New Carbon Capture and Storage Projects Funded – Flexible Funding 2022 Announcement

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The UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre (UKCCSRC) are pleased to announce the 13 proposals that have been awarded funding in their recent Flexible Funding 2022 call.

A total of £368,792 was awarded to the projects, which all support the UK Government’s net-zero objectives and will last between 3-9 months.  For the first time, early career researchers (ECRs) were eligible to apply, with £100,000 ring-fenced for ECR applicants.  Five of the successful proposals are led by ECRs.

Ruqaiyah Patel, Joint Head of Energy and Decarbonisation at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) said: “Further research into carbon capture and storage will enable us to capture, store and utilise greenhouse emissions from essential processes that cannot be decarbonised and potentially save the UK tens of billions of pounds over the next two decades.

“Building on the significant impact and success delivered by UKCCSRC across technology and policy development, this call was essential in supporting a broad range of CCS research projects that can support and help the UK achieve its net zero target by 2050.”

More information from four of the successful projects

Dr Amir Jahanbakhsh from Heriot-Watt University said: “Rockit is a multidisciplinary project developing a technique to eliminate CO₂ from the atmosphere safely and permanently. Mineralization of carbon through the reaction of CO₂ with rocks rich in calcium or magnesium converts CO₂ into solid rock. I am collaborating with colleagues from the University of Edinburgh to successfully investigate different aspects of this technique and potentially contribute to taking it to a higher stage of technology readiness.”

Dr Peter Clough from Cranfield University said: “Our project will advance and demonstrate a new technique for capturing fugitive amines released from CO₂ scrubbers, which has already passed a mathematical proof-of-concept and captured industry’s interest. The next step is to develop a physical prototype of the amine electrostatic precipitator (ESP), based on the design produced and modelling performed in collaboration with Petrofac, with previous UKCCSRC funding.  This technology will ensure CCS plants can adhere to current and future emission limits and protect the environment.”

Dr Salman Masoudi Soltani from Brunel University London said: “Biomass combustion ash is a challenging waste to manage. We have devised a practical pathway to utilise such waste and synthesise cost-effective yet efficient sorbents for carbon capture. The application of our waste-derived sorbents at scale must be investigated in terms of the associated environmental footprints and potential operational challenges.”

Dr Tohid Borhani from the University of Wolverhampton said: “This project aims to examine the downflow gas contactor (DGC) to capture CO₂ using different solvents. The impact of the study could be having a more efficient and cheaper carbon capture method that can be very promising for retrofitting cement factories, power plants and any other carbon emission sources. I am the first person to try to develop this DGC unit and use it for carbon capture, and the project, therefore, has great potential for more studies.”

Full list of successful applicants

• Efenwengbe Nicholas Aminaho (Robert Gordon University): Evaluation of Caprock Integrity for Geosequestration of CO₂ in Low Temperature Reservoirs
• Dr Tohid N.Borhani (University of Wolverhampton): Modelling and Simulation and Economic Evaluation of CO₂ Capture Using Downflow Gas Contactor (DGC) Process
• Dr Peter Clough (Cranfield University): Developing the understanding and prototyping of amine electrostatic precipitation
• Dr Katriona Edlmann (University of Edinburgh): CarbNET Carbonation negative emission technology
• Muir Freer (University of Manchester): Integration of CO₂ Capture at Dispersed and Remote UK Cement Production with CCS Infrastructure
• Dr Amir Jahanbakhsh (Heriot-Watt University): Rockit – the geochemistry of turning carbon to rock via geological CO₂ storage in basalts
• Professor Mathieu Lucquiaud (University of Sheffield): SMART – Solvent Management At Reduced Throughput – prototype demonstration
• Dr Salman Masoudi Soltani (Brunel University London): Investigation of Environmental and Operational Challenges of Adsorbents Synthesised from Industrial Grade Biomass Combustion Residues
• Dr Stavros Michailos (University of Hull): Co-DAC: Low-energy Direct Air Capture potential when combined with a Post Combustion Capture plant
• Dr Nejat Rahmanian (University of Bradford): Evaluation of properties of biomass wood pellets in power generation
• Dr Chenggong Sun (University of Nottingham): CO₂ Utilisation for Accelerated Carbonation Curing towards Net-Zero Circular Concrete Industry
• Professor Karen Turner (University of Strathclyde): Exploring wage-driven employment displacement in a supply constrained labour market as CCUS integrates into the UK economy
• Dr Yongliang Yan (Newcastle University): Machine Learning for Perovskite-based Oxygen Carriers Development in Chemical Looping Hydrogen Production

For further and ongoing information, please see the Flexible Funding 2022 page.