Aramco has awarded Swiss technology firm Daphne Technology a license to further develop and commercialise its mobile carbon capture (MCC) technology, says an article published on Riviera.
Hard-to-decarbonize sectors
The license was awarded by Saudi Aramco Technologies Company, a subsidiary of Aramco.
Aramco’s MCC technology has the potential to contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions from maritime transport and other hard-to-decarbonize sectors. The system works by taking a vehicle’s exhaust gases and bringing them into contact with a solvent to capture the CO2, emitting nitrogen, water vapour, and any remaining CO2. The CO2 is then compressed and stored in a tank on board the vessel (or vehicle).
Carbon capture system
Aramco said it used a solid sorbent for the feasibility prototype and, a decade ago, integrated the carbon capture system into a Ford F-250 pickup truck, capturing 10% of the CO2 emissions.
The MCC system has since been trialled on a heavy duty truck with up to 40% carbon capture, and Aramco has ambitions of extending its use to passenger cars and the maritime sector in the future.
Proprietary technology
Marine vessels consume thousands of tonnes more fuel than trucks, and the next step is for Daphne Technology to explore ways to adapt and integrate the technology with its proprietary technology for deployment on large, commercial maritime vessels.
Saudi Aramco Technologies Company CEO Adullah S. Dhuwaihi added “Emissions from the shipping industry are particularly hard to abate, and there are limited low-carbon alternatives that are commercially available today.”
Decarbonisation goals
Daphne Technology founder and CEO Dr Mario Michan said commercialising the MCC technology for the maritime industry “is a perfect fit with our strategy, which is to develop and integrate innovative technology to help our clients meet their decarbonisation goals. The MCC technology complements our proprietary methane slip reduction (SlipPure) and desulphurisation systems, creating decarbonisation packages for current and future infrastructure and assets.”
CO2 capture plant
As a hard-to-abate sector, the maritime industry is looking for commercially viable ways to decarbonise. Onboard carbon capture is one possible option.
Last year, K-Line installed a CO2 capture plant aboard coal carrier Corona Utility to demonstrate its practical working over a six-month period. The company reported that the system successfully removed 99.9% of CO2 from the vessel’s exhaust gas.
K-Line project
ClassNK which was part of the K-Line project has since issued guidelines for shipboard CO2 capture including safety provisions and notations.
And in March, ABS granted an AiP to Value Maritime for its Filtree shipboard carbon capture system.
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Source: Riviera
