20-year-long contribution to the development of carbon management

From early laboratory studies to commercial solutions, the programme has supported over 800 projects, making significant contributions to reducing emissions from the energy and industrial sectors. The programme today plays a key role in taking technologies from the lab to market. By focussing on innovation, industrial testing and international collaboration, CLIMIT has been able to contribute to Norwegian-developed technology being amongst the best in the world. Capturing CO₂ from energy and industrial sources requires efficient separation processes. Existing technologies are facing challenges such as energy requirements, material resilience, gas selectivity, and the cost of capture and associated support processes. Through its work, CLIMIT has supported technology development in all these areas.

CLIMIT’s role in technology development

For the first ten years, CLIMIT focussed primarily on supporting technology developers. Over the course of the last ten years, the programme has expanded its focus to include technology users – including industrial operators such as cement producers and waste incineration plants – who test CCS technologies at their own facilities. This has also included extensive pilot studies and techno-economic analyses. Read more about industry consortia and cluster work.

Throughout its 20 years, CLIMIT has contributed to solvent-based technologies reducing their energy requirements by 35-40 percent. Norwegian-developed technology has progressed from laboratories to international markets, with companies such as SLB Capturi and Baker Hughes having invested in Norwegian solutions.

CO₂ capture technologies

Traditionally, carbon capture has been divided into three main categories:

1. Post-combustion: Capture of CO₂ after combustion.
2. Pre-combustion: Separation of CO₂ and hydrogen before combustion.
3. Oxy-combustion: Combustion in an oxygen-rich atmosphere for easier carbon capture.

CLIMIT has supported projects within these categories and has prioritised solutions such as solvents, sorbents, membranes and oxy-fuel technology. Cryogenic processes are less prominent in CLIMIT’s portfolio, as these are commercially available and typically used in the liquification of CO₂ before transport.

While solvent technology has matured quickly, membrane and looping technologies have received increased attention as energy-efficient solutions for sectors without access to surplus heat.

The most mature solution

Solvent-based technologies have been a key focus area since CLIMIT’s inception. This method, which uses liquids to absorb and release CO₂ are the most commercially mature technologies for post combustion capture. Solvent projects have reduced energy requirements significantly during the last years, and more than 50 projects have received support from CLIMIT Demo for testing of solvents in pilot facilities such as SINTEF’s Tiller pilot and the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM).

CLIMIT has supported mobile pilot testing, such as SLB Capturi’s mobile unit, testing their solvent technology capturing CO₂ from industries such as cement, waste-to-energy, refinery, and others. SLB Capturi’s mobile unit has, by testing in real industrial environment, verified the performance of amine-based solvents at various industries, which has accelerated the commercialisation of the technology.

Read more about CLIMIT’s support for developing solvent technology and how this has contributed to commercial solutions.

Sorbents and looping technology

Sorbent technologies, such as carbonate looping, use solid materials that  capture CO₂.

The Moving Bed Carbonate Looping technology developed by Fjell Technology Group with support from CLIMIT uses lime-based materials that are recognised and cost-effective. The technology could be well-suited for the cement and lime industry being familiar with the lime-based material at high temperature operations.

The solution of the future

Membranes are an exciting option for industries without surplus heat, such as cement production, and have the potential to be a cost-effective solution. CLIMIT has supported a range of projects for the development of membranes, including as a technology tested at the Heidelberg Materials test centre in Brevik.

Air Products has also carried out membrane testing at Returkraft with support from CLIMIT. The project assessed the efficiency of the membranes by capturing CO₂ from Returkraft’s flue gas.

Membranes, which separate gases without chemical regeneration, is particularly suitable for emission sources with high concentrations of CO₂, such as the lime or cement industries.

Oxy-fuel and Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC)

CLC technologies, which uses metal oxides to create an oxygen-rich combustion atmosphere, have received over NOK 70 million in support from CLIMIT. This method reduces the need for a separate capture facility, which will be positive financially for certain industries.

Read more about the application of CLC technology, SINTEF

From laboratory to commercial operation

Over 270 capture projects have received support from CLIMIT, totalling over NOK 1.7 billion in funding. CLIMIT’s contribution has not only triggered equivalent investments from industry, but also helped create a robust CCS ecosystem in Norway.

Multiple projects have been led by SINTEF, which has built up knowledge and world-class expertise within CCS. SINTEF’s Tiller pilot in Trondheim has played a crucial role in qualifying technologies for industrial emission sources. Testing at TCM has further validated these technologies for global implementation.

CLIMIT has strengthened collaboration between academia and industry by funding projects led by SINTEF and NTNU. This has created a platform to connect basic research to practical technological development. CLIMIT’s financial contribution has acted as a catalyst for taking CCS technology from research to commercial application.

Read more about SINTEF’s work on solvent development and pilot testing with CLIMIT support.

Many projects have had international significance, including:

• SLB Capturi (formerly Aker Carbon Capture): Technology developed with CLIMIT support is now used commercially, including by Heidelberg Materials at their plant in Brevik.
• Compact Carbon Capture (3C): Technology developed by Fjell Technology Group and continued by Baker Hughes.
• Hydrogen MemTech: Membrane technology that is attracting international capital.

CLIMIT – A central driving force for CCS

For 20 years, CLIMIT has been an important driver of CCS technology development. With support for research, pilot projects and commercial implementation, the programme has contributed to Norway becoming a leading stakeholder in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

CLIMIT’s contribution has facilitated Norwegian-developed technologies being used commercially in projects such as Heidelberg Materials’ plant in Brevik and international efforts for cement and waste incineration.