What is Carbon Capture?

What is Carbon Capture?

Carbon capture and storage (CCS), or what is sometimes called carbon capture and sequestration, is a technological method that captures large amounts (up to 90%) of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels to prevent them from being released into the atmosphere.

The CCS process consists of three parts: capturing the CO2 produced by industrial plants; compressing and transporting the CO2 (usually via pipeline) to a safe and secure storage site; and finally injecting it deep into rock formations or depleted oil and gas fields, often at depths of a mile or more underground, where it is stored permanently.

With the temperature of the Earth rising due to increases in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, CCS is considered to be a viable option for CO2 mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large stationary sources of CO2, including coal- and natural-gas-fired power plants, as well as ethanol and natural gas processing plants.

Learn how Alabama Power – Plant Barry is driving innovation with Carbon Capture via this link.