Heriot-Watt in Carbon Capture and Storage Funding announcement

Scientists from the Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage (SCCS) research partnership, of which Heriot-Watt is a member, have competitively won a 20% share of a £2.57 million funding pot to carry out targeted research that will support the commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the UK.

Three out of 14 new CCS research projects, selected by the UK CCS Research Centre (UKCCSRC) as part of its second funding call, will be led by academics based at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh. The three projects will yield crucial results that will feed into each stage of the CCS chain, from capturing CO₂ within flexible power generation systems to monitoring its transport in liquid state and ensuring safe and permanent storage deep below ground. A further two projects will involve researchers from within the SCCS partnership as co-investigators.

Our team is delighted to continue our work on CO₂ metering through this project. This research will advance the specification for accurate metering within CCS developments for the power generation sector that is critical for the deployment of CCS.

UKCCSRC has provided funding to nine research institutes across the UK for a total of 14 project collaborations. Seven projects will focus on CO₂ capture, five will tackle cross-cutting issues and two will involve CO₂ storage. The winning bids have attracted an additional £2m in co-funding and support from industry partners.

Collaborative working

Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, of Heriot-Watt's Centre for Innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage, is the Principal investigator in a £185,000 collaborative project between Heriot-Watt University and KROHNE Ltd which addresses a key knowledge gap for the commercialisation of CCS technologies and will provide a complete assessment of meters for accurate flow measurement of CO₂ within CCS streams.

Professor Maroto-Valer said, "Our team is delighted to continue our work on CO₂ metering through this project. This research will advance the specification for accurate metering within CCS developments for the power generation sector that is critical for the deployment of CCS."

Professor Stuart Haszeldine, SCCS Director, said, "The diversity and quality of expertise within the SCCS partnership has enabled us to secure an improved share of funding for research that will support the growing CCS industry in the UK. The knowledge gained will also be applicable to CCS projects worldwide, as many countries begin to assemble the elements of a low-carbon economy. It is essential that academia, industry and government continue working together to refine our knowledge and progress to commercial-scale deployment of CCS technology."