Carbon Capture’s Role in Net-Zero – IDTechEx Explores CCUS Technologies
IDTechEx reports that major CCUS technology providers are working towards offering a broad range of technologies in order to source the most economical approaches to meet varying requirements
Reaching net zero by 2050 will require global reductions in anthropogenic CO2 emissions, alongside removing legacy CO2 as a complementary approach. IDTechEx’s report, “Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Markets 2025-2045: Technologies, Market Forecasts”, and Players, explores carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) as a means to stop carbon dioxide from entering the environment through a variety of technologies, from absorption solvents to membranes, each with their own benefits and challenges.
Finding the right balance of cost and performance for CCUS
CCUS can already use mature technologies to decarbonize existing assets and begins with carbon dioxide being captured from point sources of emissions or directly from the atmosphere. This CO2 can then be compressed, transported, stored underground, or converted into profitable carbon-containing products.
Ever-expanding technological innovations for carbon capture processes will allow CCUS to gain traction and popularity through decreased costs. Balancing performance with costs for specific industrial applications is an ongoing challenge. IDTechEx reports that major CCUS technology providers are working towards offering a broad range of technologies in order to source the most economical approaches to meet varying requirements.
Absorption and adsorption
Selectively separating CO2 molecules from other gases can be achieved with a number of methods, with the two main ones being absorption solvents and adsorption sorbents. Chemical or physical absorption solvents bind with CO2 molecules in order to remove them from a flue gas stream. The CO2-rich solvent is then transported to a second column where high temperatures yield a pure CO2stream and a regenerated solvent.
Amine solvents are a popular choice for this carbon capture process, as they have rapid absorption rates, attaching strongly to CO2 for high capture efficiencies and capture rates even at lower concentrations of CO2. However, the very high temperatures needed for amine solvent regeneration result in high capture costs, spurring increased investment into developing lower-temperature solutions. The amine solvent process also produces toxic byproducts, and requires large pieces of equipment, meaning it is not such an economical choice in some cases where the emitter has less space or heat availability.
Adsorption is currently the second most favorable option for carbon capture, working best in medium to high concentrations of CO2. Adsorption processes use solid sorbents and have low energy requirements with simple operation, although amine solvent technologies generally perform better where there are lower CO2 concentrations.
Other carbon capture processes
Membranes, cryogenic separation, and looping technologies are emerging CCUS technologies that are being developed in the pursuit of lower-cost alternatives to solvent-based approaches.
Membranes have a small land footprint, using no hazardous chemicals, and can be simply operated. IDTechEx reports that despite these notable benefits, membranes remain immature for large-scale megatonne per annum CCUS deployment and still require innovations to achieve high CO2 recovery. Similarly, standalone cryogenic technologies are not yet ready for large-scale carbon capture and require large amounts of energy, but can achieve high purity CO2.
Leading carbon capture players have started to commercialize hybrid approaches, with combinations of technologies such as solid adsorbents and cryogenic capture providing a unique solution to achieving desired results by harnessing the benefits of both techniques.
Carbon pricing more important than technology innovations
Even if new technology innovations only achieve small reductions in costs for CO2 capture, developments in carbon pricing can support the CCUS business model. In 2024, there were several notable developments in carbon pricing. A carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) is progressing within the EU to ensure that imported goods are still obliged to be charged a carbon price equivalent to that of domestic production. In Canada, a CCUS tax credit system has been put in place as of 2024, with refundable tax credits of up to 60% for various capture equipment, transportation, storage, and usage.
IDTechEx’s CCUS outlook
Achieving net zero by 2050 will require approximately 30 gigatonnes less CO2 to be emitted each year, according to IDTechEx, alongside 2-10 gigatonnes of CO2 removal per year. CCUS has been recognized by many global bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency, as a great decarbonization tool to help achieve these goals.
For more information, visit IDTechEx’s report, “Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Markets 2025-2045: Technologies, Market Forecasts, and Players”, for players operating within the sector and the latest market developments. Downloadable sample pages are available for this report.
For the full portfolio of energy and decarbonization market research available from IDTechEx, please see www.IDTechEx.com/Research/Energy.
About IDTechEx
IDTechEx provides trusted independent research on emerging technologies and their markets. Since 1999, we have been helping our clients to understand new technologies, their supply chains, market requirements, opportunities and forecasts.
Source: IDTechEx, press release, 2024-12-05.