SK E&S

 

SK E&S Pushes Forward “Development of CCUS” Which Is the Key to Achieving Carbon Neutrality - On June 16, SK E&S signed a business agreement with the KIER and CE TECH to advance CO₂capture technology - The company aims to integrate CO₂capture technology into the process of LNG generation and hydrogen production, contributing Korea’s reduction in greenhouse gas emission

 
SK E&S seeks to research and develop CO₂capture technology that is emerging as a core pillar in achieving carbon neutrality.
On June 16, SK E&S announced it signed a business agreement with Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) and CE TECH for “Research to Advance, Demonstrate and Commercialize CO₂capture technology” at KIER in Yuseong-gu, Dajeon. The signing ceremony was attended by CEO and President of SK E&S Choo Hyung-wook, President of the KIER Kim Jong-nam, CEO of CE TECH Lee Kwang-soon and other key officials.
In the ceremony, SK E&S pledged to support research to develop, demonstrate and commercialize CO₂capture technology in the most optimized way to produce hydrogen on a large scale and to use LNG in power generation. To undertake R&D effectively, the company plans to form a working-level team with the KIER and CE TECH.
SK E&S is a leader in future energy business including hydrogen, renewables and energy solutions based on the green low carbon LNG business, and had been looking for partners to work on advancing CO₂capture technology that will be key to achieving carbon neutrality in the future. KIER is a national research center under the Ministry of Science and ICT and equipped with Korea’s best energy technology including CO₂capture. Owning CO₂capture patents, CE TECH is recognized as Korea’s best CO₂capture technology provider.
CO₂capture (carbon capture) is acknowledged as the core technology not only in implementing Korea’s plan to achieve net zero (carbon neutrality) by 2050 but in reducing global greenhouse gas emission.
Intermittency is the biggest challenge for renewables and green energy sources such as solar and wind power. LNG is complementary to and compensates for this weakness of renewable energy by being integrated into power system and producing power when renewable power generation capacity is low. The question is that LNG power generation produces CO₂emission although it accounts for a relatively small share compared to other fossil fuels in total power generation. Using CCS* or CCUS* which is a technology to capture carbon, however, LNG power generation can become greener.
The technology can also be used to remove CO₂produced in the process of reforming LNG to produce hydrogen, contributing significantly to making a future hydrogen eco-system eco-friendly.
CCS has made remarkable progress in recent years and been highlighted as a major tool in achieving global carbon neutrality. The global CCS capacity of 28 projects currently operating commercially stands at roughly 40 million tonnes a year.
In Korea, coal-fired power plants have sought to adopt CCS and completed demonstration, but the technology hasn’t been commercialized yet. Under the circumstances, SK E&S decided to localize CCS technology with the KIER and the local small venture.
Especially, through this agreement, the energy company will support upgrading CO₂capture in wet conditions that is relatively more effective in capturing carbon on a large scale. This is expected to facilitate development of CO₂capture technology in the best way possible to use LNG in power generation and to produce hydrogen as well as help roll out CCS to other industrial areas.
“CCUS is a core technology for ESG management. In that sense, it is great to work with the KIER and CE TECH, the best technology providers in the sector, to advance carbon capture technology,” said Choo Hyung-wook, CEO of SK E&S. “SK E&S will continue to make substantial investments on CCUS technology and reinforce its commitment to it to contribute effectively to achieving carbon neutrality in the energy sector and the national goal of greenhouse gas reduction,” he added.
“CCUS, especially making CO₂capture technology economically viable is the key to achieving carbon neutrality,” said Kim Jong-nam, the president of the KIER.” He continued, “This agreement is expected to advancing CO₂capture technology in the most optimized way for LNG power generation and hydrogen production.”

*CCS (Carbon Capture & Storage): Technological process of capturing carbon dioxide from emission, and sequestering and storing it permanently or semi-permanently
**CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage): Technical process of capturing carbon dioxide from emission for industrial production (of solid carbonate and ethylene) or of converting CO₂into value-added products, or sequestering and storing CO₂permanently or semi-permanently.
***Capturing in wet conditions: Chemical process of absorbing CO₂which uses a liquid absorbent