The EERC is a global leader in the areas of climate change and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a major by-product of energy use. CCS comprises capturing CO₂ and putting it into environmentally sound temporary or permanent storage.

There is growing concern that the ongoing accumulation of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activity may affect the global climate. The Global Climate Change Initiative, issued by President George W. Bush in February 2002, called for an 18% reduction in U.S. CO₂ intensity by 2012. Conservation, more efficient power systems, renewable energy, and CCS are all tools to help reduce CO₂ intensity.

The EERC has two major programs focused on climate change and CCS.

Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership

The EERC is currently leading one of the world’s largest programs dedicated to developing and demonstrating technologies to reduce CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere from large-scale sources. The EERC’s PCOR Partnership is one of seven regional partnerships operating under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership (RCSP) Program. This multiyear effort, which began in 2003, is being conducted in three phases. Since its inception, the PCOR Partnership’s nearly 100 private and public sector members have provided data, guidance, financial resources, and practical experience with CCS. The PCOR Partnership region includes all or part of nine states and four Canadian provinces.

Partnership for CO₂ Capture (PCO₂C) Technology Development

Concerns over the impact of CO₂ emissions from combustion sources on global climate change have prompted numerous research and development projects aimed at developing cost-effective technologies for CO₂ capture. Currently, no technologies have achieved significant commercial demonstration for the capture of CO₂ from large combustion point sources such as a coal-fired power plant.

PCO₂C is conducting a pilot-scale demonstration to test selected CO₂ separation and capture technologies for fossil fuel- and biomass-fired systems. The project is aimed at providing project sponsors with key technical and economic information that can be used to examine the feasibility of technologies as a function of fuel type and system configuration.

Useful Links

Plains CO₂ Reduction (PCOR) Partnership

Partnership for CO₂ Capture (PCO₂C) Technology Development