Decarbonisation Technology - August 2023 Issue

knowledge of how things will work on the ground at every stage of the process. Reducing the cost of investment and de-risking operations is therefore critical to enable the commercial CCS market to scale. With this in mind, ABB and Pace CCS, a global leader in engineering solutions for the CCS market, have joined forces to make the capture, transportation, and storage of industrial emissions more accessible. Together, they aim to make it easier for industrial companies to implement CCS infrastructure by lowering the Capex and operational investment required to enter the market. As mentioned at the outset, issues of scale and an insufficient legislative framework have so far held back progress; however, other issues are at play. One of the biggest challenges to the mainstream adoption of CCS to date has been a lack of operational practice across the value chain. Digital twins and ABB Ability Optimax ABB and Pace CCS have developed digital twin technology that provides a virtual replica of a real, physical CCS process or facility. Simulating the design stage and test scenarios to deliver proof of concept gives customers both peace of mind that the system design is fit for purpose and demonstrates how they can smoothly transition into CCS operations. The digital twin models the full value chain of a CCS system – something existing software cannot do. At this point, it might be useful to look at the value chain in a little more depth. The major sources of global CO₂ emissions are transportation, agriculture, commercial and residential buildings, heavy industry, and power generation (Petro Proficient, 2021). The CCS value chain therefore begins with the capture of CO₂ from either these large sources – which generally use fossil fuels or biomass for fuel – or directly from the atmosphere. The captured CO₂ contains impurities that must be separated, purified, and then compressed into a ‘supercritical state’ before being transported by pipeline, ship, rail, or road for various applications (usually enhanced oil recovery). Alternatively, they are injected into deep geological formations such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs, which trap the CO₂ for

permanent storage or eventual conversion into a mineral. Northern Lights is set to be the first ever cross-border, open-source CO₂ transport and infrastructure network. The ABB and PACE CCS solution will map out various scenarios, including subsurface modelling, and will incorporate the ABB Ability Optimax energy management system to forecast and manage power consumption. ABB will provide software solutions for all the stages of the CCS project, from design to operations and maintenance. During the design stage, software tools and systems will simulate the power system for efficiency and stability. On the operational side, ABB will enable advanced control of the CCS system, which is especially relevant for complex hub storage projects. Capturing a unique opportunity Looking across the spectrum of options available today to decarbonise energy systems, CCS is the most mature and ready to deploy at scale, hence ABB’s commitment and investment in this space. The good news is that (carbon) capture equipment and the technology for capturing CO₂ have been around for a long time (IEA, 2021). The challenge, therefore, is combining those items into one integrated network that operates in a predictable, reliable, and safe way. The oil and gas industry knows how to design, engineer, and build these large-scale projects and ultimately operate them through the entire lifecycle. The question is how quickly can we scale CCS projects and obtain more experience, ecosystem. To reiterate: no one can do this alone, which is where collaboration, like our partnership with Pace CCS, comes into play. We are in the early phase of tapping the potential of CCS, and a very exciting journey lies ahead of us. especially with large integrated hubs? For this to become reality, we need an

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VIEW REFERENCES

Nigel Greatorex https://new.abb.com/process-automation/ energy-industries