Supporting research on carbon capture and storage
CCSC
Background
South Africa is a country with high energy intensity and a major emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG). Three main causes can be identified: the importance of the industry sector to its GDP, the dominance of coal in its energy balance (80% of electrical energy consumed) and finally the generally low degree of energy efficiency (industry, housing, transport, electricity) resulting from lower energy prices (electricity distributed here is amongst the cheapest in the world) and the abundance of coal resources, which does not encourage energy conservation.
The South African government has set global targets for promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is seen as a transitional measure that will maintain South Africa's energy supply while limiting its emissions of greenhouse gases. With this method, CO2 is extracted from the smoke emitted by industries that use coal. The carbon dioxide, once separated from the other components of the emissions, is then stored into geological formation to avoid the CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
Financing the South African "Carbon Capture and Storage Centre" research facility contributes to the struggle against global warming and therefore to the protection of Global Public Goods, one of the strategic priorities of the AFD Group.
Objectives
The Vision of the SACCS is:
- To be the leading authority for all CCS related activities in South Africa
The Mission of the SACCS is:
· To prepare for and promote the construction and operation of a safe and reliable Carbon Capture and Storage Demonstration Plant in South Africa by 2020, by:
· Developing in-country human and technical CCS capacity,
· Implementing work programmes to enable the design and implementation and operation of a CCS demonstration plant,
· Promoting and advocating the use of CCS as part of a GHG mitigation solution for South Africa using stakeholder engagement and public outreach activities,
· Engaging with stakeholders to promote alignment with SACCCS strategy and objectives,
· Establishing new, and leveraging existing international linkages to advance the work and activities of the SACCCS
Project description
This research programme will include activities such as workshops, studies and cross validation of theoretical studies with results from experiments, as well as developing a detailed research work-plan that will be evaluated by a steering committee of selected technical experts.
The CCS research work-plan for the ensuing five years is under constant review and comprises various studies that are associated with specific operational objectives. Select samples of some of the proposed areas of interest are:
- Identifying the capturing processes adapted to gas high in CO2 that is a by product of the process of coal liquefaction. These gases are in fact composed of 95% CO2 and form a mass of 60 Mt / year for South Africa alone;
- Assessing the sequestration potential of fly ash in the sector of electricity generation;
- Studying the potential calcification rates of CO2 in South African rock, and in particular their variation according to the rate of impurity of the CO2;
- Estimating the economic impact that CCS might have in South Africa;
- Assessing risks associated with the implementation of CCS in South Africa;
- Assessing the shortcomings in the South African regulatory system and proposing regulations to address them.
Apart from the technical knowledge developed through these studies, two other target areas aimed at capacity strengthening have been developed:
- An annual conference of CCS stakeholders (geologists, engineers, policy makers, researchers, students), the first of which was held on 29 and 30 September 2009, provided elements of comprehension regarding technical, financial and regulatory aspects related to CCS, thereby placing the issue in a South African perspective.
- A university chair will be established in late 2009 to grant post graduate degrees in the field of CCS and coordinate interdisciplinary research initiated by the Centre, which will amongst other things include establishing a geological atlas of South Africa.
Impacts
These efforts are ultimately aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions in South Africa. They therefore contribute towards reducing the negative socio-economic impacts related to emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and contribute towards the struggle against global warming.
According to the International Energy Agency, CCS represents a potential 19% of the total effort agreed upon by 2050 in order to remain below the threshold of 2°C increase in global mean temperature as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Dates and amount
Date: 2009-2014
Amount: €142 350