Insights and Commentaries
New large-scale CCS facilities added to Global CCS database
18th November 2018
Topic(s): Capacity development, Carbon capture, CO2 capture, CO2 hubs, CO2 storage, CO2 transport, CO2 utilisation, use and storage (CCUS)
Following significant developments of “the decarbonised hydrogen (H2)” as well as “hubs and clusters” in the UK and Netherlands, new large-scale CCS facilities have been included in the Institute database, with approvals from facility proponents.
There are now 18 large-scale CCS facilities in operation, five under construction globally; these facilities can remove 40 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of CO2 that otherwise could have entered the atmosphere. There are further 20 large-scale CCS facilities at various stages of developments. In total, there are 43 large-scales CCS facilities in the whole pipeline.
CCS on Hydrogen production gathers momentum
For the emerging H2+CCS developments, there is no barrier for their future deployments. Decarbonised H2 production by steam methane reformer (SMR)/gasification and CCS has been in commercial practice for decades with industrial applications across the following locations:
- Fertiliser production: H2+N2=ammonia process in Enid Fertiliser in 1983.
- Great Plains Synfuels Plant and Weyburn-Midale in 2000.
- Coffeyville Gasification Plant in 2013.
- Refineries: Air Product SMR in 2013, Quest in 2015 and upcoming ACTL Sturgeon Refinery in 2019.
- Iron and steel production (direct reduced iron H2 process) at Abu Dhabi CCS ESI in 2016.
The relevant contents for the updated large-scale CCS facilities have been updated in the Global CCS facilities database.
The details of the facilities added to the database across advanced development, early development and the removal of one facility can be found below.
New large-scale CCS facilities added to Global CCS Database
Advanced Development stage:
- Port of Rotterdam CCUS Backbone Initiative (Netherlands) – a CO2 capture, transport and offshore storage infrastructure system (a ‘backbone’) for various industries, with an initial CO2 capture capacity of 2 Mtpa starting in 2021. Proponents: The Port of Rotterdam Authority, Nederlandse Gasunie (Gasunie) and Energie Beheer Nederland (EBN)
Early Development stage:
- HyNet North West (North west England, UK) – low-carbon hydrogen production distribution and CCUS, with an initial CO2 capture capacity of 1.5 Mtpa starting in middle 2020s Proponents: Cadent, Progressive Energy, ENI and other potential major local asset owners
- Northern Gas Network H21 North of England (North of England, UK) – a zero-carbon hydrogen gas grid, scaling up from 1.5 to 20 Mtpa CO2 between 2026-28 and 2034. Proponents: Northern Gas Networks , in partnership with Equinor and Cadent
- Acorn Scalable CCS Development (Scotland, UK) – a major natural gas, hydrogen and CCS hub at St Fergus and an international CO2 storage hub in the Central North Sea, scaling up from the phase I: Acorn minimal CCS development to capture 3-4 Mtpa CO2 starting in end 2020s. Proponents: Pale Blue Dot Energy with feasibility-stage partners: Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage, University of Liverpool, Bellona and Radboud University.
- Ervia Cork CCS (Ireland, UK) – a cluster of large-scale CCS facilities on hydrogen production (refinery) and natural gas-fired combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT), with a CO2 capture capacity of 2 Mtpa starting in 2028. Proponents: Ervia, Centrica plc, Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Irving Oil
- Magnum Hydrogen (H2M) Project (Netherlands) – a natural gas to hydrogen production plant with CO2 capture and export facilities with a CO2 capture capacity of 2 Mtpa starting in 2024. Proponents: Equinor, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS), Vattenfall/Nuon and Gasunie
Removal of large-scale CCS facilities
In recent updates to our database, the Texas Clean Energy Project (TCEP) in Advanced Development – TCEP underwent restructuring in design after US DOE withdrew the funding in July 2016. The project was bankrupt in Feb 2018 according to US DOE Audit report DOE-OIG-18-17.