Carbon Sequestration

Carbon Negative Electricity Generation

 

A fuel cell calciner can be used to generate electricity in a combustion-free process that converts limestone into lime and yields pure CO2 which can be sequestered geologically without the need for scrubbing. The lime subsequently absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere to leave an overall reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere: mineral sequestration.

Origen Power

Origen Power

Origen Power and Cranfield University are developing a fuel cell calciner to enable electricity to be generated in a way that removes CO2 from the atmosphere.

The Origen Power process feeds natural gas into a fuel cell to generate electricity. The heat generated breaks limestone (CaCO3) down into lime (CaO) and pure carbon dioxide (CO2). It is configured so that all of the CO2 generated – both from the fuel cell and the calciner – is generated at over 99% purity. This pure CO2 can be geologically sequestered and the lime that has been generated absorbs CO2 in the air to re-form CaCO3.

Cranfield University

The process is 48% chemical-to-electrical efficient and results in the net removal of 800g of CO2 for every kWh generated.

This contrasts with current combustion technology where around 400g of CO2 are emitted into the atmosphere for every kWh of electricity produced.

Secure Low-cost, Low-carbon Electricity

Origen Power Process

A fuel cell calciner is neither land-intensive or energy-intensive – it has a small land footprint and the process removes CO2 from the air, even as it generates electricity.

It has the potential to address the energy trilemma of delivering low-cost, low-carbon and secure energy and it will lead to the development of a revolutionary new design for power stations that cleanse the air of CO2: carbon negative electricity generation.

Academic papers on Fuel Cell Calciners

See academic papers on Fuel Cell Calciners from BEN Team at Origen Power and Cranfield University:

Cost Effective, Carbon Negative, Baseload Power

Tim Kruger

To see Tim Kruger's TED Talk on the Origen Power Process click on the image: