18 March 2011

Professor Styring takes the lead in Carbon Capture

Professor Peter Styring, EPSRC Senior Media Fellow, is taking a lead role in the development of CO2-based energy sources.

A recent seminar held in Catch, Stallingborough, highlighted the potential for the Humber to become a world leader in carbon capture and storage. An exciting proposal to create an integrated carbon capture cluster, connecting power stations and other large emitters via a pipeline was outlined. Such a development would not only benefit the energy sector, but would also create thousands of jobs, catalysing a whole new industry sector.

Professor Styring, as Chair of the CO2-Chem Network, is well placed to provide comment on the proposal. In an interview by the newspaper "This is Grimsby", Prof Styring explained that the university had carried out feasibility studies into various materials that could be made from processing captured carbon.

"It won't reduce the amount of CO2 being emitted, but it will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels," he said.

He estimated the £84 million capital investment required to get such a conversion facility up and running could be paid back within about five years.

"If we can persuade businesses that carbon capture is not a chore, that it's something they can make a profit from, then it is really going to take off."

Click here to read the article in full.