14.02.2020
U.S. top official for Fossil Energy visited Norway to strengthen carbon capture cooperation
Steven Winberg, Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy in the US Department of Energy (DoE), visited Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) on Friday 14. February to learn about the new unit for testing emerging carbon capture technologies. The US Department of Energy (US DoE) has long partnered with US companies to test their technologies at TCM in Norway.
TCM is currently the world’s largest and most advanced plant for testing of carbon capture technologies. The technology centre has invested more than USD 3 million in a new test site that will allow testing of new emerging carbon capture technologies. The expansion will be completed in 2020.
The test centre at Mongstad currently consist of two industrial
scale facilities with liquid based technologies. The two main technology
suppliers for the planned full-scale carbon capture projects in Norway, Heidelberg Materials
Brevik and Fortum Oslo Varme, have tested and developed their technologies at
TCM.
The new
site allows for testing of emerging technologies such as membranes or
absorbents (solid materials binding with CO2).
“TCM
has a unique scale and flexibility in terms of ability to simulate real-world
conditions for post-combustion capture and to test a multitude of different
mature and emerging technologies in a cost-effective manner, so that they are
ready for international deployment,” said State Secretary of the Norwegian
Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, who accompanied his US
colleague during the TCM visit.
Strengthens relations to the United States
In total, eight US technologies are
either already tested or are currently scheduled at TCM. Since 2018, DOE has funded
six US companies for testing at TCM. ION Clean Energy and Fluor
Corporation have already successfully completed their testing. In addition, Membrane
Technology & Research (MTR) and TDA Research have signed agreements to
conduct testing at the new site for emerging technologies at TCM in 2020.
In 2004, the governments of Norway and the
United States signed a bilateral cooperation agreement in the energy
sector, which included carbon capture. The US Department of Energy has been
working very closely with TCM since the plant started in 2012.
“The IEA has stated carbon capture is an
essential piece of any effort to reduce carbon emission significantly and the
energy transition. USA and Norway have a long and storied partnership that will
only continue to grow” said Winberg.