Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS): Innovations and Applications

With the growing concerns over climate change, industries are exploring new ways to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, foster a circular economy and make sustainability efforts more profitable. Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies offer a promising solution by capturing CO₂ and either storing it underground or reusing it in industrial processes. Rather than treating CO₂ as waste, many companies are innovating ways to transform captured carbon into valuable products—such as plastics, concrete, biofuel, and synthetic fuels—that can be profitably integrated into the market.

Companies employ a wide range of technologies to capture and utilize CO₂, either immediately after capture or after storage. Below is a discussion of various CCUS technologies, the companies involved and their partnerships.

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR): EOR is currently the most widely used CCUS application. In this process, CO₂ is captured using various technologies such as Direct Air Capture (DAC), amine-based absorption system, and high-pressure separation methods, then compressed into a dense form. The compressed CO₂ is transported to the capture site where it is injected into the oil reservoirs or depleted oil fields for EOR. This method not only boosts oil production but also facilitates the storage of CO₂, contributing to carbon sequestration efforts.

CapturePoint LLC collaborates with Heimdal to use DAC technology and then employ the captured CO₂ in EOR. ENEOS Xplora is engaged in Petra Nova project—one of the largest post-combustions CCUS efforts in the United States—where captured CO₂ is used for EOR and simultaneously stored underground. Enhance Energy is involved in Alberta Carbon Trunk Line (ACTL) System, a large-scale CCUS project designed to support Alberta's lower-carbon economy, transporting captured CO₂ to the mature oil fields in Central Alberta for EOR and storage. JAPEX has developed a method to inject CO₂ in the form of microbubbles into oil reservoirs. This approach enhances the CO₂ storage rate and improves crude oil recovery compared to standard CO₂ injection methods. JAPEX is also utilizing CO₂ for enhanced gas recovery, injecting CO₂ into depleted gas fields to boost natural gas production and storage. Masdar, MHI, Saudi Aramco and Sinopec are additional key players utilizing CO₂ for EOR.

E-Methanol Production: E-methanol is produced by combining biogenic CO₂ with green hydrogen (generated via water electrolysis powered by renewable energy) to produce a low-carbon chemical alternative to methanol. E-methanol can be used in fuel cell, jet fuel, marine fuel, and as an industrial chemical feedstock.

Elyse Energy has planned to produce 200,000 tons of e-methanol annually through its eM-Lacq project. Abel Energyleverages biomass gasification combined with water electrolysis to produce hydrogen and e-methanol. Liquid Wind aims to produce e-methanol particularly for the marine industry and recently secured €4 million in a series A equity round. Montauk Renewables has entered into an agreement with European Energy to supply biogenic CO₂ for large scale e-methanol production. Other notable firms in e-methanol production include Motor Oil, Ørsted, Raffinerie Heide GmbH, Renewable Hydrogen Canada Corporation, and Toyo Engineering.

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): SAF is generated from renewable sources and offers a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to conventional jet fuel. Aramco, TotalEnergies and Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) have signed a Joint Development and Cost Sharing Agreement for SAF production in Saudi Arabia. Holcim, EDF, IFPEN and Axens have launched the “Take Kair” project to develop e-Kerosene for aviation industry. In this project, Holcim supplies biogenic CO2, IFPEN and Axens provide the core technology and EDF converts biogenic CO₂ into e-SAF. The primary buyer of SAF produced under this agreement will be Air France-KLM. Other firms working on SAF include TotalEnergies, Norsk e-Fuel, Infinium and HY2GEN.

Carbon Nanotubes or Graphene:  Both carbon nanotubes and graphene consist of carbon atoms. Their exceptional strengths and light weight make them ideal for range of applications including, batteries, transistors, biological engineering, sensors, and electronics.

Carbon Corp. and Universal Matter Inc. convert CO₂ into valuable products such as carbon nanotube and graphene. While Carbon Corp. uses its proprietary C2CNT® (Genesis Device®) technology to transform CO₂ into carbon nanotubes and graphene, Universal Matter Inc. relies on Flash Joule Heating to upcycle carbon into graphene.

Mineralization: Mineralization and CO₂-sequestered aggregates are emerging game changers in CCUS, offering permanent CO₂ storage and creating valuable construction materials. This process often results in stronger, more durable materials, while lowering the overall carbon footprint of construction.

Blue Planet Systems employs a mineralization process that transforms CO₂ into stable carbonate materials. Their CO₂-sequestered aggregate stores 440 kg of CO₂ per ton of material, providing a carbon-negative option for concrete production. CarbonCure also uses similar technology for carbon sequestration into fresh concrete. Heirloom accelerates the natural carbon mineralization process by using limestone to capture CO₂ from the air. CarbiCrete, Holcim, Lafarge Canada, Ozinga, and Aramco also capture and utilize CO₂ to produce low-carbon cement and concrete. CarbonFree has developed SkyCycle™, a low-energy CCUS solution that mineralizes CO₂ into precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and synthetic limestone. The technology is modular and scalable, enabling deployment across multiple industrial sites.

Biorecycling: Biorecycling employs biological systems—such as microbes, algae, and engineered enzymes—to capture and convert CO₂ into useful products like biofuels, chemicals, and bioplastics.

LanzaTech employs biorecycling technology, converting carbon-rich emissions from steel mills and landfills into fuels and chemicals. Their method is similar to fermentation but uses bacteria instead of yeast to process emissions into useful products. Kiverdi has developed several technologies for recycling CO₂ into useful products. For example, Revive Soil technology transforms captured CO₂ into organic nutrients for crops, CO₂ Aquafeed technology produces a sustainable alternative to traditional fishmeal by converting CO₂ into a complete protein suitable for fish farming. Through Reverse Plastics technology, Kiverdi breaks down plastic into hydrogen and carbon then recombined them into biodegradable polymers. GreenCap has created an Environment Closed System (ECS) to optimize CO₂ concentration in greenhouses, boosting plant growth and productivity.

Hydrogen and Ammonia Production: By integrating carbon capture into hydrogen and ammonia production, CCUS helps industries reduce emissions while ensuring a steady supply of essential chemicals and fuels.

Aker Solutions integrates CCUS to produce blue hydrogen from natural gas, capturing CO₂ from industrial processes for e-fuel and methanol production. Casale uses Flexiblue® technology to produce blue ammonia and hydrogen as well as Flexigreen® technology for green ammonia and methanol production by integrating CCUS and renewable resources. KBR is involved in producing clean ammonia and green hydrogen by integrating CCUS process. Other key players include NextChem, Daigas group, EE North America and Thyssenkrupp Uhde.

Other CCUS Innovations: Numerous additional CCUS technologies are being developed to turn CO₂ into valuable products. For example, CleanO2 developed proprietary CarbinX technology, which captures CO₂ and convert into pearl ash—a useful ingredients in consumer products like soaps and laundry detergent. Newlight uses a proprietary process to capture carbon emissions and convert them into a biomaterial called AirCarbon. This material is derived through the action of microorganisms found in nature, which consume greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane and convert them into polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). PHB is a naturally occurring polymer that can be melted and formed into various products, functioning as a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics, leather, and fibers. Fortum utilizes the Carbon2x technology, which captures CO₂ emissions from waste incineration and converts them into biodegradable plastic.

As the CCUS field continue to advance, more companies are devising innovative ways to capture and utilize CO₂.

Conclusion

CCUS technologies are rapidly evolving to combat climate change by capturing and repurposing CO₂ across range of industries. From enhanced oil recovery to sustainable aviation fuels, e-methanol, construction materials and biorecycling, these innovations offer scalable pathways to substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As industries continue to adopt CCUS, these technologies will play a crucial role in achieving net-zero targets and fostering a sustainable carbon economy.