Um schwerwiegenden Klimaveränderungen vorzubeugen, müssen wir – neben der Verminderung des Treibhausgasausstoßes – der Atmosphäre auch aktiv und im großen Stil Kohlendioxid entziehen. Dies lässt sich sowohl technisch (Direct Air Capture) als auch biologisch (Pflanzenwachstum) erreichen.
Auf einen Blick
- The first pilot projects must be defined and implemented.
- Technologies must be rapidly scaled up and optimized.
- It is necessary to continuously reassess which emissions are considered “unavoidable or difficult to avoid”—CCS/CCU may only be used for these.
What does carbon capture mean?
CO2 can thus be captured “from the air” in the two ways mentioned above. In addition, it is possible to capture CO2 directly at man-made sources, thereby preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere in the first place. For example, during the production of cement or glass, CO2 is released from the raw materials through chemical reactions. Capturing CO2 only makes sense at sources of this type—that is, where no technical alternative is available in the foreseeable future. Otherwise, the introduction of capture facilities would delay the urgently needed transformation.
What do “storage” and “usage” mean?
Depending on whether the captured CO2 is permanently stored geologically or used as a raw material for new products, the terms carbon capture and storage (CCS) or carbon capture and usage (CCU) are used. In both cases—storage and usage—it is necessary to transport the CO2 to its destination. In the initial phase, transport by road and rail is a viable option. As soon as the volumes to be processed increase, transport via pipeline should be pursued. Existing natural gas pipelines can potentially be used for this purpose—provided they are no longer needed for natural gas. Permanent storage is carried out in geological formations that must be meticulously tested for suitability prior to storage and in which the CO2 is preferably mineralized into a solid through geological processes. When choosing the usage pathway, end products with a very long lifespan must be produced so that the CO2 does not simply end up in the atmosphere after a delay.
Opportunities in Hamburg
In 2024, the national legislative process began to make CCS/CCU feasible in practice. While the technological solutions exist, they often still require upscaling and broad-scale testing, including cost reductions. The greater Hamburg area plays an important role here, as industrial CO2 sources are found in and around Hamburg that cannot be avoided in the foreseeable future. At the other end of the value chain, chemical industry facilities are located in and around Hamburg for which CO2 can serve as a relevant feedstock. When one also considers the short distances between CO2 producers and potential consumers, as well as Hamburg’s high level of expertise in transport and logistics, the result is an ideal testing ground and initial application area for CCS/CCU processes.
hysolutions supports innovative companies in this regard by helping to develop suitable projects, bring partners together, and devise implementation strategies.
Förderung
The BMWK’s fundingguidelines for the decarbonization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) provide funding opportunities for CCS/CCU investment and innovation projects. These guidelines are consistent with the key points of the Carbon Management Strategy, which was adopted by the Cabinet on May 29, 2024. In the first call for proposals, investment projects in the lime, cement, and thermal waste treatment sectors are eligible for funding; innovation projects may also be funded in the basic chemicals, glass, and ceramics sectors. Investment projects are eligible for up to 30 million euros; industrial research projects for up to 35 million euros.
Through the BMBF’s funding guideline on the avoidance of climate-relevant process emissions in industry (KlimPro-Industrie II), new technologies or combinations of technologies are to be developed and applied on a pilot basis that will contribute, as far as possible, to the direct avoidance of greenhouse gases in industry starting in 2030. CCU and/or CCS processes are eligible for funding only if the majority of greenhouse gas emissions are reduced through avoidance measures and the CCU or CCS components play only a minor role.
