Virginia Tech’s Groundbreaking Carbon Storage Initiative
On July 31, 2024, Virginia Tech announced its role as the technical lead for a significant underground carbon storage project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. This initiative, known as Project ACCESS, aims to store over 1.7 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, thereby reducing the risks and costs associated with future carbon storage projects. The project focuses on a feasibility study for carbon safety in the South Florida region, with plans to securely and permanently store CO2 in geological formations located below 7,500 feet.
The oversight of this project is under the Southern States Energy Board, while Virginia Tech is responsible for designing and supervising surface characterization procedures, which include all field data collection and modeling efforts. The implementation of Project ACCESS will enhance the understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with commercial deployment in South Florida, particularly in areas with limited industrial emission sources. The project is led by Ryan Pollyea, an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, who collaborates closely with industry partners to advance geological carbon storage technologies and provide internship and career opportunities for students.
Pollyea emphasizes that the project’s goal is to permanently store CO2 underground while developing long-term monitoring and verification plans to ensure the safe storage of CO2. This initiative will also assist industries that struggle to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as steel and cement production, by significantly lowering their carbon footprint through the injection of captured CO2 into deep geological structures. Furthermore, Project ACCESS will explore the limestone formations in South Florida and work towards developing carbon storage potential in the Appalachian region, promoting the application of carbon storage technologies in more areas. The success of this project is expected to bring economic benefits to regions affected by declining industries and provide new job opportunities for the existing workforce.
The Role of the U.S. Department of Energy in Carbon Storage
The funding from the U.S. Department of Energy for Virginia Tech’s Project ACCESS is part of a broader commitment to advancing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies across the nation. On July 25, 2024, the Department announced a $33 million investment in nine concentrated solar thermal projects aimed at commercializing this technology. This investment is crucial in addressing the climate crisis and ensuring that the United States maintains its leadership in scientific innovation.
Since the 1970s, the Department of Energy has been funding the development of concentrated solar technologies, initially in response to the oil crisis to find renewable domestic energy sources. Despite early commercialization efforts facing challenges such as high costs and low output, researchers have continued to push the boundaries of this field, particularly by improving system temperatures and utilizing new materials to enhance efficiency. The current focus of concentrated solar thermal applications has shifted towards providing the necessary heat for industrial processes or serving as a long-term energy storage solution.
Among the funded projects, over $7 million will be allocated to the Firestone Walker Brewery in Paso Robles, California, to utilize solar thermal energy for steam production in beer brewing. Additionally, $6 million will support a concentrated solar power plant in Bakersfield, California, which will store heat in retired fracking sites. Researchers at West Virginia University (2024 USNews Ranking: 216) , in collaboration with NASA, have also secured $5 million to explore the potential of solar thermal energy in producing clean hydrogen. The Department of Energy aims to drive the commercialization of emerging energy technologies through these pilot projects, helping research teams or companies refine their technologies, scale up, and reduce costs.
Geological Carbon Storage and Industrial Emissions Reduction
The impact of geological carbon storage on reducing industrial emissions cannot be overstated. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a technology that could play a pivotal role in addressing global warming. The CCS process consists of three main steps: capturing CO2 from power generation or industrial activities, transporting the captured CO2, and permanently storing it underground. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and limit future temperature increases to 1.5°C, we must not only enhance our emission reduction efforts but also deploy technologies that remove CO2 from the atmosphere. CCS is one such technology, making it a critical component in the fight against global warming.
The workflow of CCS includes the following steps:
1. Capture CO2: This involves separating CO2 from industrial processes, such as those in coal and natural gas power plants or steel and cement manufacturing.
2. Transport: The captured CO2 is then compressed and transported to storage sites via pipelines, trucks, or ships.
3. Storage: Finally, the CO2 is injected into underground rock formations for permanent storage. Potential storage sites include saline aquifers or depleted oil and gas reservoirs, typically located at depths of 620 meters (1 kilometer) or deeper.
For instance, the UK’s “Zero Carbon Humber” project utilizes saline aquifers located approximately 1.6 kilometers deep in the North Sea for CO2 storage. In the United States, several large-scale CO2 storage projects exist, such as the Citronelle project in Alabama, which stores CO2 at a depth of about 2.9 kilometers. In addition to CCS, there is a related concept known as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), which aims to convert CO2 into industrial products like plastics, concrete, or biofuels rather than merely storing it.
Data from the Global CCS Institute indicates that CCS is a proven technology that has been safely operating for over 45 years. By the end of 2022, there were 194 large-scale CCS facilities globally, with 80 located in the United States, 27 in Europe, 21 in the Asia-Pacific region, and 6 in the Middle East. The CO2 capture capacity of CCS facilities under development reached 244 million tons annually in 2022, marking a 44% increase from the previous year. Since its inception in the United States in 1972, CCS has captured and stored over 200 million tons of CO2 from several natural gas power plants in Texas.
Long-Term Monitoring and Verification Plans for Underground CO2 Storage
The success of carbon storage projects like Project ACCESS hinges on robust long-term monitoring and verification (MMV) plans. In a paper published on January 2, 2024, Marcella Dean and Simon O’Brien discussed best practices for risk-based measurement, monitoring, and verification in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects. MMV is a regulatory requirement for obtaining and maintaining storage permits, ensuring that the injected CO2 behaves as expected and that corrective actions are taken promptly in case of anomalies.
The article elaborates on MMV methodologies and their risk frameworks, illustrated through the case study of the Quest CCS facility in Alberta, Canada. CCUS is viewed as a key technology for achieving net-zero emissions targets across countries and industries, necessitating the deployment of CCUS at a scale of millions of tons and ensuring that injected CO2 can be permanently stored underground.
To assess the technical feasibility of CO2 storage sites, comprehensive characterization of the subsurface environment is essential, including the lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and all potentially affected wells. All risks that could threaten the long-term safety of CO2 storage sites must be evaluated and managed to ensure that residual risks are minimized to a reasonable level. A commonly adopted risk assessment method in the industry is the “butterfly diagram” approach and leakage scenario thinking. The International Oil and Gas Producers Association (IOGP) and various national regulatory bodies have published industry guidance on MMV.
The objectives of MMV can be categorized into three areas: integrity, compliance, and confidence. MMV provides the necessary data to verify integrity, demonstrate compliance, and meet regulatory obligations. The article also highlights the operational success of the Quest CCS facility, which has safely stored over 8 million tons of CO2 since its inception in 2015, with monitoring data indicating no detected CO2 emissions. Through a comprehensive MMV program, the Quest facility has collected extensive monitoring data, demonstrating its integrity and compliance.
Economic Benefits of Carbon Storage Projects in Regions Affected by Industry Decline
The economic implications of carbon storage projects extend beyond environmental benefits, particularly in regions grappling with industrial decline. In December 2023, the Congressional Budget Office released a report analyzing the current state, federal support, and future potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in the United States. The report highlighted that while the federal government has provided substantial funding support over the past decade, the application of CCS remains limited. Currently, there are 15 operational CCS facilities in the U.S., capturing only 0.4% of the nation’s annual emissions. However, there are 121 CCS projects under construction or development, which, if completed, could increase the annual capture capacity of CCS significantly.
Federal support for CCS primarily comes through funding and tax incentives from the Department of Energy. Between 2011 and 2023, the total annual appropriations for CCS-related research and projects reached $5.3 billion. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in 2021, allocated $8.2 billion in advance appropriations for CCS projects. Additionally, operators of CCS facilities can apply for the 45Q tax credit to incentivize the use of CCS technology. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 significantly expanded this tax credit, which is expected to have a substantial impact on future CCS projects.
The extent of CCS utilization in the future will be influenced by various factors, including the costs of CO2 capture, transportation and storage capacity, federal and state regulatory decisions, and the development of other clean energy technologies. While the prospects for CCS technology remain uncertain, advancements in technology and supportive policies are expected to gradually increase the application of CCS in the coming years.
Conclusion
Virginia Tech’s Project ACCESS represents a significant step forward in the field of carbon capture and storage, with the potential to make a substantial impact on industrial emissions reduction and economic revitalization in regions affected by industrial decline. The U.S. Department of Energy’s funding underscores the federal commitment to advancing CCS technologies, which are essential in the fight against climate change. The project’s focus on long-term monitoring and verification ensures that the CO2 stored underground will remain secure, while the economic benefits of such initiatives can provide new job opportunities and support communities facing industrial challenges.
As the world grapples with the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, projects like Project ACCESS will play a crucial role in shaping a sustainable future. By investing in innovative technologies and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government, the United States can lead the way in developing effective solutions to combat climate change while simultaneously revitalizing its economy. The success of this project could serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country, paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future.
