A market-based approach to reducing global CO2 levels
Carbon Capture and Manufacture (CCM) is an alternative and complementary strategy to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) for reducing atmospheric CO2. CCM processes capture CO2 either directly from the air or from pre and/or post combustion streams. The concentrated CO2 is then input to manufacturing processes that produce value-adding carbon based products including: fuels, graphitic materials, building materials, plastics and others.
CCM is the conversion branch of the broader Carbon Capture Utilisation & Storage (CCUS) market, as defined by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The promise of CCM is that by locking atmospheric carbon into value adding materials, we can create a profitable market for atmospheric CO2 and a practical tool for combatting climate change.
Carbon Capture
Carbon Capture is a key process in all CCM strategies.
Pre-combustion
In order for gas production companies to provide gas of a quality suitable for downstream pipelining, processing and/or combustion, it is an established practice to separate the higher CO2 / acid gas streams either at the source or at a downstream processing facility. Presently in Australia, all co-produced and separated CO2 from methane streams is vented to the atmosphere. There is a significant opportunity to access these streams for utilisation via downstream processing in co-located facilities.
Given that the separation (CO2 capture) facilities for these existing streams are already built and that the CO2 is already under pressure (which facilitates utilisation) these projects are prime candidates for integration of CCM processes downstream.
This means that readily accessible streams of CO2, which historically have been vented to the atmosphere, could be value added via CCM and provide a new and viable revenue source.
Post-combustion
Post-combustion capture is directly relevant to the somewhat broader field of CO2 emitters and, coupled with an appropriate carbon manufacture technology, can turn a costly waste product into a valuable end product. The high temperatures and presence of many contaminents make processing of post-combustion CO2 the most challenging of the carbon capture approaches.
Direct Air Capture
Direct air capture (DAC) uses renewable energy sources such as wind or solar to remove CO2 from the air and provides a concentrated stream of CO2 to the manufacturing process. This CO2 can then be used as a source material in the manufacture of high value products such as fuels, graphitic and building materials, plastics and others.
CCM Fuels
Manufacturing hydrocarbon fuels from CO2 inputs results in cleaner fuels, which are drop-in compatible and don’t require turnover of infrastructure or engines. Drop-in fuels will enable existing cars and trucks to reduce their carbon footprint and run to end of life as the move from hydrocarbon fuels to electric takes place over time.
Where the CO2 is sourced from Direct Air Capture (DAC), CCM Fuels are carbon neutral. Where the CO2 is sourced from pre or post combustion, CCM Fuels reduce the carbon intensity (grams of CO2 per unit of energy) of the fuels we use. Carbon intensity is recognised as part of California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
CCM Graphitic Materials
Graphene is set to become one of the most important materials of the 21st Century. This potential has led Europe to invest one billion Euros in the Graphene Flagship Project, the EU’s biggest ever research initiative.
Graphene is the strongest material ever measured. It has exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity. It is extremely lightweight, chemically inert and flexible. These characteristics give it potential for numerous applications, including: enhanced lithium batteries, graphene supercapacitors (huge energy density and recharge in seconds), graphene inks (for printed electronics, including solar cells and wearables), graphene filters, and medical application in stem cell therapy to name a few.
CCM - Building Materials
CO2 derived building products such as cement and plastics are also going be part of the global solution. Companies in this space include Mineral Carbonation International - a joint venture between Green Mag group, University of Newcastle and Orica; and Dutch company, Green Minerals.