CO2-capture from industrial plants

It is not only coal and gas-fired power stations that emit large quantities of CO₂. Factory chimneys are one of the main sources of increased CO₂ emissions.

Worldwide there are nearly 3000 industrial sources large enough to warrant CO₂ capture. Capturing CO₂ from these industrial sources can make up a third of the necessary emissions cuts from industry in 2050. The concentration of CO₂ from oil refineries, gas terminals and fertilizer, cement, steel and paper factories is often higher than from gas-fired power stations, which makes the CO₂ capture less expensive. But this does not mean that it is cheap. Therefore, it is important that industrial plants are included in emission trading schemes, such as the EU ETS, so that a price will be attached to emitting CO₂. As the technology becomes less expensive and emitting CO₂ becomes more expensive, it will become cheaper to capture CO₂ rather than to emit it. This is why companies such as Norsk Hydro, Yara and Statoil are examining the possibilities of locating new factories in places well-suited for capture, transport and storage of CO₂.