Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) Technologies
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: TH
Subject: Science and Technology/Environment
Context: The Union Budget 2026 recently allocated ₹20,000 crore to scale up Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) technologies over the next five years.
About Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) Technologies:
What it is?
• Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) is a suite of technologies designed to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial point sources or directly from the atmosphere and transform them into commercially valuable products rather than just storing them underground.
How it Works?
The process involves three main stages:
• Capture: CO2 is separated from other gases (like nitrogen and water vapor) in industrial flue gas or ambient air.
• Compression & Transport: The captured CO2 is compressed into a liquid-like state for easier handling and moved via pipelines or tankers.
• Conversion/Utilisation: The CO2undergoes chemical, biological, or physical processes to be recycled into new materials.
Types of CCU:
• Direct Utilisation: Using CO2 without chemical alteration, such as in carbonated beverages or Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).
• Chemical Conversion: Transforming CO2 into chemicals (e.g., urea, polymers) or synthetic fuels (e.g., methanol).
• Biological Conversion: Using algae or bacteria to consume CO2 and produce biomass, biofuels, or animal feed.
• Mineralisation: Reacting CO2 with minerals (like magnesium or calcium) to create stable solid carbonates for building materials like bricks and green concrete.
Aim: The primary goal of CCU is to decouple economic growth from CO2 emissions by treating carbon as a feedstock rather than a waste product, helping industries reach Net Zero while creating a circular carbon economy.
Key Features:
• Retrofitting Capability: Can be added to existing industrial plants, extending the life of assets without needing a total shutdown.
• Circular Economy Link: Promotes the reuse of waste, turning harmful emissions into industrial inputs.
• Versatility: Applicable across diverse sectors including aviation (sustainable fuels), construction (bricks), and agriculture (fertilizers).
• Revenue Generation: Unlike pure storage (CCS), CCU creates products that can be sold, potentially offsetting the high cost of capture.