麻豆传媒

More than a decade ago, the first academic studies appeared on the concept of capturing carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from air at scale. Today, the and the agree that DAC technology can play an important role in realising a net-zero emissions energy system, where the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere no longer increases, that is, the amount of CO₂ is equivalent to the amount being removed.

At Shell, we are committed to delivering more value with less emissions and the development of DAC technology is one potential pathway to achieving this goal. DAC uses man-made equipment to remove CO₂ from the air. Air from the atmosphere is first stripped of CO₂. The CO₂-depleted air is then released back into the atmosphere, while the captured CO₂ could be permanently stored underground or reused as feedstock in, for instance, the production of e-chemicals or in e-fuels.

An example is synthetic kerosene, a type of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) made from CO₂, water and renewable power. In 2021, in a world-first, a KLM Boeing 737 commercial passenger service flew from Amsterdam to Madrid, fuelled by 500 litres of certified synthetic kerosene, produced at Shell鈥檚 .

Shell鈥檚 disciplined approach to innovation, which focuses on concepts that have a high potential to be successfully deployed in the energy transition, shaped the search for DAC technologies over the past decade. Initially, we established External Technology Collaborations, mainly through academic partnerships, to gain a deeper understanding of the opportunity. In 2020, researchers consolidated our learnings and embarked on a dedicated technology programme committed to developing efficient, robust, and low-cost solid sorbents, and a matching process design. In parallel, the team investigated DAC demonstration opportunities and scale-up strategies. In July 2023, the decision was made to start the construction and operation of an industrial-scale demonstration unit that will test the technical viability and performance of Shell鈥檚 DAC process. The plant will be placed at the Shell Technology Center Houston (STCH), in Texas, USA, with a targeted start-up in 2025. The demonstration will provide the data required to prove the deployability of Shell鈥檚 DAC technology at scale, which would enable the capture of larger amounts of CO₂.

During the DAC research & development journey, Shell鈥檚 technology experts concluded that solid sorbent technology had a high potential to become a techno-economically competitive solution. With over a century of technological innovation in the energy industry, our strong set of technical capabilities enabled fast, in-house DAC technology development. Supported by distinguished people and an extensive global network of resources and partners, Shell is well positioned to tackle future challenges that could arise during demonstration.

Originally initiated with a handful of scientists, engineers, and technology experts at the ETCA, in the Netherlands, Shell鈥檚 DAC programme currently spans four of Shell鈥檚 main tech hubs, including the Shell Technology Centre Bangalore (STC-B), in India; STCH, in Texas; and Shell TechWorks, in Boston, USA. 鈥淲e have a diverse team of more than 50 individuals around the world, with various scientific and technical backgrounds, who are working tirelessly to make Shell鈥檚 DAC technology a feasible pathway鈥� says Roland Spronk, Business Opportunity Manager for DAC Technology Development at Shell. 鈥淥ur global footprint and the unwavering support from our people have been instrumental in reaching the decision to build the demonstration unit.鈥�

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