Centre for Innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage

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The 2006 Stern Review and the very recent 2007 Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report have both concluded that there is overwhelming evidence showing that climate change is a serious and urgent issue. Both reports conclude that early action is vital to stabilize greenhouse gases that are responsible for global warming. Carbon dioxide (CO2) accounts for 84% of all greenhouse gases emissions so makes it the obvious choice when considering which gas to target first.The solution to this problem is very challenging, as we need to make sure that we protect the planet and continue to enjoy a high standard of living without ruining our economy and potentially leading to an energy famine. One possibility is to capture carbon dioxide as it is produced and prevent it from reaching the atmosphere by storing it underground. This idea is the subject of this proposal.Although there are already some large scale CO2 storage projects (e.g. Sleipner in the North Sea and Weyburn between Canada and USA) they are principally due to the extraction of oil and gas and are, therefore, highly site specific. They do not address the broader issue of capturing and storing CO2 from fossil fuelled power plants / the largest contributors of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in the UK and worldwide.The major and most contentious technological barrier for the wide deployment of capture and storage technologies is integrity, as policy, regulatory and public acceptability of CCS will demand storage sites to be permanent safe repositories without leaks. Research at the interface between science and engineering and international cooperation will accelerate the technological innovation needed for ensuring the integrity of storage sites and lead to a widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage. This proposal focuses on developing a Centre for Innovation in Capture and Storage that will promote interdisciplinary activity to bring groundbreaking ideas from basic science and develop them into new products, processes and services, as well as consider public acceptability issues. Within the Centre we will train scientists and engineers with a broad and interdisciplinary set of skills suitable for their future careers in industry, research or government. The research undertaken by these scientists and engineers will be identified and inspired by a range of initiatives that will bring to the Centre a range of people including those from industry, different research areas, environmentalists and policy makers. The outcome of this research, and general awareness raising of issues around carbon capture and storage, will then be promoted. In summary, the overall aim of the Centre will be to develop a holistic view to the development of carbon capture and storage with the aim of making a significant impact in finding solutions for climate change and protecting the planet.