Carbon capture becomes target of feasibility study in the UK

UK government sets sights on carbon capture and storage

The United Kingdom Department of Energy and Climate Change has been keenly interested in the concept of carbon capture and storage recently. The concept is simple enough, as it refers to the literal capture of carbon dioxide gas and the storage of this gas so that it does not damage the environment. Carbon capture is considered an effective way to mitigate the environmental impact of CO2 emissions, but the concept has proven difficult to bring into reality.

Feasibility study to examine the potential of carbon capture an methane production

In an attempt to better understand what it would take to make carbon capture a reality in the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has awarded  a more than $150,000, twelve-month feasibility study to a new consortium headed up by ITM Power, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells. The feasibility study will focus on the engineering aspects of carbon capture and will also examine the possible uses of captured CO2 to produce methane gas.

Methane can be used in fuel cells to produce electricity

Methane itself is a powerful greenhouse gas, but has a wide variety of uses, especially in terms of energy generation. Methane can be used in fuel cells as a replacement for hydrogen. Thus, methane can be used as a fuel to generate large amounts of electricity in an efficient manner, if the methane can be produced from stores CO2 emissions. Moreover, methane can also be converted into hydrogen gas through a reformation process.

Methane could becomes a replacement for natural gas in the future

The consortium lead by ITM Power will be responsible for the investigation of the technological, financial, and operational feasibility of producing synthetic methane gas from carbon capture and storage methods. The consortium will also examine how hydrogen production from water electrolysis can contribute to this process. The methane that would be produced through the initiative and its various technological examinations will be supplied to the UK gas grid as well as used as a replacement for natural gas in some applications.