The Norwegian University of Science and Technology has joined with SINTEF, the independent research organisation, and Aker Clean Carbon, the industrial technology company, to create an eight-year science and development programme called SOLVit. The agreement covers chemical processes that can capture CO2 from the process industry and emissions from coal and gas fired power stations. It is estimated that the the 4000 largest of these globally account for about 40 per cent of man-made CO2 emissions. The SOLVit programme aims to generate better and more cost-effective processes and chemicals for carbon capture and storage.
International energy companies have been invited to take part in the programme and Gassnova SF – the Norwegian government’s vehicle for CO2-management (capture, transport, injection and storage) – has approved financial support of £3.4m for the first phase of the project, which will run until end-2010.
Ms Unni Steinsmo, chief executive of SINTEF, said the programme includes building a large laboratory facility that will strengthen Norway’s standing in the international arena, making it easier to compete for financial support for scientific research from institutions such as the European Union.
“Results from the development research in the new laboratory in Trondheim will be tried out in test centres and hopefully also in full-scale facilities already in the first phase of the programme. This makes SOLVit even more exciting,” said Ms Steinsmo.
Aker Clean Carbon and SINTEF have together developed many chemical solutions based on adsorbent amines. Phase one of SOLVit will be used to test the other amine solutions under development. In phases two and three the parties will try to introduce new chemical solutions and elements tobring down significantly the cost of CCS. The aim is to come up with a process facility for CO2-capture that can operate on half the energy consumption of today’s processes.
The new laboratory at Tiller in Trondheim will be a unique test centre for pilot projects, and will include a processing column that reaches a height of 25 metres – identical to the height needed in full-scale industrial facilities. The lab will also be available for SINTEF’s domestic and international customers and partners.
The programme will involve the testing of chemicals and processes in a mobile capture facility which is currently being built at Aker Verdal. This facility is large enough to process partial emissions from power stations and industrial sites for periods of several months at a time.
