Viridor Chooses Technip Energies for UK Carbon Capture
April 23, 2024 : Technip Energies, a leading engineering and technology company focused on the energy transition, has secured a significant contract from Viridor, a prominent waste management firm in the United Kingdom. This strategic partnership marks a crucial step forward in the development of the UK’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at an energy-from-waste (EfW) facility.
The project, situated in Runcorn, UK, represents a pioneering initiative in the fight against climate change. Technip Energies will be responsible for delivering the front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for the CCS project. This vital stage involves creating a comprehensive technical and economic blueprint for the project, outlining the capture, transportation, and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated by the EfW plant.
The Runcorn EfW facility is one of the largest in the UK, processing vast quantities of waste for energy generation. However, this process inevitably results in the release of greenhouse gases, including CO2, a major contributor to climate change. The CCS project aims to significantly reduce the plant’s environmental impact by capturing approximately 900,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. This captured CO2 will then be transported and stored underground in a safe and secure geological formation.
Significantly, half of the CO2 captured at the Runcorn facility is expected to originate from biogenic sources, such as food waste. Biogenic CO2 is derived from the natural carbon cycle and does not contribute to long-term atmospheric CO2 accumulation. Capturing and storing biogenic CO2 can therefore result in negative emissions, actively removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
The successful implementation of the Runcorn CCS project holds the potential to pave the way for wider adoption of this technology within the UK and beyond. CCS technology offers a viable solution for mitigating CO2 emissions from various industrial sectors, including power generation, steel production, and cement manufacturing.
The collaboration between Technip Energies and Viridor on the Runcorn project is noteworthy for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates the growing momentum behind CCS technology as a critical tool in the fight against climate change. Secondly, the project’s focus on capturing biogenic CO2 showcases its potential for achieving negative emissions. Finally, the project serves as a model for successful collaboration between engineering companies and waste management firms in advancing decarbonization efforts.
Industry analysts will be keenly following the progress of the Runcorn CCS project. The successful completion of the FEED study and the subsequent construction and operation of the facility will be instrumental in validating the viability of CCS technology at scale and its potential contribution to a more sustainable future.
Also Read, Netflix Exceeds Earnings Estimates with 16% Subscriber Jump