10.11.2025
The AURORA Campaign at TCM a Success
“The campaign at TCM to test the advanced CO2 capture solvent CESAR1 was a success,” says Chief Scientist Hanne Marie Kvamsdal at SINTEF. She leads the EU-funded AURORA project, which aims to qualify CESAR1 for commercial use.
The four-month test campaign at Mongstad concluded in September, and SINTEF’s work to analyze the key results in its specialized laboratory is now in its final phase.
“Before starting the campaign at TCM, we were somewhat concerned that the solvent might precipitate and form problematic solid particles when tested with different flue gases containing various impurities – but fortunately, that did not happen. The team at TCM, led by Koteswara Rao Putta, delivered flawlessly on all the parameters we wanted to test during this intensive campaign,” says Kvamsdal.
CESAR1 Has Unique Properties
The test campaign at Mongstad formed an important part of the large AURORA project, which started in 2023 and will be completed next year. The project is funded through the EU Horizon programme with a total budget of approximately NOK 200 million.
At the core of the project is the non-proprietary solvent CESAR1, which is being verified for its commercial applicability in CO2 capture, including in refineries, the cement industry, and metal recycling facilities. The working hypothesis is that CESAR1 stands out with high efficiency, low emissions, and significantly reduced energy demand compared to conventional amine-based capture solutions such as MEA (monoethanolamine).
“The final answer to this key question for large-scale CCS deployment will be presented at a conference organized by the consortium in Paris in 2026. Representatives from the European Commission, industry, and leading research institutions across Europe will be invited,” Kvamsdal explains.
Strong Industrial Interest
Kvamsdal emphasizes that the AURORA project has been met with strong interest from industry. At the IEAGHG conference in Marseille in September; a comprehensive presentation of the large-scale CESAR1 testing at TCM was delivered – generating both recognition and high expectations among industrial stakeholders.
“In the coming months, based on the test results from TCM, we will simulate four cases using CESAR1 – at a refinery in Belgium, a refinery in Greece, a cement plant in Greece, and a recycling facility in Belgium. There is still considerable analytical work ahead before we can draw final conclusions and provide our recommendations to the project’s sponsor. But we are confident that CESAR1 will prove valuable in the effort to reduce climate emissions from key industries,” Kvamsdal concludes.
Read more about the AURORA campaign at TCM:
https://tcmda.com/news/the-future-of-co%e2%82%82-capture-is-being-tested-at-tcm
Read more about what happens to CESAR1 during CO2 capture:
https://tcmda.com/news/new-study-reveals-what-happens-to-cesar1-during-co%e2%82%82-capture
Learn more about the AURORA project:
https://www.sintef.no/en/projects/2023/aurora-accelerated-deployment-of-integrated-ccus-chains-based-on-solvent-capture-technology/