The RD&I Partner to Deploy Advanced GHG Emission Mitigation Techniques in Ghana

Leading CCUS Research in Ghana

CCUS is a promising technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes and mitigating the impacts of climate change. While the technology is still in its early stages of development and deployment, especially in Africa, ongoing research and development efforts are helping to advance CCUS and make it a more viable option for reducing emissions.

CCUS is a technology that aims to capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and either store them underground or utilize them for other applications. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce emissions from large industrial sources, such as power plants and cement factories, and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. The first step in CCUS is carbon capture, which involves capturing carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes before they are released into the atmosphere. This can be done using a variety of technologies, including absorption, adsorption, and membrane separation. Once carbon dioxide has been captured, it can be utilized for a range of applications, such as enhanced oil recovery, the production of chemicals and materials, and the production of fuels, such as synthetic natural gas. These applications can help create new revenue streams and reduce the overall emissions footprint of the industrial process. If carbon dioxide is not utilized, it can be stored underground in geological formations, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs, saline formations, or unmineable coal seams. This is known as carbon dioxide storage or sequestration, and it is a critical component of CCUS. Storage sites must be carefully selected and monitored to ensure that carbon dioxide remains securely trapped underground and does not leak into the atmosphere.

In terms of preparedness, Ghana is not ready for full-scale deployment of CCUS. However, the country must take concrete and directed steps towards eventual deployment of CCUS as it is an indispensable technology for reducing GHG emission at scale to sustain oil and gas production and the heavy-duty industries. The main prerequisite for deployment of CCUS is the availability of viable, safe and secure geological storage facilities with adequate storage capacity to receive large volumes of injected CO2. Potential geological CO2 storage facilities include deep saline reservoirs, depleted oil and gas reservoirs and producing oil and gas reservoirs. Ghana is blessed with at least four sedimentary basins namely the Tano-Cape Three Point Basin, the Saltpond Basin, the Accra-Keta Basin and the Voltaian Basin that could hold suitable formations for CO2 storage. But these storage facilities must be identified and properly assessed to determine their storage potential. Proven geological storage space is a resource that government can commercialise in the near future. The E&P industry can also explore tax incentives in the near future from large scale CO2 mitigation through CCUS.

Researchers at NCEL are working on a project that uses machine learning-based multi-criteria methodology and available data to conduct qualitative and quantitative assessment of sedimentary basins in Ghana to identify, rank and estimate the available CO2 storage capacity of these basins and develop a knowledge gap score card to direct data mobilization towards a more robust assessment in the near future to prepare the country towards full-scale deployment of CCUS. Successful implementation of this project will provide an overview of CO2 storage resources in Ghana, an initial estimate of the total amount of CO2 the country can mitigate through CCUS under current conditions, a preliminary database and the knowledge gaps that must be filled for a more robust assessment.

Developing Sustainable Materials for DAC

Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a technology that aims to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere using various chemical processes. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. DAC involves using large-scale industrial facilities to capture CO2 directly from the air using chemical processes, such as adsorption or chemical reactions. Once captured, the CO2 can be stored underground or utilized for a range of applications, such as enhanced oil recovery, the production of chemicals and materials, or the production of synthetic fuels. DAC has several advantages over other carbon capture technologies, such as the ability to capture CO2 from ambient air rather than from industrial processes, which means it can be deployed anywhere in the world. Additionally, DAC can be combined with renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar, to create a carbon-negative energy system. However, DAC is still in the early stages of development and is currently more expensive than other carbon capture technologies. Ongoing research and development efforts are needed to reduce costs and improve efficiency, but DAC has the potential to play an important role in reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Open burning is one of the major sources of GHG emission in Ghana. Unlike point source emissions that can be easily quantified and mitigated, emission from open burning is difficult to contain. DAC is one of the most effective techniques for mitigating emissions from open burning of waste. However, DAC requires large volumes of materials to capture CO2 that can be considered enough in terms of the global emission reduction targets due to the generally low concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere. Affordable and regenerable materials that can be readily produced from locally available feedstock is required to implement these GHG emission reduction techniques at scale.

Researchers at NCEL are currently working on a project that will valorise locally available feedstock to develop advanced sustainable materials for carbon capture and utilisation. The overall goal of the project is to design, produce and deploy specialised materials for CO2 removal. Successful implementation of the project will prepare the country towards eventual deployment of large-scale carbon removal technologies such as Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and Direct Air Capture (DAC), reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission at scale to achieve UN SDG Goal 13.

Building Expertise for Eventual Implementation of UHS in Ghana

The hydrogen economy is a proposed system in which hydrogen would be the primary energy carrier for various applications. Hydrogen is a clean, abundant, and versatile fuel that can be produced from a wide range of sources, including renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. The hydrogen economy has the potential to address several energy and environmental challenges, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing energy security, and promoting economic development. The hydrogen economy can be implemented in various sectors, including transportation, electricity generation, and industrial processes. While the hydrogen economy offers many potential benefits, significant challenges must be addressed to realize its full potential. These challenges include the high cost of production, storage, and transportation of hydrogen, the lack of infrastructure, and the need for more research and development.

Underground hydrogen storage is a promising solution for storing excess renewable energy, which can be used to produce hydrogen through electrolysis. The hydrogen can then be stored in underground caverns, salt domes, depleted gas fields, or aquifers, providing a reliable and scalable means of energy storage. Hydrogen storage can be used to balance intermittent renewable energy sources and ensure a consistent supply of energy. Moreover, hydrogen can be used as a fuel for vehicles or industrial processes, making underground hydrogen storage a key enabler of the hydrogen economy. Despite the potential benefits, underground hydrogen storage faces several technical and economic challenges that need to be addressed to achieve widespread adoption. Nonetheless, ongoing research and development are exploring new technologies and innovations to enhance the efficiency and affordability of underground hydrogen storage.

Researchers at NCEL are currently working on various UHS projects including geochemical modelling of Hydrogen-brine-rock reactions, preliminary assessment of geological formations in Ghana for UHS, design and analysis of hydrogen transport systems, seal and caprock integrity analysis during UHS.

Developing Efficient and Sustainable CO2 Conversion Technologies

CO2 conversion is a technology that aims to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into useful products, such as fuels, chemicals, and materials. This technology has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial processes while also creating new revenue streams and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. CO2 conversion can be achieved using a variety of technologies, including electrochemical conversion, biological conversion, and thermochemical conversion. These technologies use different chemical processes to convert CO2 into a range of products, such as methane, methanol, formic acid, and other chemicals.

One of the key advantages of CO2 conversion is that it can create a closed loop system, where CO2 emissions from one process are used as a feedstock for another process. This creates a circular economy that reduces waste and minimizes the overall emissions footprint of the industrial process. However, CO2 conversion technologies are still in the early stages of development and deployment. Ongoing research and development efforts are needed to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and scale up production. Despite these challenges, CO2 conversion has the potential to play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting a sustainable, circular economy.

NCEL is collaborating with researchers at the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Chemistry to develop efficient CO2 conversion techniques using locally available materials to produce useful products for domestic and industrial utilization.