The UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre issues its first research needs assessment and first call for research proposals

Four months of hard work by a team of UK CCS researchers and technology developers have gone into the launch of the first version of the Research and Pathways to Impact Delivery (RAPID) Handbook.  The RAPID Handbook addresses two basic questions about CCS applications that are being developed to cut CO₂ emissions from power generation and industry:

1. What knowledge and related capacity will be needed to implement CCS?

2. To what extent is this necessary knowledge and capacity already available to users?

The job of the UKCCSRC, established with EPSRC and DECC funding as the UK’s virtual hub for CCS research, is to help make sure that there is a positive answer to question 2 for the series of new CCS applications that will drive decarbonisation of fossil fuel use, in the UK and globally.

This first call issued by the Centre will fund research proposals that meet problems identified by the RAPID process and also contribute to higher-level CCS R&D priorities set by the Advanced Power Technology Forum (APGTF) and the DECC CCS Roadmap for Innovation and R&D.  Around £1.5 million is available; the Centre’s Pilot-scale Advanced Capture Technology (PACT) Facilities can also be used.  Proposals are due by 17 September 2012.  It is expected that about 10 projects will be supported.

Any UK academic eligible for EPSRC funding can receive support but proposals must be led by UKCCSRC members, who have established experience in the field.  As well as giving financial support the UKCCSRC will also help to link project teams to the wider CCS research community and to users.

The RAPID Handbook and call for proposals details are now available.

Further details for APGTF and DECC OCCS can be found here:

APGTF – https://www.apgtf-uk.com

DECC Office of CCS –  https://www.decc.gov.uk/occs/