Feasibility of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in Ireland

Project Description

This project aims to perform a comprehensive feasibility study of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) in Ireland. WP1 will fully update previous research undertaken by NUIG involving techno-economic models of CCS to the current state of the art. This will include updates of all capture efficiencies and costs of capture, transport and injection. It will also refocus the previous 2006 model from coal to gas, bioenergy including anaerobic digesters and industrial sources of CO2. Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS) is a negative emissions technology, which the IPCC, IEA and others predict will be needed if 1.5 oC of warming is to be avoided. WP2 aims to extend understanding of Ireland's storage capacity by modelling the role fault structures in Ireland play in subsurface CO2 storage reservoirs with newly available data. WP3 will explore the potential of a completely new form of CO2 storage, mineralisation in high temperature geological environments. This is an emerging field of study and has not been characterised for many countries including Ireland. It will involve both experimental tests and modelling. WPs 1-3 will fully update our understanding of CCS (not CCUS) to the international state of the art. WP4 will explore the utilisation of CO2 in non-geological settings. Possible uses of CO2 include food/drink preparation, “green chemistry” building blocks, construction materials, and synthetic fuels. Supply chains for these products will be designed and costed.