Westec successfully passes key milestone with CO2 capture technology

Verditekgroup company WestecEnvironmental Solutions, SINTEF (Norway’s largest research institute forenergy and climate technology) and one of Canada’s CMC Research Institutes, theCarbon Capture & Conversion Institute (CMCRI CCCI), have reached a keymilestone on a collaborative project to deliver a step change improvement in CO₂ capturetechnology efficiency.

Theproject, focused on reducing the cost of capturing carbon from industrialprocesses, is being supported by Gassnova SF, the Norwegian state’s CarbonCapture and Storage enterprise, with a US$2.2 million matching grant throughtheir CLIMIT Programme (the Norwegian research programme for accelerating thecommercialisation of Carbon Capture and Storage).

WES’patented absorption technology, which comprises a uniquely developed contactor,offers new solutions that optimise the mass transfer of gas/liquid forindustrial emissions/control and for CO₂ capture. WES’technology aims to make CO₂ capture affordable by deliveringperformance improvements that will translate into significant capital andoperational cost savings for utility companies, refineries and cement kilnoperators.

Thepilot-scale project has today passed a key milestone, successfully completingthe initial testing phase, using independent testing at the SINTEF facility inNorway. The next and penultimate phase of the project will comprise solventoptimisation, process modelling, contactor optimisation, and pilot-scalevalidation, followed by scale-up to full industrial volumes. As a result, WESis discussing a possible licensing agreement of its technology with a Canadiancustomer.

GeoffNesbitt, Chairman of Verditek PLC said: “We are extremely pleased with theperformance of the WES contactor technology, which validates the WES concept.The WES contactor delivers a significant performance improvement overconventional technologies. We look forward to the prospect of commercialisingthe WES technology through our potential licensing partner.”