why ccus

Tomorrow’s Technology Today

We are setting goals to transition our energy system so that we are living in ways that will be sustainable for generations. The Government of Canada has set a goal for our emissions to be net-zero by 2050.

As a first step, Canada has a target to reduce emissions by 40-45% below 2005 levels by the year 2030. This means reducing emissions from all sectors and all activities by around 300 million tonnes of CO2 each year from where we are today!

How do we get there? One of the biggest opportunities to get emissions out of our atmosphere is to capture and sequester them—underground or in products—permanently.

CO2

Jaeson Cardiff, CleanO2

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a naturally occurring molecule comprised of carbon and oxygen atoms, emitted through natural processes as well as through human/industrial activities such as upgrading bitumen, refining, fertilizer manufacturing, cement production, electricity generation, petrochemical operations and numerous combustion processes.

Capture

Brent Henkel, Svante + Blake Adair, Nutrien

CO2 capture is the process of separating, purifying and compressing CO2 to make sure that industrial emissions aren’t entering the atmosphere. There are many different types of CO2 capture technologies that can be applied to many different industries such as heat and power generation, hydrogen production, steel, cement or chemicals. In order to reach transportation or utilization quality, the CO2 may undergo some further processing to make sure it meets specifications.

Capture

Brent Henkel, Svante + Blake Adair, Nutrien

CO2 capture is the process of separating, purifying and compressing CO2 to make sure that industrial emissions aren’t entering the atmosphere. There are many different types of CO2 capture technologies that can be applied to many different industries such as heat and power generation, hydrogen production, steel, cement or chemicals. In order to reach transportation or utilization quality, the CO2 may undergo some further processing to make sure it meets specifications.

Utilization

Cailee Ellis, Lafarge + Lukas Deeg, Capital Power

CO2 can be utilized in many different processes. CO2 can be converted directly into products like fuels, chemicals, industrial materials, or consumer goods. It can also be indirectly utilized in processes like enhanced oil recovery, where CO2 can help to mobilize remaining light oil from aged oil fields and afterwards be permanently sequestered in the depleted reservoir. Some new technologies, like mineralization or electrolysis, are at an early stage of commercialization and are being tested right now.

Sequestration

Candice Paton, Enhance Energy

Storing CO2 underground requires reservoirs with geological characteristics that ensure emissions will be safely and permanently stored deep within the formation. Whether CO2 is injected into saline aquifers or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, sequestration projects ensure that all CO2 injected stays in the reservoir and is accounted for through their MMV plans (measurement, monitoring and verification). Lucky for Canada, our vast sedimentary basins make this country one of the best places in the world to sequester a lot of CO2 safely and permanently.

Sequestration

Candice Paton, Enhance Energy

Storing CO2 underground requires reservoirs with geological characteristics that ensure emissions will be safely and permanently stored deep within the formation. Whether CO2 is injected into saline aquifers or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, sequestration projects ensure that all CO2 injected stays in the reservoir and is accounted for through their MMV plans (measurement, monitoring and verification). Lucky for Canada, our vast sedimentary basins make this country one of the best places in the world to sequester a lot of CO2 safely and permanently.

Permanence

Greg Maidment, Carbon Management Canada

Measurement, monitoring and verification (MMV) is one of the most important activities in the carbon value chain to confirm that CO2 sequestered in underground reservoirs is permanent. By monitoring the air, soil, water and underground storage sites – such as saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs – we gather scientific evidence that the CO2 we put underground stays where it should. Carbon dating tests can even identify if molecules of CO2 observed in different layers are from anthropogenic sources (the captured CO2 ) or naturally occurring CO2 unrelated to the sequestration project.

Imagine what is possible when we work together.

get involved

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