While the majority of world leaders are gathered in Dubai for the COP28 summit, ESTECH is fine-tuning a world-first that could be a potential game-changer in the green transition.
ESTECH has patented the technology, named CAPPOW, which combines CO2 capture with Power-to-X, enabling the production of green hydrogen and biofuels from captured CO2. The technology has undergone extensive testing, and in the coming months, it will be prepared for use in a near-industrial-size facility at VandCenter Syd in Odense, which has recently become operational. The goal is to sell the first facility by 2024.
“There are other facilities capturing CO2, and there are facilities performing Power-to-X, but there is no other facility in the world that can combine these two processes in one and with commercially viable technology. Therefore, we have enormous expectations for CAPPOW, which we believe can become a key technology in the green transition,” says CEO of ESTECH, Søren G. Larsen.
CO2 capture and storage (CCS), often also referred to as Carbon Capture Utility & Storage (CCUS), is considered a crucial tool to achieve climate goals in both the Paris Agreement and the Danish government’s 70% reduction target by 2030.
However, large-scale CCS facilities are needed to capture the required amounts, notes Søren G. Larsen. This is where CAPPOW technology comes in, utilizing the energy used to capture CO2 to produce green hydrogen without harmful chemicals.
The produced hydrogen can be used directly as biofuels for trucks and aircraft. The CO2 by-product is so pure that it can be sold to e.g., soft drink manufacturers or converted into green fuel.
“The beauty of the CAPPOW technology is that it is scalable, suitable for both small and large-scale industrial companies, biogas producers, or large waste incineration plants. So, whether you need to capture 600 kilograms of CO2 per hour or six tons, it doesn’t matter because we can tailor each facility to the individual customer,” explains Søren G. Larsen.
The facility at VandCenter Syd succeeds a pilot plant that has been operational for over two years and is currently the largest completed CCUS facility in Denmark. The plan is to run a series of tests and to validate the technology on a large scale until April 2024, followed by the official inauguration of the facility.
“It is both our ambition and expectation to have a fully commercial technology by next year. We are going all-in on this technology because we are convinced that we are dealing with a game-changer for Danish business and for the green transition,” says Søren G. Larsen.
Søren Gert Larsen, CEO, ESTECH A/S: +45 30 80 75 27 / sgl@estech.dk
ESTECH Press release (in Danish)