Carbon Capture and Storage
Technology for carbon capture and storage (CCS) has been known in Trinidad and Tobago for decades but is yet to be a component in reducing carbon dioxide emissions of major greenhouse gas emitting industries. Most recently, a pilot sanctioned by the Ministry of Energy – for the dual purpose of enhanced oil recovery and carbon sequestration - was undertaken in 2010. Dr Anjani Ganase explains the technology and wonders why it is not used widely in Trinidad’s industrialised centres. What is carbon capture and storage? The idea of capturing carbon dioxide emissions to curb global warming was first suggested in 1970s and was developed in 1992 in Norway. It is the method in which carbon dioxide is removed from industrial processes and stored for the long-term as an active climate mitigation strategy. Carbon capture is done in three main forms: (1) post-combustion, when the CO 2 is extracted from the flue gas (exhaust gas) when the fuel is burned; (2) prec...