

Main Results:

• Tanker truck transportation emerged as a generally low-cost option for managing smaller CO2 volumes (approximately 100 kilotons CO2 per year).
• A case study in Pennsylvania indicated that steel and cement manufacturing, when paired with suitable CO2 sinks, yielded the lowest levelized costs for capture, compression, and transport.
• The study provides a framework for evaluating the economic viability of CO2 capture and utilization across various industrial sectors.

Conclusions:

• CO2 capture from specific industrial sources with high flue gas concentrations can be economically feasible, particularly when coupled with utilization pathways.
• Transportation method selection (pipeline vs. truck) significantly impacts the overall cost-effectiveness, with trucks often preferred for lower volumes.
• The developed methodology offers a valuable tool for industries and policymakers to assess and implement cost-efficient carbon management strategies.