Summer school experience: Exploring the many facets of carbon capture and storage

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is increasingly viewed as one of the most significant ways of limiting the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5-2°C through reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. While technology is advancing rapidly, its successful implementation is not only technical. In July, Utrecht University PhD researcher Alexa Grimm, who studies the technical aspects of CCS attended a summer school to explore the interdisciplinary nature of this topic.

Alexa Grimm is a PhD researcher in the field of negative emission technologies and synthetic fuel production at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University. In July Alexa took part at the IEAGHG Carbon Capture and Storage Summer School in Regina, Canada. She tells us about her experiences.

Studying an extreme application of CCS

“CO₂ emissions from burning fossil fuels are a major contributor to climate change, and a dramatic reduction of these emissions is needed to reduce the risk of devastating future consequences.

A major part of my work lies in studying CO₂ removal from the atmosphere through direct air capture (DAC) - a largely theoretical technique in which CO₂ is removed directly from the atmosphere. It's an extreme application of CCS, since CO₂ in the air is about 100-300 times less concentrated than the CO₂ coming out of gas- and coal-fired power plants”.

Important future role of CCS

“The International Energy Agency (IEA) and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have highlighted the future role of CCS, so it’s important that I deepen my knowledge of not only its technological aspects, but also social aspects”.

It was very interesting to hear about the challenges from the perspective of other disciplines.

Exploring financing, communication and legal aspects

“The summer school gave me a better understanding on the whole CCS chain and its major challenges. Since I am mainly focusing on the technical aspects of CCS, it was very interesting to hear about the challenges from the perspective of other disciplines, like financing and communication.

I further developed my knowledge and critical thinking of CCS, including different capture technologies, storing of CO₂ as well as legal regulation. I was also able to build a network with other young and motivated researchers in the field.”

Visit to Boundary Dam power plant

“A highlight was our field trip to the pioneering Boundary Dam power plant and nearby Aquistore storage site.

Boundary Dam is the first commercial carbon capture facility to capture around 90% of the CO₂ in the flue gas. The CO₂ is transported to an enhanced oil recovery field as well as Aquistore storage site. We visited the location where the CO₂ is pumped into the underground and learned about the many ways of detecting CO₂ leakage”.