Integrating offshore wind with Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) for a Net Zero Humber

Research projects

Research area
Offshore wind energy integration – challenges and impacts
Institution
University of Hull
Research project
Integrating offshore wind with Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) for a Net Zero Humber
Lead supervisor
Dr Ben Kolosz (Lecturer in Renewable Energy and Carbon Capture, Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull)
PhD Student
Aliyu Ibrahim-Nagidi
Supervisory Team
Dr Stuart McLelland (Deputy Director of the Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, University of Hull)

Project Description:

Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technologies perform the role of carbon dioxide removal directly from the atmosphere. Given that DACCS systems frequently rely on a combination of electricity and heat, to truly maximize the positive contribution of DACCS technologies we must look towards powering these systems by carbon-free energy.

One of the most popular and flexible forms of renewable energy, offshore wind in the UK has the potential to generate greater returns than any other country in the world – possibly reaching growth of over 40GW capacity by 2030. Most of the capacity and short-term growth in the UK is focused in the Humber region. By determining levels of surplus energy generated through offshore wind, and channeling this into DACCS, offshore wind energy integration has the capacity to reduce costs and improve viability of DACCS.

This PhD project aims to explore the potential for integration of a DACCS function in the Humber region that is powered entirely through offshore wind as part of the Net Zero Humber and Teeside’s goal of reducing their GHG Emissions by up to 50%. As with proposed CO2 capture at Drax, captured CO2 from DACCS (energy consumer) could be piped directly into subsea geologic storage via the endurance aquifer in the North Sea. There is the potential for the Humber region to achieve net negative emissions through a combination of such technologies.

As part of this project will be a comparison of different DACCS technologies and intermediate energy storage systems. Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) will then be carried out to observe embedded carbon over the duration of the systems operational lifetime. In doing this, the appropriate DACCS technology offshore wind configuration and storage approach will be selected, and technoeconomic analysis (TEA) will be utilized to assist with quantification of costs of integration of these systems based in the Humber region.