Thursday, 27 May 2021
The University of Nottingham is part of a consortium awarded £250,000 to develop plans for Direct Air Capture (DAC) powered by the new Sizewell C nuclear power station proposed for Suffolk.
The funds have been provided under Government’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio which supports the development of low-carbon technologies.
Leading engineers and carbon capture experts at the University of Nottingham, Strata Technology, Atkins, and Doosan Babcock are working with Sizewell C on a design study for a unique DAC system which runs on low carbon heat.
Direct air capture involves removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere which is then stored so that it cannot contribute to climate change. Some carbon dioxide (CO2) can also be ‘recycled’ for other purposes such as conversion into synthetic fuels.
The DAC system, based on research led by Dr Cheng-Gong Sun at Nottingham, will be more efficient than other models as it will require little to no electricity and will be able to use heat at a wide range of temperatures. Nuclear is the cheapest way to produce low carbon heat and its use could significantly drive down the cost of this new technology.
“The distinctive part of this new DAC technology is its ability to make use of essentially any heat at above ambient temperatures which is widely available or can be easily generated. This means it overcomes the major performance barriers of existing DAC technologies, which have to use a lot of electricity and high-grade heat to power the system. The new DAC system, which can potentially achieve energy-autonomy, is expected to reduce the cost of direct air capture down to or even below £100/ton air CO2, compared to the £600/ton air CO2 reported for systems currently available.”
A small-scale demonstrator DAC system would be firstly constructed to capture 100 tonnes of CO2 a year from the air. A scaled-up version powered by Sizewell C with heat pumped to a suitable location would have little impact on the power station’s electricity output and could one day capture 1.5m tonnes of CO2 per year. That’s enough to almost offset the annual emissions of the UK’s rail network and would make Sizewell C carbon negative.
“The University of Nottingham has an international reputation for its research into innovative carbon capture materials and process technologies for both industrial and direct air capture applications,” Dr Cheng-Gong Sun adds. “We are delighted that our DAC research has made a vital contribution to the Greenhouse Gas Removal Phase 1 project bid led by Sizewell C and look forward to working with our industrial partners to deliver a major step towards a market-ready novel DAC technology by 2030.”
Sizewell C is already developing plans for hydrogen production to lower carbon emissions during construction of the power station and to provide fuel for local transport and industry.
Sizewell C’s Finance Director, Julia Pyke, said: “Finding a way to bring down the cost of direct air capture is important to our transition to net zero, and powering DAC with heat from Sizewell C has the potential to make the power station carbon negative. This has exciting potential for our fight against climate change and shows how nuclear can bring even more value to our energy system.”
Proposals for the pilot project were submitted by the consortium as part of the Government’s Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) competition, which is aimed at accelerating the development and deployment of carbon capture systems.
GGR technologies are crucial for helping the UK achieve net zero emissions as they will help to offset the CO2 produced by industries which are difficult to decarbonise, like agriculture and aviation.
All engineering and design activities for the pilot will be carried out in the UK to develop a British DAC technology.
“We are determined to tackle climate change and make it win-win for both our planet and our economy. Today’s major cash boost – targeted at our most polluting industries - will encourage the rapid development of the technologies we need to reign in our emissions and transition to a green economy, one that reduces costs for business, boosts investment and create jobs. Just 6 months ago, the Prime Minister set out a clear 10 Point Plan for creating and supporting up to 250,000 British jobs as we level up and build back greener from the pandemic. Today we’re boosting our armoury for the fight against climate change and backing innovators and businesses to create green jobs right across the United Kingdom.”
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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