DecarbonICE ™ technology is a radically innovative carbon capture and storage (CCS) solution to reduce GHG emissions from the shipping industry with an estimate of 90%. The concept is to freeze the CO2 from the exhaust gases of a ship into dry ice powder. Dump dry ice powder into streamlined ice blocks and dump them into the deep sea. As CO2 ice is heavier than water, it will descend to the seafloor, where it will penetrate the sediments and be permanently stored, mainly as CO2 hydrate.
Environmental impact
Maritime transport emits about 1 billion tonnes of CO2 each year, of which 80% comes from ships in the high seas trade.
By applying decarbonICE ™ technology, the aim is to reduce emissions from offshore shipping on a 90% in a safe, environmentally friendly and affordable way.
CO2 capture takes place in an on-board cryogenic plant that produces a Carbon Lowering Vehicle (CDV) from pure CO2 dry ice. CDV is released into the sea over large areas of the abyssal plain below 3,000 meters depth and penetrates the seafloor deep enough in the sediments of the seafloor that only very primitive life, in the form of bacteria, is potentially affected.
The pressure and temperature in the storage places will transform the dry ice into liquid CO2 which then reacts with the water in the pores into CO2 hydrate, something of which the sediments on the seabed already contain trillions of tons.
CO2 hydrate is thermodynamically stable within sediments, and will be stored safely for a minimum of tens of thousands of years.
Technology on board
decarbonICE is a pioneering carbon capture and storage (CCS) solution for reducing GHG emissions from ships.
The solution builds on known technologies and physical principles and can be used on new buildings and retrofitted into ships using existing fuels such as HFO, MGO and LNG. When new carbon neutral fuels like biofuels or synthetic fuels (e-fuels) become available, the technology will in combination with such fuels lead to carbon negative shipping, where CO2 is removed from the atmosphere.
decarbonICE is a pioneering carbon capture and storage (CCS) solution to reduce GHG emissions from ships.
The solution is based on known physical principles and technologies and can be used in new constructions and retrofitted to ships using existing fuels such as HFO, MGO and LNG. When new carbon-neutral fuels such as biofuels or synthetic fuels (e-fuels) become available, the technology, in combination with these fuels, will lead to carbon-negative shipping, where CO2 is removed from the atmosphere.
The project will develop conceptual designs and proofs of concept for the following subsystems:
- Calculation of OPEX and CAPEX of the technology
- Target vessel analysis
- Analysis of CO2 storage in sediments
- Assessment of system-related risks and security
