UK joins International CCS Test Centre Network

UK CCS Research Centre’sPACT core facilities, at Beighton, Sheffield. Operated and managed by the University of Sheffield.  Facilities include a solvent-based carbon capture rig, and a 250kw oxyfuel combustion plant

The purpose of PACT is to support and catalyse industrial and academic R&D, by providing open-access testing facilities.  This helps accelerate the development and commercialisation of technologies for carbon capture and clean power generation. The PACT facilities bring together a comprehensive range of integrated pilot-scale and accompanying specialist research and analytical facilities, supported by leading academic expertise.

PACT bridges the gap between bench-scale R&D and large-scale industrial pilot trials, enabling users to develop and demonstrate their technologies to provide the necessary commercial confidence before committing to the significant costs of large-scale trails.    

The International Test Centre Network was initiated by Norway’s Technology Centre Mongstad in 2012 to enable carbon capture test facilities around the world to progress the technologies that will be a key component of our clean energy future. The network aims to share knowledge that can accelerate technology commercialisation, including, for example, next-generation technologies that can sharply reduce the costs of electricity generation (and industrial products) using CO₂ capture.

Since its launch, some of the world’s leading CCS test centres have been sharing knowledge of construction and operation of large test facilities in order to establish a level playing field for technology vendors to reduce costs, as well as the technical, environmental and financial risks currently associated with CCS.