Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) technology has the potential for diffusion as means of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from coal-fired power stations, oil and gas fields, and other sites.
Established by the Australian commonwealth government in April 2009, the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute (GCCSI, headquartered in Canberra) has a membership of over 260 companies and other organizations around the world.
It is supporting the early commercialization of this technology through financial aid for CCS demonstration projects planned in various locations. The Denki Shimbun asked Senior Vice-President Dale Seymour of the GCCSI - on the occasion of his recent trip to Japan - about the status of activities and agenda for commercialization.
_What are the objectives of GCCSI activities? _
“We furnish funds to promote the spread of CCS demonstration projects and the related technology. We also perceive extensive dissemination of CCS information and knowledge as a major role of ours. We recently launched a knowledge-sharing platform on the Internet as well. Our goal in this connection is to promote at least 20 large-scale CCS projects by 2020. To reach this goal, we have received 355 million Australian dollars in subsidies from the commonwealth government thus far. As for our activities of late, we announced assistance totaling 18 million Australian dollars (about 1.6 billion yen) for a total of six demonstration projects in the United States, Europe and Australia just last week.”
What is the worth of CCS promotion?
“CCS is effective technology for contribution to low-carbon arrangements. It also has cost advantages; the cost of emission reduction per ton of CO2 is in the range of 70 - 120 U.S. dollars. This is far lower than other emission-reducing technologies such as solar photovoltaic power, geothermal power, and wind power. The importance of CCS lies in its ability for attainment of about 20% of all CO2 emission reduction by 2050, which is also indicated in the BLUE Map scenario prepared by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Over the last year, the amount of funding provided for CCS worldwide nearly doubled, rising from 18 to 35 billion U.S. dollars. In the same period, the number of large-scale CCS projects in planning increased from 60 to 85.”
What is the agenda for moving CCS into the commercial stage?
“In CCS projects, the process of separation and recovery accounts for about 80% of the total cost. New technology must be developed and undergo large-scale demonstration tests to bring down the cost. Another key to putting the technology on commercial footing could be the skillful building of frameworks for funding from financial institutions, insurance setups, and public-private mechanisms for dispersal of risks. With an awareness of these factors, we are analyzing risks associated with CCS projects and making proposals of policies and legal frameworks for promotion of CCS.”
The GCCSI also has about 25 members from Japan, including the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as trading firms and manufacturers. What are your expectations of the Japanese contingent?
“Japanese technology is the best in the world, and we are grateful for the tremendous contribution it has made. We are extremely interested to see how business in original equipment manufacturing (OEM), which means supply of product manufactured under the client company brand, for Japanese firms will spread around the world and begin to make commercial application of CCS. We also intend to offer our support for this movement.”
