Global energy demand is rising. Generating electricity from fossil fuels produces significant amounts of CO2, which has a major impact on the climate. Measures such as the Kyoto Protocol and EU targets for cutting CO2 levels have made carbon dioxide reduction a key issue. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a crucial technology here that has the potential to significantly reduce CO2 levels from fossil fuel power plants.
There are three different procedures for reducing CO2 in flue gases at fossil fuel power plants. The most widespread of these is post-combustion capture, a technology that removes CO2 from flue gases by scrubbing after combustion. Pre-combustion capture uses the Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC ), a technology that turns coal into gas and triggers a shift reaction. The resulting hydrogen can be used as fuel in gas turbines. Oxyfuel combustion uses oxygen instead of air during combustion to eliminate nitrogen from flue gas.
Linde offers a broad portfolio of solutions for CO2 applications. We have already realised several projects in the CCS sector, for example, at power company Vattenfall’s oxyfuel pilot power plant in Schwarze Pumpe, and within the framework of German research centre GFZ's CO2 storage project in Ketzin, Germany. Linde is a professional supplier and innovative partner in the construction of CO2 separation plants for the energy sector and chemical and metallurgical industries.